Speaking Across Borders: Adult Learners Connect and Practice

Students introduce themselves, share their learning goals and interests, and learn about their assigned conversation partner from the international class through a brief pre-recorded video or written introduction. This activity sets a warm, welcoming tone and helps students feel comfortable before their first live exchange.

Over 10 weeks, students engage in scheduled 30-minute video calls with their conversation partners, focusing on a new theme each week (hobbies, food, family, travel, work, traditions, daily routines, celebrations, dreams, and cultural values). Students prepare simple notes beforehand, practice active listening and small talk strategies, and record reflections after each call.

Students work in small groups to analyze patterns and insights from their weekly conversations, creating a comparative overview of cultural traditions, values, and daily experiences they discovered. They identify similarities and differences with their own culture and prepare a short written or visual summary of key learnings.

Students review their recorded reflections and conversation notes from the 10 weeks, identifying improvements in confidence, vocabulary, listening skills, and intercultural understanding. They complete a self-reflection journal documenting their progress and what they learned about themselves and their partner's culture.

Students prepare and deliver a short presentation (2-3 minutes each) sharing a memorable moment or key insight from their partnership, highlighting a cultural discovery or a meaningful conversation. The class celebrates the connections made and reflects on how the project deepened their global awareness and confidence in English conversation.