Brigham Young University - Idaho

No. It is helpful to have language learning experience or experience in the student’s language, but it is not necessary. This is an opportunity for the student to interact in and improve their English as well as to learn about the culture. If you do know the student’s first language, please do not use that language to explain English vocabulary or grammar concepts. By pushing the student to use only English to try to communicate or work through difficulties, the students will improve their language skills.

No. Although it can helpful to have teaching or tutoring experience, the main purpose of a speaking partner is to provide English interaction opportunities where students can practice their speaking and listening skills. Therefore, you only need to be able to speak English at a native or near-native level to converse with the students.

You do not need to prepare material or discussion topics. The students have an assignment for each visit with discussion questions and language practice activities related to the course topics that they are studying during the corresponding week. The students are expected to come prepared and to lead the discussions. You will see each assignment on the website and you should review the topics and activities prior to each session to anticipate questions.

No. The speaking partner visits are focused on the student’s English language learning and fulfilling the assignment; it should not serve as a language exchange. You should interact only in English for the duration of the visit assignment to help the student understand their course content and to improve their ability to communicate. However, if you do know the student’s first language, it will help you to understand some areas where they struggle with English and be able to focus on improving those areas.

Skype is a free software program you can download to your computer. Once you have downloaded it, you can use it to speak with people, either with audio only (like a telephone) or with video as well. Use this link to download Skype. If you need help, try using these tutorials from GSFlearnfree.

If at all possible, it's best to use video as you talk with your assigned student, since non-verbal, visual cues can be a great help in understanding what is being said (both by you and by your partner). However, if you have slow connections, or if you're simply having trouble with the video component, you may use audio only. We'd prefer that over not talking at all!

Yes—that is, if you want to use the video component of Skype, you do. (And really, who doesn’t want that? It’s telephone with video!) We require all of our Speaking Partners to have a functioning webcam. Most computers nowadays have webcams built-in; if yours doesn’t have one, you can purchase a webcam for a relatively low price at places like Walmart, Target, or Newegg.com.

In this situation, you may want to use audio only, rather than the video. If you need help doing this, see this page of tutorials from GCFlearnfree.org, and watch the video called “Making Calls with Skype.”

Do everything in your power to reschedule the appointment. If you still can’t get together, send an email to the Speaking Partner managers explaining who missed the appointment and why. They will give this information to the instructor, who will decide how to assign points.

No. It is essential that your student practices speaking and listening to English at least twice a week. If you have ever learned to play an instrument, you know that it’s much more effective to practice for a short period every day than to practice for a very long time only once. This principle applies equally to every kind of learning, including language learning. You must insist that you both meet at least twice a week; the first meeting should be on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, and the second meeting on Thursday evening (after the weekly Pathway Gathering), Friday, or Saturday. But under no circumstances can you meet only once a week, even if that one meeting is longer than two meetings put together.

Send an email to the Pathway student requesting to meet. If the student has more than one email address, be sure to send the email to both addresses. If the Pathway student still hasn’t made contact after this, email the Speaking Partner managers and explain what has happened.

Tell him or her that you can’t meet at that time, and try to find another time to meet. It’s important that these meetings take place at times that work well for both of you.

If you are participating in the Speaking Partner program as part of a course at BYU-Idaho, you should speak to your professor. Otherwise, contact the Speaking Partner managers to explain your situation.

The spoken language in your meetings should be as authentic and real as possible. If the Pathway student doesn’t understand, then slow down slightly, enunciate the words more, use a simpler vocabulary, restate things in more than one way, or even type some of the key words, phrases, or sentences you are saying using the chat function. Using hand gestures and other non-verbal cues can also help the student. Rest assured, the Pathway student will improve and become more accustomed to native English speech over time.

Allowing the Pathway student to lead discussions is important, but so is your time. You are only committed to the class’s assigned time (20, 3o, or 40 minutes, depending on the class). If time is frequently running over, you can speed things up, perhaps by chit-chatting less. The lessons are designed to take the allotted time.

However, if you are OK with spending more time at each appointment, that is absolutely fine. The decision is up to you.

If times are not working, contact the Speaking Partner managers with the names of the partnership and they will give you further direction.

All volunteers should be members of the Church because many of the discussion topics are focused on the Gospel, which is one of the greatest benefits of the discussions.