Touchstone is an innovative new series for adult and young adult learners of English. It draws on extensive research into the Cambridge International Corpus of North American English - a large database that contains everyday conversations and texts that show how people actually use English. At the core of Touchstone is an emphasis on conversation-management strategies, a brand-new syllabus strand that is unique to the series. Important conversational techniques such as how to start and end a conversation, how to show interest, and how to ask questions that aren´t too direct are covered. The result is a grondbreaking course of language and skills development that helps learners communicate naturally and effectively, even at the beginning levels. Easy and enjoyable to teach, Touchstone is packed with new and exciting ideas that offer a fresh approach to teaching and learning English. Key Features *A focus on the most useful language for communication *Inductive tasks to develop awareness of new grammar *Useful facts on vocabulary and grammar usage *Explicit teaching of oral communication strategies *Authentic listening texts *Personalized, up-to-date speaking activities *Integrated listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills *Reading passages leading to realistic writing tasks *Unit-by-unit vocabulary logs with tips and strategies *Free Self-Study Audio CD/CD-ROM