Learning through Speaking

Every Thursday night in the Oakland LDS chapel, a small group of twenty-somethings meets together to talk about anything from emotions to family to lifestyle. They aren't just talking, though--they are practicing English. Usually this group includes a few university students and two native-English missionaries. The students' English is already top-notch, but there are many challenging aspects of the language, from vocabulary to intonation, that they want to continue to improve. 

Ruth, one of the students, wrote a description of the class:

This is an advanced level English class. Sometimes the class includes a tasty dinner. Awesome international college students who desire to learn the American culture, make American friends, and practice English usually join the class. Cool topics (i.e., cultural difference, holidays) are prepared by and discussed with missionaries in the English. This is a class to help students to think in an American way.

Another student, Chase, wrote about some differences between Pittsburgh and Taiwan:

Have you ever been to Taiwan? Let me tell you some differences between Pittsburgh and my country. First, the food in Taiwan is averagely less salty than in Pittsburgh. Plus we got lots kind of seafood such as lobsters, shrimps, and many kinds of fish and sea creatures. Regard to the clothing, there are less choices here in Pittsburgh. In Taiwan, there are more kinds to choose, and they are also stylish. For the architecture, Pittsburgh has lots of American town house, however most of people in Taiwan live in the apartments. If you wanna drive in Taiwan, you gonna be careful, because there are tons of scooters on the road and they share the road with cars. So you have to look around to avoid bumping with them. The above is just the brief introduction of Taiwan. If you want to know more, come and have an adventure.

Missionaries, other teachers, and the students all feel like they make new friends through these conversations. Learning about the others' cultures has helped open their eyes to the people who surround them. They've also found the class to be a great way to make new friends.