The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language

Longman Academic Reading Series 4: Reading Skills for College

August 2014 – Volume 18, Number 2

Longman  Academic  Reading  Series  4:    Reading  Skills  for  College  

Author:   Robert  F.  Cohen  &  Judy  L.  Miller  (2014)      
Publisher:   White  Plains,  NY:  Pearson  Education.  
Pages   ISBN   Price  
287  pages   978-­‐0-­‐13-­‐ $35.00  USD  (catalog),  $46.67  
276061-­‐4   USD  (retail)  

 
 

The   Longman   Academic   Reading   Series   is   Pearson   Education’s   recent   offering   in  

English   for   academic   purposes   (EAP)   reading   textbooks.   The   foreword   clearly   states  
that  the  series’  goal  is  preparation  for  academic  work,  suggesting  the  books  might  be  
intended   for   secondary   ESL/EFL   classrooms,   university   EFL   courses,   or   intensive  
English  programs  (IEPs)  at  English-­‐medium  universities.  The  penultimate  textbook  
in   the   series,   written   by   Robert   Cohen   and   Judy   Miller,   is   linked   to   the   Common  
European   Framework   level   B2   (high-­‐intermediate).   Longman   Academic   Reading  
Series   4   (LARS   4)   presents   a   variety   of   academically-­‐oriented   topics   in   its   ten  
chapters  and  devotes  considerable  attention  to  reading  strategies,  critical  thinking,  
vocabulary,  and  refreshingly,  grammar.  The  book  itself  eschews  flashiness  in  favor  of  
simple,  easy-­‐to-­‐follow  layouts.  In  our  own  professional  context  working  in  an  IEP  at  
an   American   university,   a   unit   has   been   piloted   successfully   and   the   textbook   will  
soon   be   introduced   as   a   primary   course   book   for   a   high-­‐intermediate   reading   and  
vocabulary  class.  

The   structure   and   sequence   of   LARS  4   is   clear   and   consistent.   The   primary   unit   of  
progression  is  topic,  with  each  of  the  ten  chapters  containing  three  readings  that  are  
relevant  to  academic  disciplines  commonly  found  in  university  settings  (e.g.,  media  
studies,   psychology).   Chapters   begin   by   explicitly   stating   learning   objectives;   these  
are  revisited  at  the  end  of  the  chapter  for  self-­‐assessment.  Readings  are  preceded  by  
activities   designed   to   activate   background   knowledge,   and   in   my   experience,  

TESL-­‐EJ  18.2,  August  2014   Cohen  &  Miller/Isbell  &  Sargent     1  

sparked   thoughtful   discussion   among   students.   Reading   strategies,   such   as  
skimming   and   predicting,   are   the   focus   of   during-­‐reading   activities.   General  
comprehension  questions  and  a  number  of  vocabulary  activities  follow  each  reading.  
After   two   or   more   related   readings   in   a   chapter,   LARS   4   provides   synthesis   and  
critical  thinking  activities,  which  can  involve  speaking  (group  discussion,  role  play)  
or  writing  (reflection,  note-­‐taking).  These  activities  proved  successful  in  the  pilot  I  
conducted,   and   created   meaningful   opportunities   for   students   to   revisit   texts   for  
new   purposes.   Additionally,   in   each   chapter   a   salient   grammatical   feature   of  
academic   text   is   selected   for   explicit   explanation   followed   by   analysis   and/or  
manipulation  activities.  LARS  4’s  scope  and  sequence  chart  facilitates  easy  selection  
of  topics  and  activities  for  teachers.  

LARS   4   provides   a   diverse   collection   of   texts   connected   to   a   number   of   academic  

disciplines.   Each   chapter   presents   topically   related   readings   written   by   notable  
historical   figures,   contemporary   intellectuals,   scientists,   and   journalists.   For  
example,  Chapter  1  on  homelessness  features  a  Margaret  Mead  excerpt,  and  Chapter  
7,   which   compares   monarchy   and   democracy,   features   Machiavelli   and   Thomas  
Jefferson.  High-­‐interest  readings  that  connect  topics  to  contemporary  developments,  
such   as   economist   Jeffrey   Sach’s   piece   on   Occupy   Wall   Street   being   used   as   an  
effective  modern  link  to  Chapter  2’s  theme  of  Robber  Barons  (a  group  of  notorious  
American  industrialists  in  the  late  1800s/early  1900s).  We  consider  the  readings  a  
strong  point  of  the  textbook,  offering  authentic  sources  of  mature  academic  topics.  
Readings   are   sequenced   in   such   a   way   that   synthesizing   across   several   texts   feels  
natural   and   not   forced   by   the   provided   activities   designed   to   connect   the   readings  
within  a  chapter.  

