1. Building Diverse Communities with Conversation Partner Groups
Bringing together English speakers and English language learners

2. Introduction Pamela Jensen – Teacher ◦ Trainer ◦ Tutor
MA in Linguistics and MA in French
Contact Information
Brookhaven College, DCCCD
ESOL Listening/Speaking and French
International Conversation Partners Coordinator
Vireo Accent Reduction
Accent Reduction Language Trainer

3. International Conversation Partners
What can we do to help our ESOL students feel more like part of our community?
International Conversation Partners
What is it?
How does it work?
Who are the volunteers?
How do I get started?
How do I manage/coordinate all the components?
What are some of the challenges and benefits?
Group Activity
Questions

4. What is Conversation Partners?
Program for ESOL students
Provides practice outside of class
Safe environment
Helps them integrate
Learn about American Culture
Share their culture
Volunteers
Rewarding
Service Learning credit
1st encounter – UNT – teaching methods for ESL
Richland College –
- Language Exchange

5. How does it work? 3 to 5 ESOL students 1 to 2 volunteers
Same day/time every week
Designated meeting place
Similar to meeting friends for coffee

6. Who are the volunteers? Mainstream students Campus staff ESOL teachers
Service Learning may be required
Want to meet people from other countries
Interested in specific language or culture
Campus staff
Staff Enrichment
ESOL teachers
Enjoy interacting outside of class
Community members
Like meeting people from other countries

7. How do I get started? Students and volunteers choose a time/day
Match up the groups
Orientation for the volunteers
Provide volunteers with student info
Provide students with group member names
Be present when groups first meet
Keep track of group attendance

8. How do I manage and coordinate all the components?
Sign up and registration form/site
Building the tracking spread sheet
Building the schedule by day (eCalendar)
Check-in report
Sign-out sheets
Tracking attendance
Attendance reports to teachers

9. What are some of the challenges?
Volunteers – may not be reliable
Student volunteers
Community member volunteers
ESOL students
Some don’t really want to participate
Some don’t always show up
Groups
Some groups may have personality conflicts

10. What are some of the benefits?
Some groups
continue to meet
remain friends
have their own Facebook page
Volunteers
rewarding
sense of accomplishment
ESOL students
feel more a part of the community

11. Group Activity You each have an identity of an ESOL student
name, nationality, language
Age, marital status, how long
Additional information
Can add or change any of the identity if you prefer
In small groups
simulate an initial Conversation Partner meeting
Volunteer begins by asking get-to-know-you questions
Encourages each of the students to participate
Usually conversation naturally emerges

12. Questions? Comments?

13. Links https://padlet.com/pjensen4/alak13bl6ert