What motivates ESL teachers to become authors? Why do many of these authors self-publish? What’s their likelihood of success?
Naturally, I’m quite interested in these questions – and hope other English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers will share my interests. The acceptance of this panel discussion by CATESOL for the state conference both surprised and pleased me – especially since I’m the third panelist!
Here is the original 300-word proposal written in third person to make it sound more academic. Elizabeth Weal, the panel organizer and ESL author, wrote the successful proposal. She also chose the catchy title.
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Passion and Persistence: Self-Published ESL Authors Tell Their Stories
In this CATESOL panel discussion, three authors of ESL books will share the pleasures and perils of self-publishing as well as offer tips for those contemplating writing and publishing an ESL text.
Like most sectors of the textbook market, the ESL textbook market is dominated by a few large publishers. But the situation is rapidly changing as increasing numbers of ESL professionals-turned-authors start their own publishing companies, maintaining control over virtually every aspect of the book production process.
In this panel three authors of successful ESL books will recount their experiences publishing ESL texts. What motivated them to put pen to paper? Why did they self-publish as opposed to turning to a traditional publisher? How do these authors define success? What has been their greatest disappointment? What previously unfilled niche does their book fill?
The authors also will touch on some of the key issues self-published authors most address: Concerns about self-publishing and academic respectability, risks and benefits of self-publishing, and steps to follow in the self-publishing process.
Each panelist comes to the table with a different perspective. Diane Asitimbay, author of What’s Up America? wanted to answer the most common and embarrassing questions ESL students asked her; Eric H. Roth, author of Compelling Conversations teaches international graduate students the pleasures and perils of writing and speaking in English at the University of Southern California. Elizabeth Weal, author of Gramática del ingles: Past a paso and English Grammar Step by Step wanted to find a way to explain English grammar to Spanish speakers who knew very little about grammar in English or Spanish.
Ample time will be left at the end of the discussion to take questions from the audience.
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Self-publishing is both a pleasure and a headache, but I’m going to accent the positive. After all, as Churchill noted, “success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.”
Santa Monica, California attracts artists, scholars, busboys, maids, actresses, models, sales people, mechanics, and film directors from around the world. Naturally, this upscale, coastal city provides many adult education classes, private language classes, and hosts English as a Second language workplace programs. The local newspaper, The Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP), also covers immigration issues in great depth and publishes articles offering advice to new Americans and citizens.
Last week book editor SMDP Dane Robert Swanson wrote a very positive book review, in simple clear prose, directed at Santa Monica immigrants. Noting the importance of literally speaking English to achieve the American Dream, Swanson suggested immigrants practice their conversation skills and build their vocabulary using Compelling Conversations in their classrooms and in local cafes.
Naturally, I’m very pleased with this long, strong book review written in a simplied English style. As an ESL writing instructor, however, I wish the reviewer had used more transitions between paragraphs to add greater cohesion. English students can read more than simple sentences when collecting information on new books. Still, Swanson’s instincts to write short sentences is spot-on for local immigrants. Consider me grateful and pleased!
Here, without editing, is the entire July 16 book review.
Visit us online at smdp.com FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 9
Call us today at (310) 458-7737
B Y D A N E R O B E R T S W A N S O N
BOOKREVIEW
‘Compelling
Conversations’
Eric H. Roth and Toni Aberson
Chimayo Press
America is a great land of opportunity. I am sure we
all want to get ahead in this country. We want to find the
type of employment that is suited for us. We wish to
advance in the work world. We wish to make friends.
The best way to get ahead in the world is to speak the
mother tongue of the country you are living in. In this
case, we are talking about English. With so many
“English as a Second Language” courses being taught
there is no excuse for not learning. The problem is, what
book do you use to learn from?
Have you been looking for a good ESL manual? If you
have, I think this is one to consider. The topics cover:
Your Life, The Civic Life, along with the everyday aspects
as dating, enjoying money, handling stress.
The editors put it together in an easy to use form. You
have conversation starters such as, “How much time do
you spend each week in cars? Why?”
There is a section in each chapter for vocabulary
building. A section on common sayings is included, as
well. To increase the conversation we have such questions
as this: “Do you prefer to drive in the city or the
country? Flat or hills?”
Each chapter in the book concludes with quotations.
An example is this one by Woody Allen, “I have bad
reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by
two guys.”
This manual helps conversation by giving common
subjects to talk about. Since English is one of the confusing,
difficult and strange languages for a foreigner to
grasp and be comfortable conversing in, the compilers
pack in 45 chapters over 30 questions, 10 or more targeted
vocabulary words, some proverbs, and quotations
per chapter.
Each chapter focuses on a promising conversation
topic. They start with easy questions and continue on to
questions a bit more abstract. Each question is there to
allow the speaker to share his life experiences along with
his insights.
This manual will go best with the advanced ESL student
or even at coffee shop conversation clubs. It will
bring about authentic, not stilted communication, which
should be the purpose of an ESL course. It is easier for a
person to learn a language through conversation rather
than by a given list of vocabulary words. That is what
makes this a welcome addition to the material which can
be used for the immigrant who must learn English to
advance in the world.
Eric H. Roth has taught many ESL courses at Santa
Monica College, UCLA Extension, Cal State Long Beach’s
American Language Institute. Toni Aberson has taught
English and supervised teachers for over 35 years and
holds to the view that when you have a lively classroom
you have optimal learning going on.
This manual is available at Amazon.com. It can also be
purchased on the Web site: www.CompellingCoversations.com.
There is a substantial discount available for schools and bookstores.
DANE ROBERT SWANSON is the best looking book reviewer in Santa Monica and wishes to get feedback from you.
Smdp_review@yahoo.com.
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Thank you Dane, for the wonderful review.
