Home > English Firsthand 5th Edition

  1. What is English Firsthand?
  2. What’s new in the 5th edition
  3. Training Resources
  4. Request sample

What is English Firsthand?

English Firsthand is the best-selling oral communication series that has been supporting ELT teachers and students for more than 25 years, helping to build learner success and confidence through hands-on active learning. We believe that students learn English by using English and, with support, they can communicate in English even from the beginning.

For students to use English, they need:

  • Realistic language models
  • Personalized and motivating tasks
  • Language support (vocabulary, grammar, and functional phrases)
  • Opportunities to communicate their own information, opinions, and ideas

The goal of the English Firsthand series is to meet those needs. Each level provides 40-60 hours of class work, and additional learning resources are available, including audio, video, workbook, and e-learning resources.

What’s new on the 5th edition?

State-of-the-art content

Exciting new design and updated content

  • Expanded Vocabulary: The first page of every unit is now called “Vocabulary Building” and introduces high-frequency vocabulary items that help students get ready for the activities that follow.
  • Real Stories: The last page of every unit has activities that allow for interactive practice of the 4 skills.

Mobile-based activities “MyMobileWorld” (Learning Management System)

MyMobileWorld Logo
  • Designed by teachers for teachers and optimized for mobiles devices, this new moodle-based online component is fully integrated with the student book and enables both in-class and out-of-class practice.
  • Allows teachers to easily monitor learner participation and progress and helps learners organize their learning and track progress.

*For teacher access to MyMobileWorld, please contact your sales rep or Pearson local office.

Learn more

New videos

  • English in Action: A serialized story that reinforces the language functions and target expressions of every unit. (Available for Level 1 and Level 2.)
  • Conversation Model: Video clips with strategies for practicing conversations from the unit. (Available for all levels. Previously known as “Drama Coach”.)
  • Presentation Model: Short videos with confidence-building tips where students can actually see someone doing a presentation about the topic of the unit so they can use it as a model when they make their own presentations. (Available for all levels.)

* English in Action, Conversation Model and Presentation Model videos can be accessed by clicking here.

Performance Focus

Assessment for Learning


 Newly added Assessment for Learning section in the back of the book that consists of a practice test and a self-check for every two units. This is designed to help students think about their own learning so that they can start to see what they’ve achieved in each unit.

Intensive Test Package

There are also various kinds of editable tests available so that teachers don’t have to develop their own. Teachers can easily monitor progress / grade students.Test Package includes:

  • Unit Test (12)
  • Mid-Semester Test (1)
  • End-Semester Test (1)
  • Exit Test (1)

Mapped with the Global Scale of English (GSE)

English Firsthand 5th edition is mapped with the Global Scale of English, and teachers will be able to have free access to the GSE Teacher Booklet that shows which Can-do descriptors are covered in each unit/page per level and that supports teachers to develop syllabus for their class.

Training Resources

Click here to access our training resources

Request sample

If you would like to have a look at the actual book, please fill in the form in the link below so that we can dispatch the required sample copy to you.

Click here to apply

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