This volume offers teachers in the ESL/EFL classroom some of the first published materials for guiding learners past grammar into authentic-sounding (conventional) utterances and sequences, replacing the scripted unnatural or stilted dialogue provided in textbooks. Teachers will find a range of pedagogical activities to put to immediate use in the classroom, as students learn turn-taking, initiations and responses for formal academic and informal conversation, thanking expressions, apologies, compliments and compliment responses, differences in complimenting behavior between men and women,...

Language teachers have long been aware of the devastating effect of learners' grammatically correct, yet situationally inappropriate spoken or written communication. This volume addresses how to raise learner awareness of pragmatic gaffs through research-based, fieldtested activities such as composing e-mail requests, giving advice,making workplace requests, expressing opinions, providing constructive peer-to-peer critical feedback, negotiating refusals, and collaborating through activities enabled by an online tool called Talkpoint. Teachers are given vital support in these activities...