Rating: 
Summary: Great Book for Multi- Lingual classes
Review: After teaching for 2 years, this is a great book. It has an excellent mix of grammar, vocabulary and reading texts. I only wish it had a DVD and mall flash cards to go with it.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Score for the Authors
Review: Another easy, visual approach to learning English from the authors of the Word by Word Picture Dictionary and the Word by Word Primary Phonics Picture Dictionary.
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Summary: The Best Beginning ESL Series
Review: As an English as a Second Language teacher with 19 years' experience, I have used a lot of different programs and texts with my students. Side by Side is by far the best I have ever seen for students from the middle school through adult. It is clear, has an interesting format and appealing illustrations. It covers the different components of English acquisition (speaking, listening, reading and writing) better than any other program I have used, including those designed for use on the computer. One need not have a background in language acquisition to successfully teach someone else English--it's that good. If there were only one tool I could use in my ESL classrooms, or in tutoring one-on-one, without hesitation, my choice would be Side by Side.
Rating: 
Summary: A textbook that rates a C minus
Review: As an ESL teacher, I have found this heavily-promoted book very disappointing. Some of its many deficiencies: (1)overuse of proper names, which are difficult for students and distract them from the substance; (2) overuse of vocabulary irrelevant to the lives of urban adult immigrants (skiing, skating, working in the yard, drinking lemonade, vacationing in Paris); (3) stilted and artificial reading selections; (4) sketches depicting dated fashions or artifacts (bell-bottom jeans, large Afro hairdos, record players, dial telephones); (5) introduction of common errors in grammar or word meaning without identifying them as errors ("how come?" as an alternative to "why?"; "nauseous" in a context that requires "nauseated"--actually I think that example may be from Book 2, but I have the same criticisms of all four books in this series.)
Rating:
Summary: A great text for beginners and building accuracy
Review: I have been teaching English for the past seven years, and anything that these two authors write is better than anything out there. I have taught a variety of levels of a variety of students, and this works the best. Any teacher who knows what they're doing will try to use either this book or Expressways as often as possible.
Rating:
Summary: The best you can find
Review: I have been teaching English for the past seven years, and anything that these two authors write is better than anything out there. I have taught a variety of levels of a variety of students, and this works the best. Any teacher who knows what they're doing will try to use either this book or Expressways as often as possible.
Rating:
Summary: BEST ESL/EFL supplement workbook
Review: I have been teaching English to Japanese and Korean students for four years. Out of all of the workbooks that I've used, Side by Side is the best at getting shy students to engage in conversation. Someone mentioned that the fashions are a little bit outdated; however, none of my students have had a problem with this and letting students have fun is key. The illustrations are amusing and fun to look at and talk about! This book can be used in so many different ways. Sometimes I will copy the illustrations and put them on a poster or on flash cards. I am DEFINATELY not an artist and these pictures really help. Give this series a try! They are great!
Rating:
Summary: A great text for beginners and building accuracy
Review: I have read some other quite critical reviews of this series, but I would like to point out its merits. I have used book 1 & 2 for the last 10 years, and if I could only take one book with me to my next county - that would be it. These books are the best out there for developing accuracy of forms which are necessary for beginning students. It provides realistic dialogues with ample practice through substitution drills. The illustrations are both humourous and clear so that the books are easy to use with real beginners. For students at the pre-intermediate level and above, I would suggest only using this series as a supplement to practice grammar forms (I usually make an overhead and let students practice in pairs).As for comments about dialogues with social security numbers or talking about San Juan - if something doesn't apply to your situation - skip it!!!! (That information is relevant for some students)
Rating:
Summary: A textbook that rates a C minus
Review: I taught from Side By Side for two years while living in Japan and intensely disliked it. I found the dialouges extremely moronic and unrealistic. Endless repitition and substitution drills are really no way to learn English. Furthermore, the first unit, in which students are complete beginners, contains 1. a reference to Social Security Numbers and 2. introduces the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Students at this level are still trying to cope with English letters and sounds; it is unfair to throw a cultural reference at them so early on. The inclusion of San Juan--with Spanish, not English pronunication--is really inexcusable.
Rating: 
Summary: Bane of My Existance
Review: I taught from Side By Side for two years while living in Japan and intensely disliked it. I found the dialouges extremely moronic and unrealistic. Endless repitition and substitution drills are really no way to learn English. Furthermore, the first unit, in which students are complete beginners, contains 1. a reference to Social Security Numbers and 2. introduces the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Students at this level are still trying to cope with English letters and sounds; it is unfair to throw a cultural reference at them so early on. The inclusion of San Juan--with Spanish, not English pronunication--is really inexcusable.
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