“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” French proverb
Books and literature still matter in our 21st century global culture of blogs, especially for starting conversations. In the past few days, I have had three engaging, satisfying conversations with strangers about books. How?
Is that a good book?
What is on your summer reading list?
Can you recommend a good book?
What’s the best book you’ve read this year?
Once I broke the ice standing in line, the conversation just flowed. I asked a few questions, shared a few reading suggestions, and enjoyed what had been “dead” time waiting to mail books to customers.
English language learners can develop and deepen their conversation skills with classroom practice. As English students practice more, they also develop the confidence to start conversations with co-workers, fellow English students, fellow bus passengers, or strangers in line. Conversation skills can be practiced almost anywhere, but our English classrooms provide a safe, tolerant, and natural environment to develop and deepen speaking skills.
Here is a link to a conversation lesson called “Reading Pleasures and Tastes” that ESL teachers, English teachers, literature lovers and casual readers might enjoy.It’s chapter #16 from Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics.
Praise, especially from an experienced colleague, on a difficult project feels satisfying. In the last week, I’ve received three emails from Joan V., an ESL teacher and tutor, praising Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics – the book that I co-authored and self-published. Her experiences mirror my own experiences with the material, and validate the book’s premise: engaging students in sophisticated conversation helps build their vocabulary, leads to memorable conversations, and deepens relationships.
Here, in Joan’s own words, are excerpts from her strong recommendation for the unorthodox ESL book.
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I am an English tutor working with Japanese adults in Jackson, Michigan. I was a public school and ESL teacher for many years, retired, and now my retirement job is tutoring. A few weeks ago I purchased the PDF of your book and then this week I bought the hard copy which just arrived from you this morning. I want to tell you what a marvelous book this is!
I’ve always used questions as a conversation stimulus, and now I have this whole organized around topics book to use with my students! As you probably know, Many Japanese arrive in this country with a fair understanding of English grammar and quite a lot of vocabulary, but are initially unable to engage in conversation. This book is the perfect answer to this situation!
Thank you so much for putting this together!
Teachers and tutors should know about Compelling Conversations. I was a classroom ESL teacher for many years, went to conferences with book displays shopping for books, and was usually disappointed by the books I saw. There were a lot of boring books out there!
The book needs to on display at ESL conferences if they are still being held. ESL teachers and tutors working with intermediate and advanced level students would choose this book over almost anything else if they knew about it. Also many community colleges have ESL programs using traditional materials focused on grammar and repetition rather than real meaningful conversation which your book provides.
I happened on your book accidentally on the internet and looking at the sample lessons, I quickly knew that this book would work for my students.
I wanted to add one more thought regarding Compelling Conversations. It is saving me a lot of time! I have been tutoring Japanese adults (businessmen and their wives) for nine years after retiring from almost 30 years of teaching in public
schools. I’ve spent so much time gathering materials from various sources–textbooks, my own materials, bilingual dictionaries, etc.
Now I’m finding that printing out a chapter of your book provides plenty of conversational focus for at least two hours or more of tutoring time. Even more important, our conversations are at a deeper level. For example, in
chapter two there are some questions about childhood. A couple of weeks ago a student bordering on fluency was able to tell me about his childhood dreams and that now he is living that dream! I was thrilled!
Thanks.
Joan
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Wow!
Thank you, Joan! You made my week!
Check out sample Compelling Conversations lessons for yourself at:
Hopefully, you will have the same satisfying experiencesthat Joan and other satisfied teachers and tutors have had with Compelling Conversations. Enjoy!
Beats me. One size fits all philosophies often seem a bit strange to me. Can anybody really answer this question for every international student and ESL (English as a Second Language) college student? Really? Don’t circumstances, needs, and desires differ?
On the other hand, college and university administrators, ESL teachers, future college students, and current international ESL students constantly face this common question. What should every ESL student know?
Fortunately, braver and more confident souls feel comfortable answering this reasonable question. That’s why a small green and purple book, What Every ESL Student Should Know: A Guide to College and University Academic Success, caught my eyes at a recent English teachers’ conference in California. Kathy Ochoa Flores, the author, has both more confidence and deeper insight into this essential, yet puzzling, question. In 119 pages, she displays considerable wit while dispensing practical advice to international students and immigrants preparing for college.
“My students always want to know what they should do to learn English,” notes Flores in chapter 2. “I tell them to marry an American – one who is a native speaker and rich. That way, they can have someone to practice with every day, and they won’t have to worry about working and studying at the same time. Unfortunately, this advice does not work for most of my students.”
So Flores goes on to advocate, since many students are already married or too young to get married, to at least make some American friends. In bold print, she argues: “Native English speakers are everywhere. Use them. They are like free tutors.” How? Take the bus, sit down next to some nice looking American, and start talking. Seek out the elderly since they tend to have both more free time and might be lonely. Talk to children, meet a school counselor, and ask many questions. “Talk to the telemarketers who call you during dinner time, and ask them lots of questions about their products.” I completely agree.
This affordable book provides dozens of these imperative statements followed by detailed advice. Written in a clear manner, the concise format and friendly style make this book a wonderful book for newcomers to both the United States and American university classrooms. Easier to read, smaller in scope, and less than controversial than the popular book What’s Up, America?, this book serves a slightly different purpose. Both titles help international students adjust to American college campuses, but What Every ESL Student Should Know focuses more on survival skills. International counselors, university orientation coordinators, and even private intensive English language schools (IEPSs) could provide a real service to their international students by including this thin book in their orientation sessions and pre-college materials. The minimum cost will pay for itself by reducing ESL student stress.
Meanwhile, future international students should find it and buy it. This “one size fits all” work offers enough tips to satisfy almost all ESL students – and even a sceptical ESL university teacher!
