Compelling Conversations:

"Colors fade, temples crumble, empires fall, but wise words endure."
- Edward Thorndike (1874-1949), American psychologist

INTRODUCTION

Do your students speak enough English?

Help your ESL students create meaningful - and memorable - conversations.

Ask more. Know more. Share more.

That's the philosophy behind Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics. English language learners want to share experiences and insights on contemporary topics - and expand their practical and academic vocabulary. Quotations and proverbs, from differing points of view, also encourage discussions, model excellent communication, and develop critical thinking skills. Students hold longer discussions, learn about their classmates, and gain practical experience. Let's create better, deeper, and more enjoyable conversations - even in English!

Only ^$20.00 - in PDF format

We can create lively conversations by asking simple, yet deep questions.

• What brings you to this class/movie/party?
• Do you have a favorite word or phrase in English? Why?
  
• What do you look for in a movie? Can you give an example?
  
• Which movie would you recommend tourists see before visiting your country? Why?
  
• What have you been reading/watching/thinking about recently?
  
• How do you like to spend your free time?
  
• What's the most beautiful place you've seen?
  
• When are you most likely to listen to music?
  
• How has the internet changed the way you work? Research?
  
• Can you share some favorite internet sites?
  
• Who chose your name? Why?
  
• Were you the first child born in your family? Second?
  
• Where do you feel most comfortable? Why?
  
• How do you release stress?
  
• What did you learn at your last job?
  
• How do you create and maintain strong friendships?
  
• What do you appreciate about living here?
  
• Have your habits changed in the last year?
  
• How would your friends describe you? What would you add?

Adding proverbs and classic quotations from multiple perspectives elevates ESL classroom conversations and encourages adult discussions. ESL students also feel freer to share their own experiences and beliefs because they see brilliant people often disagree. They also enjoy learn short, memorable phrases from many different points of view. Including classic quotations also helps preserve the insights of well-known and significant cultural figures, builds cultural literacy, and promotes critical thinking. Further, both proverbs and quotations provide a broader perspective and invite student reflection – in English. Students create genuinely interesting, dynamic, and compelling conversations.

Compelling Conversations:

• includes 45 chapters on a wide variety of conversation topics
  
• asks over 1350 questions encouraging ESL students to reflect and share
  
• features over 500 memorable quotations from ancient sages to modern writers
  
• introduces over 200 proverbs from around the world
  
• highlights 450 practical vocabulary words for ESL students
  
• can supplement other textbooks in EFL/ELL classrooms
  
• prepares English language learners for the conversation section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)
  
• generates authentic discourse for English langauge tutors
  
• makes English language tutoring easy with self contained lessons
  
• provides enough material for an estimated 180 hours of class time
  
• ends each chapter with an "on your own" exercise for homework or self-study
  
• allows adult students to develop meaningful conversations in English
  
• deepens critical thinking skills for academic success and personal satisfaction
  
• encourages ESL students to share experiences and insights
  
• reduces ESL teacher stress with excellent ready made lessons
  
• created by the faculty advisor for the University of Southern California Conversation Partners Program.
  
• engages students and creates compelling conversations

"A wonderful source of materials triggering authentic (not stilted) communication."

- Dr. Sharon Myers
University of Southern California
American Language Institute

"This book is excellent! Both teachers and students love it."

- Marina Goldshteyn, director of CES Adult Education Center

"I just wanted you to know that I loved using your book, Compelling Conversations."

- Regina Pabo, ESL community college teacher and tutor

Conversation remains a vital social skill for our English students. For better or for worse, students must be able to verbally share and collect information. Employers, co-workers, fellow students, and often neighbors expect immigrants and refugees to speak English in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. International students also want to express their life experiences, insights, and perceptions in fluent conversations – both inside and outside classrooms.

"Immigrants need to feel comfortable speaking English, but too often students learn everything except conversation in ESL classrooms. Compelling Conversations allows students to learn by speaking. It's a wonderful addition to our curriculum."

- Zigmund Vays, Founder and President,
Community Enhances Services College

Therefore, conversation skills deserve far greater attention in English language classrooms. Conversation skills require practice, practice, and more practice. So let's give our students more chances to express themselves, share their experiences, and develop their discussion skills in our English language classrooms - especially in our advanced students.

Compelling Conversations provides teachers and tutors with a rich collection of diverse conversation material for hundreds of hours of conversation practice. The ready-to-use materials make it easy to create lively classroom conversations. As the old American cereal commercial used to say, "try it – you'll like it!

Written by two English teachers with 40 years of teaching experience from the university and community college to high school and adult education, this practical book provides questions and quotations to elevate and deepen everyday conversations. Eric Roth has also given numerous English teacher training workshops and presented at professional teachers' conferences with this same material. In addition, Eric also teaches speaking skills at an elite private university in Los Angeles and participates in numerous professional organizations, including CATESOL, TESOL, and ICA.

Compelling Conversations includes the successful classroom exercises developed by the authors in their diverse students. Both advanced English language learners with several years of formal instruction, professionals using English as an international language for work, and working immigrants to English speaking countries will enjoy, and benefit from, this engaging conversation textbook.

