Book excerpt: Exceptionally strong skills training with a particular focus on speaking - that's what you get with Family and Friends. How? The clear methodology, with objectives for every lesson, and carefully staged activities support your students learning. So does the controlled 'Skills Time' program, which enables your students to continually improve their listening, speaking and literacy skills. Phonics is straightforward and fun! The progression is specially written for non-native speakers, meaning each sound is taught in a way that's easy to understand. The writing activities are very well structured and help you teach students essential sub-skills, such as punctuation, so they feel ready to do their own personalized writing in the Workbook and worksheets from the Teacher's Resource CD. The picture dictionary and wordlists at the back of the book offer students additional support for reading and writing activities. The wide variety of linked print and digital resources helps you to meet the needs of students with different learning styles and makes your lessons more engaging. The teacher's resource CD is packed full of photocopiable resources such as values worksheets, extra writing pages and cut and make activities. Do you need help preparing for tests? There are print-ready and editable tests with audio on the Teacher's Resource CD along with practice papers for Cambridge Young Learners English Tests which you can print and use, or customize topractice a particular language point or to suit mixed ability classes. But Family and Friends is not only about academic success - it develops the whole child too. The values syllabus helps children develop social and emotional skills which guarantee success in the classroom and at home.