A Good Read 1: Developing Strategies for Effective Reading

A Good Read is a three-level reading strategies course, intended for young adult and adult learners. The series promotes fluent and effective reading through specially-written texts, extensive coverage of reading strategies, and an explicit focus on lexical development. Co-authored by Carlos Islam, English Language Coordinator at the United Nations in New York, A Good Read uses texts based on universal human experiences including themes such as friendship, finding love, happiness, urban legends, adventures and life changing events.

As English Language Coordinator at the United Nations in New York, Carlos is responsible for directing the English Language Program, aimed at developing UN staff and diplomats' language proficiency. As well as supervising the English teaching staff, his duties include designing the curriculum and constructing the UN English Language Proficiency Examination, taken by around 2,000 UN staff members annually. Carlos also manages the delivery of specialized courses to UN missions and duty stations around the world. Before he joined the UN in 2004, Carlos was an ESL Lecturer and Program Development Specialist at the University of Maine, USA. He lectured on undergraduate and post-graduate credit courses, including Curriculum Development in ESL Contexts, Testing and Assessment, and ESL Methods as well as teaching ESL to international students at the University. Since starting his ESL career as a part-time teacher in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Carlos has taught for a number of years in Spain, Japan, England and the USA as well as running teacher training workshops in South Africa and Ethiopia, and textbook consultancies in China. Carlos has been the Co-Chair of the TESOL Materials Writers Interest Section, editor of Folio, the journal of the Materials Development Association (MATSDA), and was an Advisory Board Member to Maine ESL Network.

Carrie is currently an Assistant Professor of ESL at Union County College, Intensive Institute of English, Elizabeth, USA. She mainly teaches ESL and English composition courses and her responsibilities include developing teaching materials, syllabi, curricula, and coordinating the Computer Aided Language Learning Program. Her career in English language teaching has included lecturing at the University of Maine, USA, directing a major language school in Boston, teacher training in Mexico and training literacy volunteers as well as owning and directing her own language school. Carrie taught at the University of Maine, Intensive English Institute, Orono, USA where as ESL Lecturer and Program Development Specialist she taught core Intensive English Institute courses based on the focal skills approach. She was also an ESL Tutor Trainer for Literacy Volunteers during her time in Maine. She developed and conducted ESL training workshops focusing on language acquisition, level and needs assessments, lesson planning, language skills and materials adaption. As director of the English Language Center, an independent ESL school in Boston, USA, she was responsible for overseeing curriculum development and implementation, teacher training and staff development workshops, and student assessment and placement.