There are many ESL books available for any age and any level, from beginners to advanced. Before deciding on a book it is recommended that the student take a placement test to evaluate his/her level. In addition to a written placement test (which should also incorporate an essay) an oral placement test should also be conducted. Along with the student’s oral level of English the evaluation will also include the student’s interests. Any professional ESL tutor should take into consideration all the student’s needs.
An ESL Professional Teacher should be the one to recommend a correct series of books. Each individual student has different needs. There are many books or series of books or combinations of books available to suit every student. The time that the student has available should also factor into the decision. If a student has a limited amount of time it is not prudent to suggest a combination of books to work on, since none of them will be completed. This will leave the student feeling like they haven’t really accomplished much and have wasted their money on books which they haven’t finished.
That is why it is important to understand what it is that student wants to accomplish in the time and with the money that they have available to spend on learning English with a private teacher. It is also why I recommend not choosing a particular book until you have already done some lessons with the student. You can always bring photocopies to the first few lessons. It is better than trying to plod through an unsuitable book or admitting that you have made a mistake.
Once the correct book is chosen the lesson will be a breeze for the student as well as the teacher.