The  deliberate  inclusion  and  treatment  of  grammar  is  an  attractive  feature  of  LARS  4  
and   an   element   typically   not   found   in   abundance   in   similar   textbooks.   Minimally-­‐
altered,  excerpted  texts  provide  students  with  very  useful  models  of  grammar  in  use,  
and   LARS   4   capitalizes   on   this   by   selecting   a   number   of   prominent   grammatical  
features  of  academic  English,  such  as  the  passive  voice,  hedging  devices,  and  parallel  
structure.   The   activities   provide   explicit,   function-­‐based   explanation   and   then   direct  
students   back   to   the   text   to   find   examples.   Activities   often   ask   students   to   think  
about   the   motivations   for   using   the   features.   This   attention   to   grammar   may  
possibly  help  students  parse  the  finer  points  of  a  text.  In  our  professional  context,  a  
degree   of   overlap   was   found   with   the   grammar   points   commonly   highlighted   in  
intermediate   level   academic   writing   courses,   providing   a   ripe   opportunity   for  
reinforcement  and  hopefully  transfer  between  courses.  

In   addition   to   the   refreshing   inclusion   of   grammar,   LARS  4   also   offers   an   extensive  

treatment   of   vocabulary.   Each   chapter   draws   attention   to   30-­‐35   vocabulary   items.  
Words   that   are   a   part   of   the   Academic   Word   List   (AWL)   are   noted,   providing   a  
convenient   criterion   for   teachers   to   narrow   their   focus   for   instruction   and  
assessment  if  necessary.  LARS  4,  however,  is  not  content  to  just  expose  learners  to  a  
sizable   vocabulary   list.   The   textbook   goes   beyond   word   meanings   and   devotes   a  
considerable   amount   of   pages   to   depth   of   vocabulary   knowledge,   including  

TESL-­‐EJ  18.2,  August  2014   Cohen  &  Miller/Isbell  &  Sargent     2  

synonyms,  polysemy,  word  forms,  and  word  parts  (affixes  and  roots).  Activities  that  
aim   to   develop   vocabulary   learning   skills   and   strategies   are   also   present,   such   as  
dictionary   activities   and   guessing   from   context.   While   LARS   4’s   detailed   take   on  
vocabulary   learning   in   the   context   of   reading   is   admirable,   it   is   not   without   minor  
shortcomings.   For   example,   synonym   gap-­‐fill   activities   are   sometimes   present  
synonyms  for  target  vocabulary  that  are  quite  difficult  or  uncommon.  In  chapter  4,  
estrangement  is  given  as  a  synonym  for  alienation;  one  would  think  that  a  term  such  
as  separation  or  exclusion  might  allow  learners  at  the  textbook’s  intended  level  make  
a   connection   to   known   vocabulary.   Also,   activities   for   guessing   vocabulary   from  
context   leave   something   to   be   desired.   Learners   are   presented   with   a   one   or   two  
sentence  quote  from  the  text  with  a  bolded  vocabulary  word.  Then,  learners  guess  
the   meaning,   without   much   explanation   for   how   they   should   go   about   doing   so.  
Some  iterations  of  the  activity  imply  a  strategy,  such  as  considering  nearby  potential  
synonyms   or   antonyms,   but   students   may   not   pick   up   on   these   on   their   own   (and  
some   may   even   elude   teachers!).   With   a   critical   eye   and   careful   preparation   on   a  
teacher’s   part,   though,   LARS   4   still   possesses   potential   for   broad   and   deep  
vocabulary  learning.  

Overall,   LARS  4   represents   a   well-­‐rounded   textbook   for   an   EAP   reading   course.   Its  
high-­‐interest  topics  and  texts  should  (and  in  our  pilot,  did)  capture  the  attention  of  
academically-­‐oriented   students.   We   believe   such   students   will   benefit   from   the  
synthesis  and  critical  thinking  activities  linking  texts  within  a  chapter,  as  synthesis  
and  critique  are  skills  not  only  commonly  demanded  by  high-­‐stakes  tests  but  also  by  
many   university   courses   at   the   undergraduate   and   graduate   levels.   The   welcome  
inclusion  of  grammar  explanations  and  activities  present  an  opportunity  to  reinforce  
and   deepen   students’   grammar   knowledge,   including   the   functions   of   grammatical  
structures   in   the   specific   context   of   academic   texts.   Finally,   LARS  4’s   broad   and   deep  
treatment   of   vocabulary,   with   minor   reservations   regarding   activity   design,   should  
help   prepare   university-­‐bound   students   for   the   considerable   lexical   demands   in  
their  futures.  

Reviewed  by  
 
Daniel  Isbell  
Northern  Arizona  University  
[email protected]  

Jessica  Sargent  
Northern  Arizona  University  
[email protected]  
 
 
Copyright  ©  1994  -­‐  2014  TESL-­‐EJ,  ISSN  1072-­‐4303  
Copyright  rests  with  the  authors.  

TESL-­‐EJ  18.2,  August  2014   Cohen  &  Miller/Isbell  &  Sargent     3