Books

BTB Press publications offer teachers and students a way of building bridges between classroom lessons and independent study. Our books can easily be integrated into general language programs, but they also provide students with the knowledge and resources they need to become autonomous learners. The ‘Back to Basics’ motto reflects the style and structure of all our books: BTB publications are based not on what is currently fashionable or ‘in vogue’, but rather on a realistic assessment of what learners want, what they need, and what kind of materials will actually make a difference to their language proficiency. Please click on the book you are interested in for more information.

Gifu University English Center

Gifu University English Center Gifu University 英語３ Reading

Course Aims The aim of this course is to give students the skills and knowledge they need in order to become effective independent readers. The course covers key concepts in vocabulary building, and students will learn a range of methods…
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Gifu University English Center

Gifu University English Center Gifu University 英語１ Speaking

Course Aims The aim of this course is to teach students how to converse naturally in simple English on familiar topics. The focus will be on responding accurately and appropriately to a specified range of questions that will be taught…
Dorothy E. Zemach

Dorothy E. Zemach Composition Writing Manual

Taken from Read to Write Compositions, this bilingual Composition Writing Manual introduces key elements of good academic writing. It covers a range of topics including opening and closing sentences, transitions, and basic punctuation. Each explanation is followed by a series…
David Barker

David Barker The Reading Book

The Reading Book is an intermediate course in reading and vocabulary for Japanese learners of English. The acquisition and understanding of vocabulary knowledge is viewed as a primary goal in improving reading ability, and topics including word frequency, affixation, and…
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Gifu University English Center

Gifu University English Center Gifu University 英語２ Listening Second Edition

Course Aims The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the basics of English listening and pronunciation. In particular, students will learn about the way English sounds when it is spoken at natural speed. This knowledge will be…
David Barker & Meagan Kaiser

David Barker & Meagan Kaiser The Sound of English

The Sound of English is an intermediate course in listening and pronunciation for Japanese learners. The aim of the course is to help students understand how the sound system of English works, and how it is fundamentally different from that…
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David Barker

David Barker Nice to Meet You Second Edition

Nice to Meet You Second Edition focuses on the type of English conversations that learners might expect to have with someone they meet for the first time. This book prepares them for a speaking test at the end of the…
Mutsumi Kawasaki & David Barker

Mutsumi Kawasaki & David Barker Get Set!

Get Set! helps students transition from studying English for tests to communicating in the real world. The book begins by looking at the culture of the language classroom and the expectations of language teachers. Students examine and discuss their beliefs…
Douglas Moore & David Barker

Douglas Moore & David Barker Read to Write (Second Edition)

Read to Write is a collection of reformulated learner writing designed to provide Japanese students with extensive comprehensible input of the type of language that teachers ask them to produce in writing classes. Covering basic topics such as self-introductions, family, and…
David Barker

David Barker An A-Z of Common English Errors for Japanese Learners

An A-Z of Common English Errors offers easy-to-understand explanations of the areas of English grammar and usage that cause the most problems for Japanese learners. Errors are listed alphabetically under English key words, and suggested corrections are provided. The accompanying…
David Barker

David Barker English Writing Manual (Second Edition)

Taken from the Read to Write series, this bilingual manual explains the basic format of English writing and the mechanics of English sentence construction. It addresses the problems that cause the most problems for Japanese students including the rules for using capital…
Mutsumi Kawasaki & David Barker

Mutsumi Kawasaki & David Barker Read to Write Junior

Read to Write Junior is a collection of adapted learner writing designed to provide young learners with models of simple English sentence writing. The model paragraphs cover a range of topics including self-introductions, friends, school life, and pets. As they…
Bricklin Zeff & Douglas Moore

Bricklin Zeff & Douglas Moore Read to Write Plus

Read to Write Plus is a collection of adapted learner writing designed to provide students with models of the type of language that teachers ask them to produce in university writing classes. The example paragraphs cover a range of topics…
Ian Munby & Dorothy E. Zemach

Ian Munby & Dorothy E. Zemach Read to Write Compositions

Read to Write Compositions takes students beyond the paragraph and introduces them to the basic principles of academic essay writing. The models follow a two-paragraph format that provides a sense of structure without overwhelming the reader. Learners study the models…
Dorothy E. Zemach

Dorothy E. Zemach Read to Write Email

Read to Write Email provides learners with a series of model email messages on a range of common topics. Learners read through the examples and identify useful phrases, formulaic expressions, and basic sentence patterns that they then use to write…
David Barker

David Barker Learning English Vocabulary

Learning English Vocabulary is a book for teachers and students who want a structured approach to the vocabulary element of their English language courses. Comprehensive word lists provide students with translations and other basic information about the most frequent 2000 words…