Compelling Conversations - Vietnam: : Speaking Exercises for Vietnamese Learners of English - Softcover

Nguyen, Teresa X; Roth, Eric H; Bogotch, Hal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0990498832 ISBN 13: 9780990498834

Publisher: Chimayo Press, 2016

Synopsis

Create Compelling Conversations that Connect with Vietnamese learners of English! Compelling Conversations: Speaking Exercises for Vietnamese Learners of English is based on our original and highly successful English as a Second Language (ESL) textbook, Compelling Conversations. Yet this 2016 version focuses on improving the accuracy and fluency of Vietnamese English Language Learners. Like the original, this English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbook focuses on creating conversations and discussions that matter. It includes thematic chapters uses conversation starters, interview questions, classic quotations, paraphrasing exercises, and traditional proverbs to create hours of English conversation and class discussions. It also targets common pronunciation problems for Vietnamese English language learners with engaging, focused articulation practices. This innovative ESL/EFL textbook also introduces academic vocabulary, examines common prefixes and suffixes, and provides opportunity for students to use their new vocabulary. The fluency-focused ESL textbook also requires asks students to find, summarize, and share information in small groups, and re-enforces lessons with edtech tools and apps. This culturally sensitive text encourages students to speak about their experiences, their families, and their lives. With dozens of practical speaking exercises, Compelling Conversations helps Vietnamese English Language Learners develop greater fluency, develop and express their opinions, give reasons to support their opinions, build critical thinking skills, prepare for standardized tests with speaking sections (TOEFL, IELTS), and create authentic conversations. Fluency also requires practice. Compelling Conversations encourages students to learn by doing and continually practice speaking English. As a result, students gain greater confidence, fluency, and vocabulary. They also create better conversations in English – in and beyond their English classes. Vietnamese English language learners will learn to not only survive, but thrive, in English!

About this title

About the Author

Teresa X. Nguyen, M.A. in Linguistics, B.A. in English Literature, brings considerable experience to this innovative textbook for Vietnamese learners seeking to improve their English speaking skills. Currently a core faculty at the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in the American Language Program (ALP), she has spent over ten years directing and teaching English to Vietnamese learners, both abroad in Southeast Asia and locally in southern California. Nguyen’s thirst to sharpen her teaching skills, has taught a wide variety of English language learners. Nguyen has taught English language learners in China, Vietnam, and the United States from over 25 countries. She has also taught English learners from elementary school to graduate students. The experiential basis for this communicative ESL textbook is her own struggles and successes as an international student studying abroad in Korea (2006), Spain (2007), and China (2008). Nguyen has also presented at several English teacher conferences, including TESOL international conferences in Baltimore, Maryland (2016) & Toronto, Canada (2015), CATESOL conferences in Anaheim, California (2015) & Santa Clara, California (2014), and at TESOL club events (2014, 2015). Her presentations focus on the optimal use of edtech. However, Nguyen’s most rewarding career experience – so far – has been supervising and training TESOL graduate students as a Master teacher (2013-present). She also stars in ESL Garage, a bilingual YouTube channel. Compelling Conversations – Vietnam: Speaking Exercises for Vietnamese Learners of English is her first book. Eric H. Roth teaches international graduate students the pleasures and perils of academic writing and public speaking in English at the University of Southern California (USC) as a Master Lecturer. He also consults with English language schools on communicative methods to effectively teach English. Roth remains best known as the creator and co-author of four critically-acclaimed ELT textbooks in the Compelling Conversations series. A member of the USC faculty since 2003, Roth actively participates in three professional organizations including: CATESOL, TESOL, and IWOSC. Roth has given several CATESOL and TESOL presentations. Roth first visited Vietnam in 2000, returning three times to consult and teach. He serves on the Fulbright National Screening Committee for ETA applicants (Vietnam). Roth has taught in France, Spain, Vietnam, and the United States.

Review

"When creating a curriculum for ESL speaking students, teachers should consider many demographic and cultural aspects of their students (Folse, 2006). Roth and Aberson have employed such an approach for Vietnamese ELLs in Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations for Advanced Vietnamese English Language Learners where careful knowledge of Vietnamese culture, customs and values, first- (L1) to second-language (L2) transference issues, and expertise in the field of ESL speaking have been well documented. Compelling Conversations is a text that encourages multiculturalism, that is flexible enough to use for all ages of advanced English language learners, and that gives a personally relevant, tailored experience for advanced Vietnamese ELLs to formulate their opinions in anticipation of present and future communications with English speakers... Roth and Aberson graciously encourage multicultural curiosity within this text by their interviewing techniques and soft cultural reminders to the students not to be intimidated of foreigners and to encourage one another. Students are advised in the beginning as well that the goal of any speaking activity is the level of intelligibility that they can speak with, instead of the native-sounding phonological aims that many students have (Derwing & Munro, 2005) Compelling Conversations establishes a classroom culture revolving around respect and encouragement from the beginning..." Sarah Elizabeth Snyder, Northern Arizona University Teaching English as a Second Language - Electronic Journal September 2012 "What do learners of English want when they start learning English language? Of course they want to be able to communicate with others in English. In other words, they want to speak English fluently. Compelling Conversations - Questions & Quotations for Advance Vietnamese English language learners textbook does just that ... it helps learners of English to speak English fluently...As an English teacher in Vietnam, I know how difficult is for Vietnamese learners of English to have a group discussion in English... All chapters of Compelling Conversation contain predefined questions to get students talking from the first moment. Great resources such as reproducible worksheets for students, surveys etc. can be found in every chapter of the book. Throughout the book proverbs related to each topic are given to the students to discuss... these are the main reasons why I think a book like Compelling Conversations is indispensable for any English teacher." Dan Dumitrache eslvietnamzone.com October 2012 "This is a great book for helping Vietnamese speakers improve their conversational English skills. I use the book to tutor Vietnamese people that already have an intermediate level of English ability. Many ESL folks believe that the best method to sound more native is to add more words to their vocabulary. However, the intent of teaching from this book is to focus on improving conversational skills. The book, for example, assist students by making them understand more of the idiosyncrasies in how English speakers actually communicate. The questions and exercises are geared towards Vietnamese learners, while focusing on life in the United States. I highly recommend this book for lower intermediate to advanced students in Vietnam." -Mark Treston, co-author of Compelling American Conversations - Teacher Edition "Designed to be a conversation starter for native Vietnamese speakers in a classroom setting, Compelling Conversations: Questions & Quotations for Advanced Vietnamese English Language Learners would work well for any foreign-language speaker attempting to become fluent in English...It is an excellent teaching tool for the advanced Vietnamese student of English and a welcome entry into an under-served market." -Marilyn Berry ForeWord Reviews*

About this edition

• Publisher: Chimayo Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0990498832
• ISBN 13: 9780990498834
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 233
• Editor: Aberson Toni