More True Stories: A Beginning Reader

I use this for my adult ESL students as they go beyond the need for lots of accompanying pictures to help them understand the stories. The version is well-placed and, as usual, most of the stories are quite fun. The amount of student work is appropriate for the level.

This is one more of an excellent series of true stories written for ESL learners. The stories are presented in separate chapters with a photograph of the subjects of the story and then exercises following the story which test specific and general comprehension. I use this for students who have a good grasp of past tense and who have begun learning the present and past perfect tenses, although those are used lightly and that knowledge isn't essential. The stories are of high interest and after each one my students look at me amazed and ask me the same question - "Is it true?" (They are!) At the end of the book is some more information the author provides that fleshes out the story a bit more. Even my most reluctant learners always brighten up when I pull the book out and they are even willing to do the exercises. This book and the entire series has added enormously to my classes.

I use Heyer's True Stories series with my high school ELD classes. The stories are varied levels (this one is suitable for early intermediate students), and very high interest. I don't use them as primary texts, but to supplement our curriculum. They can be used for reading comprehension, class discussion, and writing topics.