Showing posts with label conversation starter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conversation starter. Show all posts

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Conversation Tip #14: Ask a question, listen!

"Want to have a conversation? Ask a question, listen."
Robert Bly (1926- ), American poet and activist

Is that concise enough?



Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Conversation Starter - Make a Sincere Comment About a Car

Sometimes a simple comment leads to a delightful conversation.

Today I noticed a very, very old truck parked on the street while walking my dog.

"She's as old as I am," replied the owner from his frontyard. He soon came to the sidewalk. "Made in 1931."

Although I'm hardly a car guy, we proceeded to have a rather detailed and informative conversation about Ford, Model AA, and vocational education. That ancient truck, donated to a local veterans group, still runs. The local adult education high school will help train mechanics on it - and restore it. Cool.

I have an old 1981 Volvo with 249,000 - and the antique truck owner, Deano, has several Toyotas with over 300,000. We both find something wonderful with quality cars built to last - unlike so many models today. Car companies could - and still can - make quality cars that last decades.

Deano, by the way, is a former high school teacher who volunteers at the local Veterans Administration (VA) hospital. You can't help but respect a man who helps soldiers and veterans recover from war wounds - visible and invisible.

Friendly and folksy, I instantly felt comfortable with him and traded a few teachers' tales. We shared a few frustrations with standardized tests too. We will, I suspect, have other fine conversations in the future.

A casual comment, "nice truck", lead to a satisfying exchange. with a neighbor. That's my conversation tip #12: make a sincere comment about a situation and be curious about your neighbors. You never know what you will learn or who you will meet - even in your own neighborhood!

Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Conversation starter #10 - Can you recommend any good books to read?

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?
  • 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.

http://compellingconversations.com/pdf/reading_pleasures.pdf

Talking about books feels good, collects information, and helps keep our literary traditions alive!

Ask more. Know more. Share more.
Create Compelling Conversations.
Visit www.CompellingConversations.com