MEI Speaking Partner Program

What is a Speaking Partner?

A Speaking Partner volunteer is a UMD student/faculty/staff who has agreed to meet with a MEI student for at least one hour a week to practice English and learn about American culture. If you are a native speaker of English or if you have native fluency, you can be a speaking partner.

What Should we Talk About?

You and your partner are encouraged to talk about topics that interest you. To help you along, however, we provide a suggested list of topics. Moreover, MEI sponsors a number of events that you and your partner might enjoy attending.

What is the Purpose of the Program?

It gives MEI students a chance to practice English in an informal setting and to develop a personal relationship with an American. At the same time, it provides American volunteers an opportunity to learn about their partners' home countries and cultures.

How will we Communicate if my Speaking Partner doesn't Know English?

Most MEI students already know some English and some are already taking credit courses at the university. However, if your speaking partner is a beginner, you can facilitate communication by speaking slowly and clearly, by using simple language, and by avoiding abstract topics. Students at all levels have difficulty with slang and idiomatic expressions, so it is good to be aware of these in your speech. You may need to explain them to your partner. Most MEI students love learning new expressions.

What do Speaking Partners do?

The most common activity is simply talking, often during a mutually convenient time such as lunch or dinner. Some Speaking Partners meet during the IES sponsored International Coffee Hour. Many students and their partners rate simply getting to know one another as their favorite part of the program. MEI students enjoy talking about their country and culture and may want to talk about American culture with you. Some Speaking Partner veterans recommend planning a topic beforehand to help prevent "awkward pauses." MEI has a website with various conversation topics to help you.
For other Speaking Partners doing something together is more successful. This is especially helpful at the beginning when they do not know each other well or if the MEI student's English is very limited. Activities which have been rated highly in the past include:

• MEI Sponsored events: Bowling, Karaoke, cultural exchange events, etc.
  
• shopping
  
• studying together
  
• playing or watching sports
  
• visiting museums
  
• going to the movies (not a good idea unless your partner's listening comprehension is excellent!)
  
• home visits (yours or your partner's)
  
• UMCP sponsored Picnics or other on campus events
  
• parties
  
• going to campus events
  
• playing games (board games, cards, etc.)
  
• going to Washington, DC or Baltimore
  

It is important to be sensitive to your partner's language ability as well as his/her personality. Lower-level students tend to have more difficulty understanding in noisy situations (such as a party, coffee hour, or crowded restaurants). However, many MEI students report enjoying everything they and their Speaking Partners do together, as long as they have the opportunity to practice their English.

Do we have to Meet at the Same Time Every Week?

Many partners have found maintaining the relationship to be easier when they establish a set time and place to meet every week because communicating by telephone is often difficult. Some students have no telephone, live with others who speak no English, or just have difficulty understanding English over the phone. Consequently, messages regarding meetings are frequently misunderstood, garbled, or simply not passed on. All MEI students have access to email, so we suggest that you use email to set up your meeting times. If you must contact your partner by phone and are having trouble doing so, you can email or leave a message with the MEI Speaking Partners Program Coordinator at (301) 405-5183.

Can I Continue to Meet my Speaking Partner After the Semester is Over?

Yes! By all means!! This is entirely up to you and your partner. You can continue meeting on a regular basis; you can agree to get together occasionally; or you can end the relationship. In any case, we hope that you will want to sign up with the program again.