I run an English program at a small college in Busan, Korea, and am trying to get a language exchange program going. I have a dream of running a weekly language exchange program in which my students can chat with some English speakers online.
An ideal program would be one in which students of Korean decided what to study ahead of time (beginner example: simply asking one's name), studied for a week, and then met up to have some targeted language practice. With this method, we get the benefits of focused learning along with the benefits of dynamic conversation. My students, and Korean learners, wouldn't be expected to teach, simply to stay in the target language and do their best to communicate for the allotted (short) time.
My students are mostly college-age, early 20s, and pretty low level English speakers, although that varies from student to student. We are of course Korean time zone, so we'd be meeting some time afternoon or evening UTC +9.
Let me know if you're interested!
I'm interested! I'm taking a course in Korean in a week or so but I've already studied a bit on my own. I'd love to help teach/talk with people in my target language.
Send me a DM anytime
I only know hangul and a few phrases. don’t mind helping!
Is this still available?. I'd be delighted to join in.
I am a native English speaker from Canada and would love to be included!
Hello! I am totally in to chat with one of your students! I am not a native English speaker, but I am fluent! I can perhaps share my experience with learning English and languages in general! This is very interesting to be honest and very glad to see such projects done for people to help others learn!
I'm American, my English is uter trash but I am interested in learning Korean. You could learn phrases such as, Ima be here. That one there. Where's the bathroom? Sup? Ok. Ok? Ok! The other one. Thanks. Such phrases can get you through 90% of conversations in the U.S.
Native English speaker with basic Korean knowledge and would be interested!
I’m also interested! I just got back from an exchange year in Korea, L6 skill and I want to keep it up while I’m at home. I am a native American English speaker and I have experience teaching English to a variety of ages and levels!
Nice! L6 in Korean? Wow, I'm jealous.
Note that the exchange I'm trying to create is a short free-talking style exchange, in which our goal isn't to teach, but simply to communicate. I feel like our students have an overabundance of English education opportunities without enough time to actually use it. What they really need is to build confidence and fluency in communication.
However, it would be awesome if the English speakers and (my) Korean speakers wanted to coordinate meetings on their own time.
Anyway, it'll take me a while yet to gather the students. I'll let you (and everyone) know when I do so.
Communicate, gotcha! I just wanted to say that bit to say that I have a lot of experience communicating with people who don’t speak any English!
Aha. Even better.
Usually when I prepare these activities, it's the advanced students who are most interested. Of course, I want to create an engaging free talking opportunity for my beginner students.
Hello, I'm definitely interested. I'm not a native English speaker, but I have been studying it for about seven now, and I'm currently at level C1. Recently I've been trying to learn Korean, so I would love to be part of the exchange.
Great! If you're C1, you're more than able to help us. And if you're a beginner at Korean, that's kind of my target audience. (Of course I won't turn away other levels)
Please dm me the informations
Hi :) I'm interested in participating! I just started studying Korean at university in The Netherlands and I'm looking for opportunities to practise with native speakers. I'm fluent in English and have a C2 certificate.
That sounds great, Mad scientist. It will be difficult with the time difference, but I hope we can make it work. Maybe we can include your classmates, too!
I'll let them know!
I see there are so many replies, but I am interested as well. I am an 23yr American, am in pacific time zone and learning Korean. Would be happy to help if possible.
OK, you'll get a message from me when I get things going.
I'll start organizing my students next week and maybe set up a website or a Discord channel for us to communicate with.
I'm interested. I'm an American who'd love to help others learn English.
Great. Welcome to the team!
What if I'm bilingual but still want to help
Man, this is why I love reddit.
I don't know your timezone, but we could easily set up a language exchange for times when I'm not available. Because organizing the Korean language learners looks like it'll take extra time, I could really use organizers.
Also, in my vision of this exchange, we would have down time in between our short exchange sessions. During this down time, I'll be organizing the next session, so working with one group of students. You could be with the other group of students to answer any language-based questions they might have? Just a thought.
If helping others is what gets you out of bed, this would be fun for you. Sorry I can't offer any other motivation!
