The Basic Cozy Grammar Course, Parts 1 & 2
(video recording review)
Author/s: Sarah Prielipp
Issue: June, 2002
2 videocassettes. color. 77 min. ea. with tchr's. guide/workbook.
Splashes from the River. 2001.
ISBN 0-968827-01.
Gr 4-7 -- These 27 basic grammar lessons are designed to supplement
classroom instruction. Each 2-17 minute lesson builds on the previous
one. There are a few seconds of black screen between each lesson. At the
end of each lesson, Marie Rackham, the hostess, refers to the
reproducible workbook. Each workbook lesson provides one page of review
and one page of exercises. Rather than filming in a studio or classroom
setting, the producers chose to film at "cozy" cottage on the
Campbell River in Canada--Rackham's home. The lessons become a part of
her daily routine. For example, viewers learn about pronouns when Marie
has several friends over for dinner and she offers red or white wine.
She uses their preferences to introduce pronouns. These videos will
appeal to different learning styles. Visual learners can follow along on
screen; auditory learners can listen to Marie; and kinesthetic learners
have the reinforcement of workbook exercises. School libraries will
benefit from these videos, and public libraries should consider
purchasing them if they have large home-schooling or ESL populations.
One caveat for American libraries: there are some Canadian
pronunciations, which are more likely to cause giggles than confusion.
Sarah Prielipp, Chippewa River District
Library,
Mt. Pleasant, MI
Basic
Grammar
