"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 friends, neighbors, workers, and English language learners students create meaningful - and memorable - conversations. Ask more. Know more. Share more. That's the philosophy behindCompelling 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! You can create compelling conversations by asking simple, yet deep, questions like: What brings you here? How did you hear about this class (party/event/movie)? What do you like to do online? Where were you born? How many miles do you think that is from here? Where are you in your family's birth order? What makes you smile? What have you been reading recently? Can you recommend any movies to see or rent? What's the most beautiful place you've seen? What qualities make a good leader? Which issues are important to you in this election? Who chose your name? Why? What music inspires you? Where are you coming from? Where are you going? Where do you feel most comfortable? Why? How do you release stress? What do you appreciate about living here? What did you learn at your last job? What do you do to stay healthy? What TV shows would you recommend to a visitor to your country? Why? Have your habits changed in the last year? How would your friends describe you? What would you add? "In sum, Compelling Conversations is a recommended resource for teachers who want to make their conversation classes more learner-centered. It should be especially appealing to those who wish to escape the confines of the Presentation-Practice-Production approach and do without a formal grammatical or functional syllabus. It reflects both authors' considerable professional experience, and would be a notable addition to any English teacher's bookshelf. " - HallEnglish Teaching Professional Jan. '09 pg. 44 Buy the textbook - or the ebook - today that is used in over 40 countries to help English language learners - and native speakers - improve their social skills, fluency, and confidence in speaking to friends, neighbors, and customers in English. Each of the 45 chapters identifies a timeless topic, asks 30+ questions, reviews American idioms and global proverbs, and includes 10 or more quotes on the topic. It's an enjoyable, practical book that shows how, step by step, to learn the art of conversation, chit-chat, and savvy small talk - in English! Ask more. Know more. Share more. CreateCompelling Conversations. Visitwww.CompellingConversations.com
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