My Experience with Unlock Series by Cambridge University Press
剑桥大学出版社Unlock 系列的教学体验
As an English teacher, I consider myself lucky to have been able to try out a vast number of English resources through my work. Time and time again the Cambridge University Press Unlock Series has proven itself to be at the very top of the list of resources I would recommend.
Here is what makes this series so special, according to my teaching experience.
作为一名英语老师，我很幸运能够通过工作尝试大量的英语教材。剑桥大学出版社的Unlock系列一次又一次让我相信，它应该是我推荐的首选。
以下是根据我的教学经验，我总结出来的这个系列如此特别的原因。
What Makes the Unlock Series Special?
Unlock系列有什么特别之处呢？
1. Integrated Skill Development- First, and in my opinion, greatest strength of The Unlock Series, integrated skill development is an approach to language learning where multiple language skills —reading, writing, listening, and speaking are taught together, rather than in isolation. Each unit is designed with tasks and activities that reinforce these skills in a cohesive way, ensuring learners build a well-rounded understanding of the language.
1. 综合技能发展- 首先，在我看来，注重综合技能发展是Unlock系列的最大优势，这也是语言学习最有效的方法。多种语言技能（阅读、写作、听力和口语）被融会贯通放在一起教学，而不是单独教授。每个单元都有学习任务和练习，并以连贯的方式强化这些技能，确保学习者对语言有全面的理解。
Each unit is divided in sections focusing on specific skills:
1) Reading and Writing– Develops comprehension, vocabulary, and academic writing skills.
2) Listening and Speaking– Develops listening and speaking skills using audio and video materials, and encourages practice of conversational skills through speaking tasks.
每个单元分为几个部分，着重发展学生以下技能：
1) 阅读和写作--培养学生阅读理解能力、词汇量和学术写作技能。
2) 听力和口语-- 使用音频和视频材料培养学生听力和口语技能，并鼓励通过说话练习提高口语技能。
2. Engaging Content- The books feature a wealth of contemporary topics and themes, ranging from technology and culture to the environment and global issues. These subjects not only resonate with young learners but also encourage them to think critically and engage with the material actively. An example of how engaging these materials can be: I have a student whom I have been teaching using the Unlock series for a number of years now, and who is generally very engaged no matter what materials we are using. In one of the units we were covering – preservation, we talked about both the preservation of physical items of interest, as well as the preservation of digital items. I played him a video that was originally filmed in 1905, but was digitally restored and is now preserved for posterity. The video depicts the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn, a suspension railway in Germany that started operation in 1901. The railway itself has been restored and preserved. To say my student was interested in this would be an understatement; we spent the next couple of classes learning about preservation of digital files, how infrared light, oxygen, and water can damage the physical devices digital files are stored on. We discussed what he can do to preserve files that are important to him, so that he and his children can enjoy them in the future. To sum, we were able to greatly expand upon the unit itself thanks to the content being so engaging to my student.
2.引人入胜的内容——这些课本收集了大量的流行的话题和主题，从科技和文化到环境和全球问题。这些主题不仅能引起年轻学习者的共鸣，还能鼓励他们批判性思考并积极参与互动。这里我可以举个例子显示这些课本内容如何吸引学生。我有一个学生，我多年来一直使用Unlock系列来教他。无论我们学什么，他通常都非常投入。在我们讨论的单元之一 “保存” 中，我们既讨论了有意义的实物的保存，也讨论了电子产品的保存。我给他播放了一段视频，该视频最初拍摄于 1905 年，但经过数字修复，被保存下来供后人观赏。视频描绘了德国 Wuppertaler Schwebebahn 悬索铁路，于 1901 年开始运营。铁路本身也被修复和保存。我的学生对这个话题表现出极大的兴趣。我们在接下来的几节课中学习了电子文件的保存，以及红外光、氧气和水如何能损坏存储电子文件的物理设备。我们讨论了他可以采取哪些措施来保存对他来说很重要的文件，以便他和他的孩子将来可以享受这些文件。总而言之，由于内容对我的学生如此有吸引力，我们能够充分地延伸扩展。
3. Strong Focus on Academic English- Unlock is particularly suited for students who aim to excel in academic settings. Its focus on critical thinking, academic vocabulary, and structured writing prepares learners for success in school, university, and beyond. Barring a couple of exceptions, most of my students are studying English with a clear academic purpose in mind. For students who are academically oriented, it helps to have resources well-suited for the academic environment. Using Unlock books students will not only greatly expand their academic vocabulary, but also learn how to use very specific academic terms correctly and effectively. Additionally, each unit culminates in a writing assignment, which is most often a type of academic essay. With Unlock books, students are taught invaluable academic writing skills such as essay structure, writing an effective thesis statement, prioritizing arguments, coherence, refutations, etc. Mastering these skills at an early age ensures students will be well-equipped to handle various university-level academic tasks.
