Compelling Conversations: 11 Selected Chapters on Timeless Topics for the Language Company Students - Level 2 (The Language Company Versions)

Revised for The Language Company's Level 2 speaking skills class, this high intermediate ESL (English as a Second Language) conversation textbook includes quotations, paraphrasing activities, proverbs, quotations, surveys, and online assignments. Featuring 11 thematic chapters adapted from the original ESL textbook Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics, subjects covered include: Being Yourself; Studying English; Pet Peeves; Holidays and Celebrations; Eating Out; What Do You Think?; Change; Handling Stress; Work Relationships; Practicing Job Interviews; Voting and Choosing Leaders.

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). Given a full scholarship as a Lilly Scholar, Roth studied philosophy and American history at Wabash College (1980-1984), and received his MA in Media Studies from the New School (1988). Since 1992, Roth has taught English to high school, community college, adult, and university students. Career highlights include: teaching the first Saturday morning citizenship class in Santa Monica (1994); directing the CES Adult Education Center (1995-1998); working with international students in summer IEP programs at UCLA Extension (1997-2000, 2003-2005); teaching USC engineering students in Madrid, Spain (2007) and Paris, France (2008); and directing the APU International High School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2009). Roth co-authored Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics in 2007 to help English language learners increase their fluency in English. Recommended by English Teaching Professional magazine, the advanced ESL textbook has been used in over 50 countries in English classrooms and conversation clubs. He founded Chimayo Press in 2007 to create English textbooks for sophisticated global souls. A member of the USC faculty since 2003, Roth is a member of numerous professional organizations including: CATESOL; ICA; the International Professors Project (IPP); and TESOL. Roth has given several CATESOL and TESOL conference presentations and led many teacher training workshops. 

Toni Aberson taught English to adult, university, and high school students for 35 years. She also supervised high school English teachers for 15 years, and believes that a lively classroom is the optimal learning environment. In 2011, Aberson authored another book for ESL students. It's a Breeze: 42 Lively Lessons on American Idioms which focuses on real life expressions and situations.