Learning a new language can be a thrilling and exciting experience. For TALK students looking to learn new languages the use of language exchange may be beneficial for you, and to those around you.

What Is Language Exchange?

Language exchange is classed as 2 or a group of people who all speak different languages and come together to help each other practise and learn the others languages. For example: A French speaker who wants to learn English will work with an English speaker who wants to learn French.

Why Language Exchange?

Language exchange can open up many possibilities when it comes to studying a new language. Some of the benefits of using language exchange include:

• You can make new friends from different cultures.
• It’s fun.
• You learn colloquial expressions and slang that you may not learn in a language class.
• It’s free.
• There’s no grammar books to study and no homework.
• You practise both speaking and listening simultaneously. You can also practice reading and writing by exchanging letters or emails.
• It’s an effective and fast language learning method.

How To Make Language Exchange Work For You

To make the best opportunity out of your language exchange, it is best to set some ground rules with your partner so you and they both know what each of you are expecting.

1. When it comes to the first meeting, it is best to work out how you would like the language exchange to work. A good balance is speaking each language for about an hour each per day. This amount of time is enough to stretch you but isn’t too long for too much difficulty to come into the conversation.
2. When you dedicate the time to one language it should be reserved for just that. Try not to use your native tongue in the middle of your language exchange unless it is your teaching time. This way confusion won’t set in and you have all the opportunity to learn your host language to its full capacity.
3. Make sure you and your partner understand that when both of you are learning and speaking the new language, try not to interrupt each other every 5 seconds when corrections are needed. Make the effort to let them finish before correcting them so they can practice speaking the language in sentences.