This is the New Edition (2009). The 2006 Edition is here.

Conversations in Class was written with the singular purpose of training Japanese university students to conduct original, personal and spontaneous conversations. This is done by combining simple yet flexible grammar structures and useful vocabulary together with practical cultural guidelines. Frequent pair practice is an integral part of the course, and through this learners will build their skills and confidence while finding out more about their classmates and teacher.

How is this textbook
different from others?

Each unit revolves around a topic of daily life.

Students can quickly get to the stage of talking about their lives, and that’s something they really enjoy.

Each lesson is centered on a basic structure, which is presented in a simple and graphic way by the Toolbox.

The Vocabulary Boxes and the “Vary the Way You Speak” sections allow students to then create many meaningful sentences. This combination of simplicity and flexibility is
what brings about something rare in Japanese classrooms: students actually have interactive conversations!

Simple yet powerful pragmatic strategies are introduced and practiced.

These have a profound effect on how students sound when they speak English. They help students avoid making the kinds of mistakes which typically hinder conversation, such as long silences and overly short answers.

What kinds of contexts is
this textbook appropriate for?

Teaching genuine low-intermediate students

These students have all learned patterns such as "Have you ever... ?" or "How often do you...?", but have rarely put them into practice in the context of meaningful conversations. Simply doing that will be a big step for them. They need to reactivate their knowledge and move quickly into speaking practice.

Mixed-level classes

In many Japanese university classes, levels of both ability and motivation vary widely. The “One Step Further” extension material allows more advanced students to remain on task until the end of the class.

Teachers' Reviews :

"The material suits the level of my students, and the topics suit their interests. The basic grammar patterns suit the less skilled ones and the One Step Further allows the more experienced ones to get what they need."
Kathleen Riley, Tamagawa University

"I have found Conversations in Class to be very effective in my university-level classes. Students are producing lively and engaging conversations, and succeeding with the course."
David Latz, Shimonoseki City University

"I chose to use Conversations in Class because it tackled those minor grammar mistakes that Japanese students continue to make after eight years of English study. I like that the book revises what they know already, and adds more complicated structures, gradually building on what they already know. It builds on the positive and brings out their self-confidence."
Karen McAllister, Doshisha Joshi University

"The new Conversations in Class improves on an already useful and instructive textbook. The toolboxes are easier to use and the units are laid out more intuitively. By presenting students with basic building blocks of simple, natural conversations, and the strategies to expand these in meaningful and personal ways, I have found that the new CiC really gets my students talking!"
Martin Meadows,Nayoro City University