International sales
Alma Publishing is proud to offer the international rights of its two best-seller textbooks, "Conversations in Class" (English) and "Moi, je... Communication" (French).
We are a foreign-owned independent publishing company based in Kyoto, Japan. Our original oral communication format has been refined through in-class testing since 1999. We now feel that it has matured enough to appeal to a wider audience.
"Conversations in Class" helps unblock students who have intellectual knowledge of English but have never made the step to actual, real-time conversation.
"Moi, je... Communication" is unique in that it allows beginner students to master the fundamentals of French grammar while giving them the satisfaction of expressing themselves about their daily lives.
We have also worked intensively on classroom management techniques and have books and training programs that should appeal to teachers all over the world, starting with Asia. We are ready to assist in the promotion of our products.
Our international sales are handled by Modern English Learning Limited, Hong Kong.
Contact us for more information.
You will find on this page:
The evolution of our textbook format
Our original communication textbook format is now in its 10th version:
1999
2003
2004
2004
2006
2007
2009
2011
2012
2015
"Conversations in Class"
A step-by-step confidence builder for lower level university students
Conversations in Class, 3rd Edition, is an oral communication textbook especially designed for low-intermediate students who have studied English but have had little or no experience with actual conversation. The book provides clear, step-by-step training in how to speak English more smoothly and naturally.
1. User-friendly presentation
Model Sentences display target language in an easy-to-understand visual manner. Japanese translations help students feel safe as they go about learning numerous chunks of conversational phrases and expressions.
2. Cultural guidelines
In order to conduct more natural, interactive, and friendlier conversations, Japanese students need to understand and repeatedly practice a few basic cultural rules of English communication. Three Golden Rules are introduced at the beginning of the book and repeated within the context of each unit’s topic, enabling students to incorporate them into their speaking practice.
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Golden Rule 1:
When asked a question, don’t remain silent for more than a few seconds. -
Golden Rule 2:
Give longer answers by adding one or two extra pieces of information. -
Golden Rule 3:
Vary your conversation patterns by sometimes talking about yourself.
3. Scaffolded drills
Scaffolded conversation drills are a reassuring step between the presentation of new language and free conversation. They provide vital repetitive practice in an engaging manner, helping students to easily assimilate the target language.
4. Conversation models
Listening dialogs provide students with conversation models. They are recorded in American, British and Australian English versions to show a diversity of accents.
5. Speaking activities
Lots of structured activities help students work on different aspects of conversation practice:
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Memorize & Perform:
Pair-write, memorize, then perform a short dialog. -
Interview & Report:
Students interview each other, switch partners, then do mini-presentations on what their previous partner said. -
Free Conversation:
Several rounds of timed conversations with different partners. -
Guided Role-play:
A fun role-playing activity that gives students a break from always talking about their daily lives and encourages them to think quickly and creatively in the moment.
"Moi, je... Communication"
Learning the basics of French while communicating
Moi, je… Communication is unique in that it is a textbook for complete beginners which allows students to express themselves from the start.
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The pleasure of communication makes classes dynamic.
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The basics of French grammar are deeply assimilated: articles, pronouns, usual tenses.
This is the sixth edition of the same textbook, originally published in 1999 and constantly refined over the years.
The keys of this textbook’s success are:
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Linguistic content revolving around conversations on topics of everyday life;
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An original graphic format;
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Thoroughly scaffolded activities.
Clear and efficient steps:
1. Toolbox
The Toolbox is the key to our original format. It presents a question and a set of possible answers.
Possibilities widen when replacing the vocabulary with the words contained in the Vocabulary boxes.
2. Mechanical oral practice activity
The mechanical oral practice activity allows students to familiarize themselves with the new structures.
How does it work?
Students practice in pairs:
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Student A asks a question to Student B, who answers in the affirmative.
→ Est-ce que tu travailles dans un café? Oui, je travaille dans un café. -
Then Student B asks the same question to Student A, who answers in the negative.
→ Est-ce que tu travailles dans un café? Non, je ne travaille pas dans un café. -
They continue in this way, substituting the words which are highlighted in the example dialog with the words in the Vocabulary boxes,
→ Est-ce que tu travailles dans un restaurant?
→ Est-ce que tu travailles dans un magasin?
etc.
3. Conversation practice
Guided mini-conversations allow students to practice the new structures and vocabulary in the context of a real communication.
They are designed to work regardless of partner. For example, in this lesson, students can talk about part-time jobs whether they have one or not.
They collect several classmates’ answers in a survey form.
4. Listening exercise and dialog writing
The Listening exercise dialogs have a very natural flow without being linguistically challenging. They serve as good models if the students are asked to pair-write personalized dialogs, which is a very popular activity.
Following a model while adapting the content to one’s own daily reality is pedagogically very powerful. There is creativity, but the grammar of the lesson is also reviewed from a new perspective.
5. Review exercises
Review exercises can be done as homework.
6. Lesson summary sheets
Lesson summary sheets help students to review the content of each lesson and/or study it in advance.
→ They also exist in digital form: flashcards with the pronunciation and interactive exercises.
→ Matching test sheets are also available. They are designed to be easy to administer and grade.
Our international sales are handled by Modern English Learning Limited, Hong Kong.