Only ^$19.95 - in PDF format

Please view one or more sample lessons. The sample lessons, free and reproducible, provide a taste of Compelling Conversations. Teachers and tutors can make copies of the PDF for their English students. Try it – you'll like it!

GOING BEYOND HELLO

"Accept me as I am – only then will we discover each other."
Federico Fellini (1920-1993), Italian director/screenwriter

Telling Your Story: Please interview the person sitting next to you.
Feel free to add or skip any questions that you want. Take turns talking, jot down some notes, and prepare to introduce your partner to our class. Let's begin!

1. What's your full name? How do you spell that?
   
2. Who chose your name? Why?
   
3. Where were you born? Were you the first child? Second? Fifth?
4. Do you have any older brothers? Sisters? Younger siblings?
5. Where did you grow up? Is that a city, village, or suburb?
6. How would you describe yourself as a child? Why?
7. When did you decide to move to California? Why?
8. How long have you been in the United States?
9. Did you move here by yourself? How was the trip?
10. What possessions did you bring with you? Why did you choose these objects?
11. Can you share some of first impressions of California?
    
12. Do you have a favorite color? Number? Season? Why?
    
13. What kind of music do you listen to? Do you have a favorite singer? Group?
    
14. What's your favorite radio station or television channel? Why?
    
15. Can you recommend any movies to rent or see? Why do you like those films?
    
16. What do you like to do outside? Why?
    
17. Where do you walk, hike, jog, or bike on the weekends?
    
18. What's your favorite sport? Why?
    
19. How do you like to spend your free time? What interests you?
    
20. When did you last receive a compliment? How did you feel?
    
21. What would you like people to notice about you? Why?
    
22. How long have you studied English? Where?
    
23. Where do you usually speak English? Who do you usually talk with?
    
24. What's your best language? Where do you usually speak it? Why?
    
25. What makes you smile? Where do you feel most comfortable?
    
26. What are some things that might cause you to frown?
    
27. How do you express enthusiasm in a word or sound in your native language?
    
28. Do you have a favorite English word or expression? Why?
    
29. What are your goals for this year? Why? What's your plan?
    
30. How would your friends describe you? What would you add?
    
31. What are three things that you appreciate about living in Los Angeles?

Vocabulary: Please circle the words that you know. Ask your partner or teacher for the meanings of the other words.

Proverbs: Read the proverbs below. Do you agree or disagree with the proverbs? Why?

Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.
– American proverb.

Beauty is a good letter of recommendation.
– German proverb

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
– American proverb.

You're never too old to learn.
– Latin proverb

A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month's study of books.
– Chinese proverb

Sharing Views: Which quotation is your favorite? Why?

1. "I never met a man I didn't like."
Will Rogers (1879-1935), American humorist

2. "I am free of all prejudices. I hate every one equally."
W. C. Fields (1880-1946), comedian

3. "There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation."
James Nathan Miller, contemporary journalist

4. "He's the sort of guy if you say, 'Hi ya, Clark, how are you?' he's stuck for an answer."
Ava Gardner, film star, describing her ex-lover, the film star Clark Gable.

5. "Conversation is an art in which a man has all mankind for his competitors, for it is that which all are practicing every day while they live."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American essayist/philosopher

6. "Don't tell your friends about your indigestion. 'How are you' is a greeting, not a question."
Arthur Guiterman (1871-1943), American poet

7. "The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man's observation, not overturning it."
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873), British novelist/politician

8. "Confidence contributes more to conversation than wit."
Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680), French writer

9. "It takes two to speak truth – one to speak and another to hear."
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American philosopher

10. "There is no such thing as conversation. It is an illusion. There are interesting monologues, that's all."
Rebecca West (1892-1983), English writer

11. "I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy and driven."
Barbara Streisand (1942-), American singer, actress, director, producer

12. "Everything becomes a little different as soon as it spoken out loud."
Hermann Hesse (1877-1962), novelist

13. "Never let your fear of striking out get in your way."
Babe Ruth (1895-1948), American baseball legend

14. "It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much."
Yogi Berra (1925- ) legendary baseball manager/catcher

EXTENSION: Before next class, compliment three people. Tell your class partner what happened.

Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics includes another 44 outstanding conversation lessons, helping students reflect and share their life experiences in English. In fact, a leading academic textbook publisher observed that "you have ten books here, not one!" But that's a textbook publisher's perspective, not an English teacher's point of view. We want large amounts of quality, in-depth material so we can tailor lessons to the interests of our students!

Thank you for considering Compelling Conversations.

If you choose to buy Compelling Conversations through Clickbank today,
you will also enjoy a money-back guarantee for 60 days!

Only ^$19.95 - in PDF format

You have, to quote Franklin D. Roosevelt, a great American president,
"nothing to fear, but fear itself!"

Start enjoying long, satisfying conversations – in English today!

Thank you, again, for your time, energy, and serious consideration.

If you have any questions please e-mail:
eric@compellingconversations.com