3. 高度重视学术英语- Unlock 特别适合那些希望在学术上取得优异成绩的学生。它注重批判性思维、学术词汇和结构化写作，为学习者在学校、大学及其他专业领域取得成功做好准备。除了少数例外，我的大多数学生都带着明确的学术目的来学习英语。对于以学术为导向的学生来说，使用适合学术发展的教材会有所帮助。使用Unlock系列，学生不仅可以大大扩展他们的学术词汇量，还可以学习如何正确有效地使用非常具体的学术术语。此外，每个单元最后都会有一份写作作业，通常是一篇学术论文。通过Unlock系列，学生可以学到宝贵的学术写作技能，例如论文结构、撰写有效的论文主题、论据的优先顺序、连贯性、反驳等。从小掌握这些技能可确保学生有能力对付大学和研究生时期的学术任务。
Comprehensive Materials to Boost Learning
完善的资源助力学生学习
The series offers a range of thoughtfully curated materials designed to meet the diverse needs of students. Here’s what sets the Unlock Series apart:
该系列提供了一整套精心策划的材料，旨在满足学生的多样化需求。
Unlock 系列的与众不同之处如下：
· Video Content:Each unit is accompanied by engaging video clips from authentic sources. These videos introduce key themes, provide real-life context, and help students develop their listening and comprehension skills. One major drawback of many materials I have used is the lack of engaging video content. This creates problems for both the teachers and the students. As a teacher, I am left with the task of finding additional materials that will help students first engage with and then understand the topic. The Unlock series provides us with bite-sized videos that do a fantastic job familiarizing the students with the topic, thus helping them engage with it more easily.
• 视频：每个单元都附有来源可靠的引人入胜的视频资料。这些视频介绍关键主题，提供现实生活中与主题有关的例子，并培养学生的听力和理解技能。我使用的许多材料的一个主要缺点是缺乏配套的引人入胜的视频。这给老师和学生都带来麻烦。作为一名教师，我需要寻找额外的材料来帮助学生参与并理解教学内容。 Unlock 系列为我们提供了简短的视频，可以很好地帮助学生熟悉主题，从而帮助他们更轻松地参与其中。
· Vocabulary Development:Unlock emphasizes vocabulary building, with activities that help students learn and retain essential words and phrases. Each lesson integrates vocabulary in meaningful contexts, ensuring long-term retention.
• 词汇：Unlock 强调词汇积累，通过各种练习帮助学生学习和记住基本单词和短语。每节课都将词汇融入有意义的上下文中，确保学生能长期记住。
· Critical Thinking Tasks:The series fosters intellectual curiosity through activities that require students to analyze, evaluate, and create. These tasks are vital for developing problem-solving skills and confidence in using English in complex scenarios. I personally rate critical thinking skills very highly, and am always pushing my students to develop them. Unlock makes this process easier on us by providing us with integrated tasks that help students build and sharpen their critical thinking skills. From my experience, the books do an amazing job explaining and teaching critical thinking skills, but they do something else even better. They are structured in such a way that after learning a new skill, future articles will have examples where students can apply their newly-acquired skills. The books don’t explicitly mention this, but most students pick up on this fact, giving them a sense of pride and accomplishment when they can show off their new skills.
