Clements_Starting and growing a conversation partner program (1)

Starting & Growing a
Conversation Partner
Program
Catherine Clements, University of Minnesota
MELEd Conference, November 7, 2015

Today’s Presentation
 Overview of Conversation Programs
 Ways to create a program
 Different models
 Ways to grow an existing program
 The role of the coordinator
 Results

What is a Conversation Partner
Program?Program in which participants who are learning
each other’s native languages* get together and
speak, dividing time between both languages, for
an exchange of language and culture
A Spanish L1/English L2 is paired with an
English L1/Spanish L2. They meet and speak
for 1 hour in Spanish, 1 hour in English.
*This is the traditional definition. I will discuss
variations.

Creating a Program
 Consider your populations of English L2s
 Common L1s -- Spanish, French, German
 Easy to pair with English L1s who have learned the language
 With the exception of Spanish, they are in short supply in Minnesota
 Critical L1s -- Arabic, Russian, Korean
 Increasingly easy to pair as more English L1s learn these languages
 LCTLs -- Somali, Karen, Thai
 Require more creativity but there are options
 Consider English L2’s home culture too
 Gender roles, social hierarchy
 More on this later

Creating a Program, cont’d
Consider your English L2’s needs
Do they need English for work? School? Everyday?
This will determine who they should be paired with optimally, and what they can expect out
of the program.
Do they have jobs/dependents?
Free time is crucial
What are their resources?
Cars/transportation, $$$, computers
These will determine where and how they can meet their partners, and what sorts of
activities you can ask them to attend.
How long have they been in the USA?
Those who have been here longer may feel more confident about moving around, meeting
new people

Consider your population of available English L1s
 Students in HS or college language classes
 Other students
 TEFL classes
 Classes with Globalization theme/requirement
 Community members
 Those looking to learn/preserve an L2
 Retirees
 Other altruistic folks

 Now that you know who your L1/L2 populations are, it’s
time to create the program. As you do, there are some
things to keep in mind …

Point #1: It’s all about
the Americans.

How to Recruit Americans: Language
StudentsContact language instructors of local schools. Propose a
partnership.
If you have enough English L2s from a specific background
to pair with an entire class (e.g., Chinese L1s with an English
L1/Chinese L2 class)
You must have a plan for other students not from this L1
Students must meet a certain # of times and divide time
between languages
Students can discuss topics related to coursework
Usually students will spend more time in the more proficient
language

Motivating Teachers and Students
How to motivate the teachers: Tell them intercultural exchanges
facilitate larger goals of:
Intercultural Communicative Competence (Byram, Council of
Europe,1997)
5Cs of the World-Readiness Standards (1996, 2015)
Translingual/Transcultural Competencies (MLA, 2007)
Global Competency (ACTFL, 2014)
How to motivate reluctant English L1s – “I’m already in class 7 hours a
week.”
Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)
This does not grow by sitting in a class surrounded by other L1s!
Efficient language learning –will accelerate what you are doing in class

How to Recruit Americans: Non-Language Students
Contact instructors of non-language classes
TEFL students
“Globalization” classes
Increasingly common in college and some high schools
International business/MBA students
Propose a partnership, or even a “badge,” for a certain # of
hours of interaction with English L2s
Not tutoring, just interaction

Participation Options For Students (English L1/L2)
Mandatory/part of a course
This is the best option, by far, but hardest to get
Extra credit
Voluntary
The most dedicated students will register, but beware of
recidivism
“This is the semester I will brush up on my German!” --
Americans register with the best of intentions, but tend to drop
out when their schedules become busy.

Recruiting Non-Students
 Check with local cultural groups/societies. These groups might have
heritage learners who want partners.
 Twin Cities:
 Mizna (Arab Arts Organization)
 Swedish American Institute
 CLUES (Latino Community Group)
 Other resources
 Libraries
 Churches
 Retirement communities

Logistics: Pairing
If you have recruited sufficient populations of English L1s,
now you can register participants.
Paper is OK for a small program or one with no computer
access, but if possible, do this digitally (Google Forms)
Required fields: ask for name and contact information,
and information regarding …
Free time
Hobbies/major
Partner preferences
Your age/10 years of your age/any age
Male, female, don’t care
… but beware of male seeking female
# of partners (OK if you share a partner?)

Logistics Continued
Google Forms used for pairing

Logistics – Pairing
Partner based on available free time above all else
Be aware of cultural norms -- e.g., oftentimes Muslim women cannot talk to/meet
with men outside the family
Consider different kinds of partnerships to alleviate awkwardness
2 on 2 instead of 1 on 1
Send an e-mail informing both participants of their partners (names and contact
information). Tell them to get in touch with each other and arrange a time to meet.
Or, inform them when they will be meeting.

