Researchers have claimed that reading is one of the best learning strategies to boost one's vocabulary knowledge (see for instance, Cho, Ahn, & Krashen, 2005; Krashen, 1989, 1997). Additionally, there is general agreement among vocabulary specialists that the heart of communicative competence is lexical knowledge (Coady & Huckin, 1997). Because reading does play this important role in a language learner's lexical development, ESL teachers need a textbook series like Reading for a Reason that addresses both skills.
According to my informal observations and results of quizzes and other assignments, Reading for a Reason has ranked second - so far - in appealing to and motivating our ESL learners. Top Notch presently holds first place, perhaps because it has the advantage of audiovisuals and highly colorful textbooks. Its audiovisuals, with subtitles, have helped struggling beginner ESL learners understand what would have been difficult to understand by just listening to the audio CDs or audiotapes. The range and brilliance of the colors in Top Notch make the graphic illustrations quite vivid.
Top Notch 3 Teachers Book Second Edition
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