• 批判性思维：Unlock系列通过分析、评估和创新的练习培养学生的求知欲。这些活动对于培养学生解决问题的能力和提高在复杂场景中使用英语的信心至关重要。我个人注重批判性思维能力，并且一直督促我的学生发展这种能力。 Unlock让我能更好地在这方面帮助学生。它提供了各种综合练习，帮助学生建立并提高他们的批判性思维技能。根据我的经验，Unlock 系列除了解释和教授批判性思维技能，还做得更多。该系列一个单元的结构一般是，在学习了新概念/技能后，附属的文章将提供学生可以应用新概念/技能的机会。书中没有明确提及这一点，但大多数学生都意识到了这一点。当他们能够运用自己的新技能时，会感到自豪和深深的成就感。
· Grammar in Context:Rather than presenting grammar in isolation, the Unlock Series teaches it in context, making it easier for students to understand and apply. Grammar exercises are tied to real-life situations, bridging the gap between theory and practice. A major benefit of grammar in the Unlock books is that the grammar skills taught here will have a tangible and immediate benefit to the students. With my students I have noticed a marked improvement in sentence structure, complexity, and clarity, as well as improvements to their ability to use complex sentence structures, such as relative sentences.
• 上下文中的语法：Unlock系列不是孤立地呈现语法，而是联系上下文中教授语法，使学生更容易理解和应用。语法练习与现实生活场景联系在一起，弥合了理论与实践之间的差距。Unlock系列中语法的一个主要好处是，这里教授的语法技能将为学生带来切实而直接的收益。我注意到我的学生在句子结构、复杂性和清晰度方面有了显着的进步，并且他们使用复杂句子结构（例如关系句子）的能力也得到了提高。
How Unlock Benefits Students
学生如何从学习Unlock系列受益
The Unlock Series is designed to provide measurable improvement in English proficiency. Parents can feel confident choosing these materials for their children, knowing they will benefit in several key areas:
Unlock 系列旨在显著提高英语水平。家长可以放心地为孩子选择这些材料，他们将在几个关键领域受益匪浅：
1. Improved Communication Skills- By balancing all language skills, the series ensures students can express themselves clearly and confidently, whether in written or spoken English.
1. 提高交流沟通技巧- 通过平衡发展所有语言技能，该系列确保学生能够清晰、自信地表达自己，无论是书面还是口语。
2. Enhanced Confidence- Regular practice with authentic materials and critical thinking tasks equips students with the tools to tackle real-world challenges, boosting their self-assurance in their abilities.
2. 增强信心——长期接触原版教材和用批判性思维进行练习，可以为学生提供应对现实世界挑战的工具，增强他们对自己能力的自信。
3. Preparation for the Future- Unlock’s focus on academic skills, such as structured writing and critical analysis, prepares students for the demands of higher education and professional settings.
3.为未来做好准备- Unlock 注重学术技能，例如结构化写作和批判性分析，为学生将来的高等教育和专业职场做好准备。
4. Self-Paced Learning- The series is designed for flexibility, allowing students to progress at their own pace. Whether used in classrooms or at home, it supports personalized learning.
4. 自定进度学习- 该系列的设计具有灵活性，允许学生按照自己的进度进步。无论是在教室还是在家里使用，它都支持个性化学习。
Why Parents Should Choose Unlockfor
Their Children
为什么父母应该为孩子选择Unlock系列
In my opinion, The Unlock Series is more than just a set of textbooks—it’s a gateway to academic and personal growth. Its carefully crafted curriculum provides students with the tools they need to succeed in an English-speaking world. From developing core skills to growing critical thinking and creativity, these materials offer everything a parent could want in an English learning resource.
在我看来，Unlock系列不仅仅是一套教科书，它还是通向学业成功和个人成长的门户。其精心设计的课程为学生提供了在英语世界取得成功所需的工具。从获取核心技能到培养批判性思维和创造力，这套教材提供了家长在英语学习中想要的一切。
As a teacher, the Unlock series has proven itself to be an invaluable asset to have at my disposal, and one I’m confident will help my students achieve their goals in a fun and engaging way.
作为一名教师，Unlock系列是我可以使用的宝贵资产，我相信该系列将帮助我的学生沉浸其中，实现他们的学习目标。
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