Power Patterns is different. The difference can be seen in two ways: how we usually work in the classroom with ESL/EFL texts and the organization of ESL/EFL texts themselves.

First of all, what is the best case scenario of most ESL/EFL classrooms in terms of interaction? Most classrooms that are active and engaged in learning are either teacher oriented, that is, the teacher is leading the lesson or discussion and the students are responding or there is pair work/small group work happening. Both are appropriate and fine learning techniques. However, Power Patterns can be used both ways and also go beyond traditional pair work. Activity 1 on the following page shows how students can be active with the book in hand (because of its unique size) and switch partners frequently while using the patterns to express themselves and learn more language. In a class with 10 students, the lesson can take a dozen pair exchanges with students actively engaged in conversation away from their seats, and each of these mean constant and varied reinforcement of the “real life” language.

In addition, Power Patterns goes beyond most texts in its organization. After “seeing” and using the patterns in the present, past, and future tenses, and substituting the verbs into the patterns, learners will quickly recognize the patterns and begin to really speak and use the language. Add the Wh- words to all three tenses, and you can see the almost limitless possibilities for learning basic, conversational English.

Most good texts show a kind of pattern with the present tense “Do ___?” They may even add the Wh- words to this present tense question. But where these texts fall short is not showing the pattern in at least two other tenses nor do they distinguish clearly between the Are you ___? questions (used with the verb to “be”) and the action verb questions of Do, Did and Will. Likewise, they fall short by not constantly reviewing (recycling) the patterns so that learners really can see the patterns in the language and, therefore, learn it faster and easier. Let’s face it, the language is hard enough with its idioms and colloquial expressions. Teachers now the difficulties of explaining such ideas as “borrow”and“lend” or how about expressions such as “I’m tied up right now.” vs. “I’m tied down right now.”

On the following pages are Activities/Tasks that are very versatile and can be used throughout the book with each lesson you prepare or with each tense introduced. Encourage your students and model for them the use of the verb sections, both regular and irregular, so that they can ask hundreds of questions and know both the short and long answers.