Point #2: Provide
multiple opportunities,
and keep it fun

A Word about Cultural Norms
After partners have been paired, provide coaching on the following
topics:
 Cultural sensitivity
 What is considered acceptable in 1 culture is unacceptable in
another
 Coach participants re: cultural ideas about time, ideas about
acceptable topics of conversation, personal distance, etc.
 Communication
 Americans’ texting/emailing practices are confusing to many
 Gender roles, especially touching
Some initial work here will prevent misunderstandings later

Growing the Program
Your role as coordinator: Keep things positive, provide
opportunities for language use
1.Have events, events, events
a.Plan fun get-togethers where participants can meet and use their
language/intercultural skills
b.Low (or no) cost, low stress, high impact for participants
c.Have food. Always.
i. Food is a good incentive for overscheduled Americans

Growing the Program, continued
Be available & involved, in person and electronically
 Be a friendly, nonjudgemental presence who can act as a
resource and step in as necessary in partnerships
 Check in regularly with participants
 If partners are meeting, ask how it’s going
 If not, ask why they aren’t meeting and how you can help
 Get involved sooner rather than later

Point #3: Think about
sustainability (of the
program, the
participants, and
yourself)

Sustainability
A few easy steps help ensure the long-term growth of the program and participants’ L2
abilities.
 Oftentimes there is great initial excitement on participants’ part which leads to
letdown
 Peak of inflated expectations  trough of despair
 Especially in advanced learners!
1. Get help with event planning
1. Participants can take turns planning & publicizing events (which will grow the program,
too)
2. Have “open enrollment” periods but not rolling enrollment
1. The program works best if you are NOT continuously pairing partners
2. You want a large bank of available partners for people
3. Continuous pairing is a drain on the coordinator, too

Sustainability
 Encourage a variety of ways for partners to contact each
other
 Face-to-face is great but requires much schedule
coordination
 With permission, partners can and should use Facebook,
e-mail, text, or Skype/FaceTime to be in touch when they
can’t meet in person
 Consider creating anonymous Skype or e-mail accounts
for participants concerned about privacy
 GoldyGopher1, GoldyGopher2

Sustainability
Send regular “care packages” to participants via e-mail
Suggest local resources, ideas for places to meet, etc.
Provide resources for conversations
Recognize this is an awkward relationship that introverts and those shy about their L2 skills
will find challenging

You Try It
Turn to the person next to you. Introduce
yourself. Ask about your partner’s clothing
habits and preferences. Are they like
yours?

You Try It, Part 2
Refer to the “Do you care about fashion?” handout. Think
about your own habits. Talk to the same partner. Compare
your preferences with those of your partner. How are they
similar and different?

Does it Work?
[The exchange] has benefitted me mainly in speaking and listening.
Speaking is the area where I made significant gains. Having a person you
can talk to in Chinese was very helpful in reinforcing the vocabulary,
grammar, and pronunciation that I was taught in class. Moreover, it
increased my confidence in speaking the language. It provided a natural
speaking environment where I had to speak and listen simultaneously
with my partner without pausing. This is unlike the classroom where you
often find many students and only one professor. In the classroom setting,
speaking can be limited. The professor can speak to one student at a time
and let one student speak at a time. The advantage with my partner is
he/she can immediately provide feedback after I speak or each time I
make a mistake. Since they are native speakers, I can imitate his/her
rhythm of speech to more closely resemble a native speaker. —English
L1/Chinese L2

Does it Work, continued
[The exchange] has helped my language learning when it comes to
gaining proficiency in my listening skills. Often, the listening
exercises in classes are recorded with a standardized accent and
pronunciation, but with a language partner, I am able to hear
different ones, which would eventually help me should I ever go
abroad to that country. Also, it has taught me slang words. Since
slang is always evolving, there is no guarantee that a professor
would know the up-to-date slang of 2015. This is especially helpful
when it comes to engaging with the culture and with native
speakers. The same goes for popular music in the target language.
—English L1/Arabic L2

References
 Byram, M. (2008). From foreign language education to education for intercultural citizenship. NY:
Multilingual Matters.
 Byram, M. (2014). Twenty-five years on - from cultural studies to intercultural citizenship.
Language, Culture and Curriculum (27), p. 209-225.
 Deardorff, D. K. (ed.). (2009). The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence. Thousand Oaks,
Calif.: Sage.
 Gartner Hype Cycle. Retrieved from
http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/methodologies/hype-cycle.jsp
 Lidicott, A. J. & Scarino, A. (2013) Intercultural language teaching and learning. Wiley-Blackwell
Publishers.
 Moeller, A., & Osborne, S. (2014). A Pragmatist perspective on building intercultural competency:
from theory to classroom practice. Foreign Language Annals (47), p. 669-683.

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