Compelling Conversations

This innovative ESL/EFL textbook helps advanced English language learners develop conversation skills and improve fluency by sharing experiences, reflecting on their lives, and discussing proverbs and quotations. The oral skills English textbook includes 45 thematic chapters, over 1,350 questions, 500 vocabulary words, 250 proverbs and American idioms, and 500 quotations to create and sustain conversations and class discussions. Designed for both adult education and intensive English language students, the conversations and activities deepen critical thinking skills and develop speaking skills essential to success in community college and university programs. Compelling Conversations has been used in classrooms in over 50+ countries, recommended by English Teaching Professional magazine, adopted by conversation clubs and private English tutors, and enjoyed by thousands of English students across the globe.

Eric H. Roth teaches international graduate students the pleasures of  writing and public speaking in English at the University of Southern California (USC). He also consults English language schools and leads workshops for ESL and ELL teachers.
 
A Lilly Scholar, Roth studied philosophy at Wabash College and received his M.A. from the New School.  Since 1992, Roth has taught English to high school, community college, adult, and university students. Highlights of his career include: teaching high school English language learners in Los Angeles (1991-1992) teaching citizenship in Santa Monica (1994); directing the CES Adult Education Center (1995-1998); teaching USC engineering students in Madrid (2007) and Paris (2008); and directing the APU International High School in Vietnam (2009).
 
Roth co-authored Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics in 2006 to help English language learners increase their fluency.  Recommended by English Teaching Professional magazine, Compelling Conversations has been used 50+  countries.  Since 2008, Instant Conversation column has run in Easy English Times, an adult literacy newspaper. Compelling American Conversations: Questions and Quotations for Intermediate American English Language Learners - Volume 1 will be released in 2012.

A member of the USC faculty since 2003, Roth is a member of numerous professional organizations including: California Association of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL); the International Communication Association (ICA); the International Professors Project (IPP); and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The USC Center for Scholarly Technology awarded Roth two teaching with technology grants in 2011. He has given several CATESOL and TESOL conference presentations..