Interactive adventures: Three more Maze readers
Interactive reading has a list of benefits that makes it a great reading experience and language-learning task for English classes. The plot tends to be both quick and exciting, with choices to engage the students and hold their interest throughout the story. In the Helbling Maze readers, you will find three new titles at A1/A2 and A2 levels. The books were written by Gavin Biggs and illustrated by Elisa Bellotti.
These three new titles are part of the three Maze readers series: The School of Labyrinth, The House of Heroes, and The Secret Statues books. There are three titles in each collection, with a total number of nine Maze readers right now.
Why will your students love these books?
First of all, interactive books make readers curious about the reading process because they contain an element of choice which makes the reader an active creator of the story. What’s more, students often feel that they have to go back and check the other possibility (or talk about it with other students), which results in them reading and talking about the stories more than when reading traditionally.
The illustrations are dynamic, cool, and fun. The cartoon-like characters will remind your students of their favourite TV shows and comic books. The style of the text is also fun with happy fonts and colours.
How do these books help reading?
There are three features within the texts which contribute to a successful and engaging reading experience. There are glossaries at the bottom of every page with explanations for the most difficult words. This way your students feel secure about reading.
There are Guess! boxes all through the books, which encourage your students to take a moment to summarize what happened (they need to understand to be able to guess) and then predict what comes next.
The Over to you! What happens next? boxes are the most fun. Students can decide about plot development. This way, students reading together could end up with different storylines, opening opportunities for discussion.
Plus, each book includes:
- Before reading exercises
- After reading exercises
- After reading Cambridge English Exams-style exercises
- After reading Exit test
- After reading Project
- e-zone activities with self-correcting skills, vocabulary, and grammar development exercises
How can you read these books?
In class/at home: Dedicate one lesson each week to reading a chapter in class. Students then read the next chapter at home.
At home: Prepare students to read at home by doing the Before reading exercises and talking about the cover, the images, and the students’ expectations. Then students can read the whole book at home and keep a reading journal.
Read about reading journals here.
In class: Read the whole book in class by dedicating a lesson to a chapter each week.
What’s available on e-zone?
You will find Before, While and After reading activities on e-zone. There are also tests for the Cambridge English Exams and an Exit Test. All the activities are self-correcting and you can assign them to your groups ahead.
What are the new stories about?
Level (A1/A2) - Part of the School of Labyrinth books
Ambar arrives at the School of Labyrinth to take part in its Space Camp competition and win the chance to really see space. She wants to show her father and brothers that girls can do anything they want to. Inside there are seven other young people. Each one wants to win the competition and each one has his or her own special reason for being there. Who are the monstrous teachers who set them the tests? What happens if they fail? And who will win the competition and see space?
Level (A1/A2) - Part of The House of Heroes books
Ren and Zhou are on their way to school when Zhou smells something delicious. They follow the smell down a small alleyway and through a wall of glowing fog into the House of Heroes.
There they meet a strange man, Alba, who knows their names. He introduces them to his friend Taro, from the Land of Jura, who says he needs their help to save his people.
Can Ren and Zhou help Taro? What happens when they arrive in the Land of Jura? And what is the Red Spirit?
Level (A2) - Part of The Secret Statues books
Violet and Philip have two things in common: they can change into cats and they are hiding from the Golden Zoo, a group of dangerous thieves who make children steal for them. When Violet asks Philip to help her stop the Golden Zoo, he doesn’t know what to do. Will Philip help Violet? Who is Jacob, the wolf-boy? And can he hurt them?
If you are interested in interactive reading, check out this blog:
And you can read more about the series and the six other titles here:
- Over to you! Maze adventure readers for the English classroom
- The adventures continue: more Maze Readers for your teen readers