Yeah, that sounds great! I'm not sure how much time I can dedicate to this, but I'll try my best. It would also be great if sometimes I could get the English learners to look over my work in Korean, because my writing is still a little rusty from not having gone through secondary school education there. My time zone is 16 hours behind Korea, or 8 hours ahead on the previous day, however you'd like to look at it (or just plain GMT-7).
Feel free to DM me with more details, and how the organization of this program would work. Cheers, looking forward to it! :)
*By work, I mean like translations and essays and stuff, not sentences, for clarification. Haha
Hi I'm getting my degree in tesol so I can help 😁 college age (21)
Great! As I mentioned before, this is basically a lesson-free environment, but we can communicate with what works, what doesn't to improve our experience and deepen your knowledge of your future profession!
Hi :) I am interested in joining. I am fluent in English (C2) and in the UTC +1 timezone
OK!
I am a Korean American that is at A1. I am trying to learn as my parents are slowly losing their English as they get older and interact with fewer Americans. Unfortunately I am the worst possible timezone (USA Eastern Standard Time), but perhaps we can make it work.
That is a tough timezone. I hope we can work something out.
Respect for trying to learn your parents' language; I wish I could speak my father's. (Spanish)
I am also learning that one haha. Learned portuguese recently (B2) and spanish is proving more necessary living in the United States.
As for the timezones, we will have to see when you begin the program.
I sent a chat message if you don't mind checking.
I replied!
Hi! I am interested too! I can speak English as well and can help with language practice!
OK!
This sounds interesting! I’m 22 native English speaker and I’m in Japan so time zone is the same
Great, another member in the One True Timezone!
Happy cake day!
[deleted]
OK, I'll add you to the list!
Hi there. I'm also interested in joining. I speak fluent English even though I'm not a native speaker.
Even better! A variety of accents will help deepen my students' understanding.
Interested!
Alright, I'll keep you in the loop.
Hey there! Im interested; I’m a native English speaker and an early intermediate Korean speaker.
Alright, I'll pm you when I get things moving.
Please sign me up 👍
OK!
I’m interested! UTC-4
It might be tough to find the right time to meet, but I'll let you know as I make plans.
Thank you!
I’m interested!
Great! I'll let you know.
Hi I’m interested! I’m 21 and fluent in English, and have been slowly trying to learn some Korean as well!
OK, I'll keep you posted.
I'm curious, are you thinking of video chat or texting?
Hmm. I was originally planning to use a video conferencer like Zoom, but am now toying with the idea of using Gather. It's a little browser-based basic 3D scroller with communication software built in. (Pic here) I hadn't thought of what u/Brain-no-compute247 responded: Students might be uncomfortable with it.
Regardless, although written engagement is also useful, I'm of the mind that real fluency takes place with spoken communication, so that's the goal.
I see, thanks for your response.
I agree that spoken practice is more beneficial, but I'm just too shy for that. ㅎㅎ
Well, you're in the same boat as a lot of us, then. Yes, fluency building is a main reason I want to do this, but equally important is "Willingness to Communicate", a trait tied to our ego.
My father is a native Spanish speaker (Mexico). When I (USA) started making my first English words, he began speaking Spanish to me with the goal of having a bilingual son. I stopped speaking altogether, and it freaked him out. It's one of my big regrets I haven't learned Spanish.
Often when people don't understand my Korean I have to fight the urge to revert to English.
I hope we can build a community where people will feel comfortable enough to try communicating in their L2, as it is truly terrifying. That's another reason the goal of this exchange is not teaching each other, but simply to try to understand each other.
With comfort in mind, I'm considering making video optionalq.
I'll send you the information either way, and if you can muster up the courage, you can join us.
I use audio chat and screen share on discord for the exchange sessions. No video unless both participants are comfortable with it, it’s all about learning and developing friendships in safe and mentally engaging environments.
Good point. I'll have to take this into account, particularly on day 1.
Native English speaker (Canada), I already have immersed Korean-English language exchanges with another Korean Native at this time too. We incorporate music, movies, popular culture, and small talk in our weekly/bi-weekly interactions. I also create mini 45 minute lessons for each session that work on grammar, enunciation, and vocabulary. Send me a DM if you are interested in putting together a program or seeing some of my work!
