The ESL Miscellany, now in its sixth edition, is a well-loved, eclectic compendium of useful and interesting information for teachers and advanced English Language Learners. It is known among teachers as "the book you would most want to have with you if you were stuck on a desert island or teaching in a very remote place."
It can be used in the following ways: 1) as a resource for developing your own lessons or a complete curriculum; 2) as a photocopiable source for handouts; 3) as a guideline for those who practice eclecticism; and 4) as a reference book for teachers and advanced students of English anywhere in the world.
The ESL Miscellany is divided into five parts called Aspects, which consist of extensive, reliable lists covering almost every aspect teachers need:
- The Linguistic Aspect contains information about the language (North American English) itself, including Phonology, Morphology, Lexicon, and Grammar.
- The Communicative Aspect outlines the way in which the language is used to send and receive messages. It includes checklists of Situational Contexts (basic daily needs, work, education, recreation) and checklists of Topical Content (food, cooking, eating, clothes), as well as a Communicative Functions Checklist for various language levels.
- The Cultural Aspect provides extensive information about the culture of the US and Canada, and their respective people and governments. Interesting and helpful statistics support this information. Topics include cities and states of the US, provinces and major cities of Canada, entertainers, heroes, the US National Anthem, the Canadian National Anthem, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and more.
-The Metalinguistic Aspectand Miscellaneous Materials section includes materials which help facilitate the teaching/learning process as well as various materials which don't fit neatly into other categories. Topics include a Glossary of Grammatical Terms, a Brief Guide to Pronunciation, Roman Numerals, and Measurement Terms and Equivalents. - The Paralinguistic Aspect includes some examples of communicative systems which lie outside of the language itself, such as International Sign Language, Parental Gestures, Children's Gestures, Gestures of Greeting and Leave-taking. Of high interest is a photographic catalog of 61 gestures which are commonly used in North America.