Past Simple: Learning English Through British History And C

Description: Past Simple: Learning English through British History and Culture Past Simple is a fascinating introduction to British history and culture, designed to improve the language skills of adult learners of English but suitable also for use in sixth-forms and FE colleges in Britain. The authors, both practising teachers, succeed in delivering a wealth of historical facts and improving students' language and critical thinking skills all in an engaging, entertaining and often humorous way. Past Simple comprises 22 chapters, 12 on key episodes or periods of British history (such as the First World War), 10 on significant themes (imperialism, the growth of democracy, etc.) that run through the story of these islands. Each chapter is based around a central reading text, followed by comprehension and critical thinking exercises, additional primary source material and a focus on relevant language points. There is a clear emphasis on skills development and follow-up extension tasks to encourage Internet and library research.

Contents: Chronological:
1. Civilizing the barbarians: The Romans in Britain
2. 1066 and all that: The Norman Conquest
3. Majesty and marriages: King Henry VIII
4. Good Queen Bess: Elizabeth I
5. Roundheads and Cavaliers: The English Civil War
6. Fire and plague: Samuel Pepys' London
7. The longest reign: The Victorians
8. A long way from Tipperary: World War I
9. Britain can take it: The Blitz
10. From the cradle to the grave: The welfare state
11. Cultural revolution: The swinging sixties
12. The Iron Lady: Margaret Thatcher

Thematic:
1. From barons to ballot box: The long road to democracy
2. The Bard of Avon: William Shakespeare
3. The Sun never set: The British Empire
4. A special relationship? Britain and the USA
5. A funny old game: Cricket
6. Seen and not heard: British childhood
7. Auld enemies: England and Scotland
7. That cloud in the west: Ireland
9. A safe haven: Immigration to Britain
10. An enduring obsession: Social class in Britain

Author Biography: David Ronder started his English teaching career in Barcelona in the early 1990s. He has taught business and general English in the UK for many years, recently specialising in ESOL. An Edinburgh history graduate, he has always been interested in the connections between language and history. He devised and ran an innovative course to teach British history to ESOL students at the Institute in North London, which formed the initial basis for Past Simple. He is a published travel journalist, and though he continues to teach, he now works mainly as a freelance editor and Spanish translator. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists. Peter Thompson is head of history at London's leading sixth-form college and has over 20 years' history teaching experience, working mostly with 16-19-year-olds and adults. He taught English as a foreign language whilst living in Berlin, Germany, for three years during the 1990s.