Online English Café

The International Tutors team of the Centre for Language in Education has been constantly adapting programming with respect to the ongoing pandemic situation. The Online English Café is a new but familiar offering that has begun in Semester I of 2020/21 and will continue into Semester II.

The Online English Café held in hour-long Zoom meeting sessions with an International Tutor taking on a different topic each week, allowing students to casually chat and practise their spoken English from wherever they have connection to the Internet. Our International Tutors have picked topics that piqued their curiosity, which they hope also interest students. To maintain the quality of these conversations, a maximum of six students are allowed to join each session.

Just as students are able to meet the International Tutors during English Café, the International Tutors have also been enjoying meeting students. Nourhene of Tunisia enjoys conducting English Café as she is able to meet students who come to her sessions in a more relaxed state, compared to the more academic atmosphere of an English consultation or a workshop. Eli of Spain added that, as it is a good opportunity to chat in a relaxed environment, English Café has provided her with many great opportunities to get to know students. Daya of France also noted that students were visibly less stressed when they come to her English Café sessions. She found that students expressed themselves more freely and were able to discuss deeper aspects of their lives, including their family backgrounds and future aspirations. She appreciates that English Café is a space free of judgment, that English speakers of any level are more than welcome to join in on the various conversations. Moreover, the students in her Café sessions have often been willing to help each other find the words in English to express themselves.

The Online English Café welcomes all who wish to improve their spoken English and meet new people. So come join us for this unique experience!