Hi! I might be interested in seeing some of your work, but please note that these language exchange sessions aren't really about teaching. We are going to be focusing on communication, as my students (and possible Korean learners) don't have many opportunities to have conversations in their target language.
Anyway, I'll let you know as I gather my students.
No problem! I understand, my lessons focus on communication and conversation skills - mainly catered to workers, students, and travellers. It’s mostly interactive learning and conversation skill building.
Hi, I'd be interested! I'm a native English speaker and I'm also currently learning Korean lol. Feel free to reach out :D
I'll do that!
I'm interested! I'm not a native English speaker but I'm at C1 level and I'm an intermediate learner of Korean so I'd love to take part in the exchange :)
A level of C1 is more than adequate. Welcome to the team!
I'm glad that you guys in Korea managed to rebuild Busan after that train disaster 😁👍
It was a tough one. But if you know your history, we get outbreaks from time to time.
Thanks for the response, but the link you sent doesn't work 😅😂👍
Hmm. Must be region coded.
I was just referring to a troubling time in Korean history ).
I have always wanted to have a conversation with someone from Korea
My people! I'll send you a message when I get the ball rolling.
I'm a native English speaker and interested in exchanging also.
Gotcha! I'll pm you when I know more.
I'm interested!
OK, I'll let you know!
I’m interested in this! I am a native English speaker in the GMT+5 time zone and also in education lol
OK, you're on the list!
I’m curious about this. In theory, I can see this being useful but I worry about the actual implementation. How do you ensure that both languages are being spoken and one person isn’t expected to become a teacher?
I’m not trying to be a pain. I’m genuinely curious. I live in Busan so I’ve seen a few language exchange programs here and they never quite work out how they should. How is this different from Culcom or any of the other programs?
Well, as online games have taught us, "online user experience will vary." I guess I can guarantee satisfaction or your money back?
My vision is to gather students of similar ability levels. If we could, to continue the example I used in the OP, get a bunch of beginners to learn "What is your name?", and practice it for a week, then meet up in Zoom (or a similar meeting app- I'm actually looking at something a little more engaging), then we could have a tightly organized conversation session. For something so basic, we'd have a 'speed dating' style 10 minute session: students of Korean would move among the native Korean speakers trying to get as many names as possible - maybe allotted 1 minute per conversation, maybe more open. Having those short, targeted conversations makes it much easier to stay in the target language. I will remind learners of both languages that the goal is to communicate, not to fix problems.
Because communication in the target language is our primary goal, students wouldn't be teaching each other.
After a couple of sessions each of Korean and English, I'd open up the room to more of a free-talking mixer for as long as people are there. At that point, things could easily devolve into a one-way teaching session, but I'd be happy to listen to suggestions on how to improve the experience.
Hello, I’m interested. 😀Filipino English speaker learning Korean.
Great! I'll keep you posted!
Native English speaker in the GMT+8 time zone :)
Would love to help!
Fantastic. I'll keep you posted!
Super interested! I live in Sweden but I’m fluent in English (not too sure how ’great’ my English is, but according to former teachers I’m at abt C2/C1, I keep forgetting which one it is haha)
Great!
I think due to Hollywood, a lot of Koreans have a very narrow comfort zone of American English. That said, my students are pretty infatuated with all European cultures. The more countries the better, I say.
I'll let you as I make plans.
Really? So there’s not a lot of british ish shows? Although, America is bigger so I guess that makes sense haha Thank you!
It might be because of movies, it might be because of the history, I don't know. I shouldn't complain, because I'm American. I just find it interesting because I think the British English sounds might be easier to replicate for a Korean.
Anyway, there's more of an interest in British and European culture among the youngsters, so that's good to see.
Good to know, because I was taught british english haha
definitely interested in this!
I'll pm you with the details!
Definitely interested!
OK, I'll hit you up when we're rolling.
Would definitely be interested.
OK! You're on the list! 👍
Hi, I would be interested. I'm a native Australian English speaker, and my time zone is gmt +10 so pretty close to Korea's.
Nice! I'll let you know as I iron out the details.
Awesome, shoot me a dm whenever
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Hi!
I'd be interested, I'm 24 and fluent in English (C2) :)
Great! I'll pm you when I get more information.