While we are increasingly using technology in the classroom, there is still a demand and need for the twentieth-century marvel that is paper (books to be precise)! While we don’t recommend that these are your sole classroom tool, we do believe there are some great books on the market and we’ll take a closer look at these, dividing them into three sub-categories. These are our recommended TEFL books:

Grammar & Vocabulary TEFL Books

Grammar is arguably the backbone of language learning, and a lot of the time students, as well as teachers, want a go-to grammar TEFL books they can depend on should those tricky questions arise in the classroom that you can’t always answer 100% accurately. Having said that, the classic grammar book was infamously a bit of a labyrinth to get your head around, therefore we’ve chosen some great grammar books on the market which are easy to use and both the teacher and student can refer to quickly.

English Grammar in Use

This is the most popular grammar book on the Spanish market and is a great way to convey grammar messages to your students in a simple way. Each unit clusters together a grammar topic with visuals wherever possible and simple explanations to any exceptions to the rule that there may be. It’s a great supplement for homework and practice activities as there are lots of exercises to practice each grammar rule. The book has two sister books as well, Essential Grammar In Use, for elementary learners, and Advanced Grammar In Use, which as the name suggests, targets advanced/proficient learners. You can buy it here

Oxford English Grammar Course

Similar to the above books, Oxford English Grammar Course attempts to highlight grammar rules in the most simple format for the learner. For formers Tt-ers though, be careful with some of the terminology, example being continuous tenses being labeled as progressive tenses! Other than that, it’s got a really clear layout and lots of practice exercises. The books also work on a three-tier system and are labeled as basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Here is the link.

Cognitive English Grammar

This is a great book for the learner or teacher that would like to understand a little more about the thinking behind grammar use, with the perspective of the learner a priority over the instructor. Within this, the books explore approaches towards motivation and meaningfulness when attempting to understand grammar, and draws comparisons to how grammar can be consumed by the learner in the same way that vocabulary can be. Buy it here.

English Grammar for Dummies

This is another great pick amongst the TEFL books, which focus itself on functional grammar (real-life speaking and writing), rather descriptive grammar (traditional exercises where the student circles the correct part of speech).  The book examines the lifestyle of the student learning English, and has a unique focus on writings skills, giving practical advice on how to use correct pronunciation, as well as the varying writing forms on electronic platforms such as emails or blog posts. Link to buy here.

Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English

This is the encyclopedia of everything to do with English Grammar. Arguably a little too heavy on the detail for some readers, this book is a great reference for really specific grammar queries as it is full of evidence-based practice, catering to the ultra inquisitive learner or teacher. This one is particularly useful for students working towards the proficiency exam. It´s definitely weighted a lot more towards theory rather than practice, so be aware that you may need other resources to complement the book if you want your students to put what they’ve learnt in to practice. Buy here.

Oxford Picture Dictionary

This visual accessory is a fantastic way to engage your students with new vocabulary and has great practice activities to get the students putting the words they’ve just learned into context. Pairing this with a great textbook (we’ll mention those in the section) is a winning format to ensure there’s a great balance of both visual and text reference in the classroom. Really user-friendly for the younger learner also! Link to buy.

Check this blog for the best TEFL textbooks!