That's just too much to expect of any novice.
As a teacher, what is your recommended course of study for a 1300-1500 player?
I've been working through tactics books Chess Tactics for Champions by Susan Polgar and Tactics Time by Tim Brennan. I think solving jsuch puzzles has done much for my game. I really enjoy the puzzle format as opposed to pages and pages of prose, hence the attraction to Yusupov's series.
In terms of complete courses, I used Lev Alburt to move from 1000 to 1600 (USCF), and I am of the mind that revisiting the series could gain me a few more points. I especially like that his preliminary books are extremely rudimentary, because I didn't even fluent in knowledge of piece movement and rules when I began in 2007. I have fond memories of his series.
Build up... Boost... and Chess Evolution (the 9 chess workbooks).
What are your impressions of these? What are the main advantages and disadvantages? What level did you find each book to be pitched at? What was the writing style like (Dry / casual / boring)?
The 9 books are on offer as a hardback set from Quality Chess. Wondering if they're worth looking in to.
I just started the books, and I am almost half through the very first one. I got it thinking that the first set of three books is intended for a player under 1500 (since that's what I have read), but that I have also been told that the set turns out to be challenging for players in USCF A-Class. What I can say is that the books don't seem to be geared toward the absolute beginner, and that I am having an easier time with the material than I expected --but let's wait to see what I have to say about book 2 and 3 in the first level.
To give you some idea for comparison, I am also doing Stage 4 of the Step-Chess Method ("Steppenmethode," in Dutch), which is geared toward moving players from 1500-1750. (And I think that players unanimously, or nearly, say that these stage strengths are well estimated.) Stage for is cake in comparison to Yusupov's first book. I haven't missed a question in the Stage 4 workbook (and I've answered them pretty quickly), but I have given an incorrect answer or two for problems in Yusupov's exams.