Stimulating Conversation challenges intermediate to advanced-level Japanese students to converse about many of today’s important social issues, including employment practices, gender discrimination, STDs and sex education, and global warming. Each chapter stimulates students to identify their own values, work cooperatively in pairs and small groups, think critically, and find creative solutions to global issues that are affecting Japan and the world.

The wide variety of activities in the book includes picture identification, value clarification, information gaps, role plays, interviews, discussion games, creative dictations, and challenging reading and listening activities. In each chapter, students’ background knowledge is first activated and then new information is imparted, resulting in students who are better informed and prepared to communicate about today’s critical issues.

Why does each chapter have so many different activities?

The author, who has been teaching in Japan for more than fifteen years, wanted to write a textbook that stimulates a variety of language learning styles. Students, who have a wide range of needs and levels, benefit, and teachers benefit by being able to pick and choose the most appropriate exercises for their particular classes. As practicing teachers ourselves, the author and publisher desired to produce a textbook that frees dedicated teachers from having to spend time adapting the material to their classes. We believe that a good textbook allows busy teachers to devote more time and attention to their students.

In addition, the author has created a collection of supplemental ideas including a list of music to set the tone for each unit, on-line activities to give students more exposure and practice time with vocabulary in the text, and a list of on-line interviews in English that offer new perspectives and other opinions about related topics. Information and links to the on-line material is available in a PDF that you can download from the download page of this website. Of course, you can also download an answer key, audio scripts and a guide to using Stimulating Conversation.