2011 program calendar

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2nd week conversation group meeting times

Hi Everybody!

This week's conversation group times and locations are as follows:

Monday- Hydrant off of the square from 6:30-9. This is open as there is the song and poetry event going on. I have a friend who will be singing there and so I will be there all night. Feel free to come and go as you please!

Tuesday- Meet at Voyageur's Dream across from the Language building from 1-2pm.

Wednesday- Voyageur's Dream 1-2pm

Thursday- Cups and Crepes 12:30-2pm. Location is on Fry Street the one that runs along side the language building and intersects with Hickory. You just get out of the language building and walk north on Fry Street into the residential area and it is located on the left in a light yellow 3 story house. It is a 2 minute walk and the food is delicious and inexpensive!

Hope to see you guys there! Please also feel free to invite others to come along.

Best,
Caroline

conversation group

Caroline's Conversation Group is going to be meeting today (Friday, July 9) at Voyageur's Dream across the street from the LANG and Auditorium buildings. We will meet there at 12:30pm and go till 1:30pm.

If you didn't sign up for a conversation group, come along anyways! We would love to have you join us!

Caroline

volunteer info

Conversation Groups

These will be formed the first few days of classes. Group size will depend on the number of students that are interested in participating in conversation groups. They will be organized by levels (Chip has beginner, Shannon has intermediate, Lindy has advanced, Kelly has intermediate advanced). Conversation Leaders will set up a regular time to meet with them depending on their availability. Conversation groups will have to take place outside of class time, so at lunch break, 12-2 p.m. or after 5 p.m. In the past, some Conversation Leaders would go to lunch with them or dinner (Bruce Hall cafeteria). 

Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistants will also be assigned during the first few days of class. Teachers will have designated time slots during classes and workshops when student teaching can be included. I will send out a list of available time frames and volunteers can sign up for their preferred slot.

Entertainment Assistants

Entertainment Assistants should show up for all activities that they can come to and can even plan some outings of their own if they want. We currently need a few volunteers for the Fourth of July festivities and fire works show at Fouts Field on Saturday, July 3. Activities start at 5:30 p.m. and end around 10 p.m. Volunteers will welcome the students, answer any questions, help them get acclimated, and of course have some fun themselves. The full entertainment menu will be available by Monday and volunteers can sign up for their preferred activities and time frames.

Volunteers--If you have any questions or want to submit your availability/preferences, feel free to contact Lisa. This is a huge program; we need our volunteers and are very grateful to everyone who has agreed to help out!

conversation group guidelines

Guidelines for ESL Conversation group

• Come up with a guiding theme or topic (see list for suggestions).
• Ask open-ended questions.
• Speak slower than usual but still naturally; that is, talk the way you would with your friends so they get authentic input.
• Keep error correction to a minimum, e.g. only correct idioms and slang.
• Ask members what problems/issues they are experiencing with language.
• Be a cultural and linguistic ambassador.
• Encourage members to suggest topics and themes for discussion.
• Don’t be afraid of silence. They are processing, so they need more think time than you. Allow for that.
• Engage, stimulate, facilitate, empower, and have fun!

Topics and Themes for Conversation Group

• Greetings/salutations, e.g. “How’s it goin” is hello; “see ya later” means goodbye.
• Making friends/acquaintances American style.
• Customs and morés, cross-culturally (holidays, weddings, graduation, funerals, birthdays, etc).
• Texas dialect: "y’all", "coke", "fixin' to", "do what", etc.
• Idioms, slang, and profanity: embrace this as a linguistic ambassador.
• Stereotypes about different cultures, including our own.
• Relationship language and culture, e.g. “hooking up” “hanging out”, etc.
• Text/IM language and its influence on spoken language and the writing system.
• Criticism, diplomacy, etiquette, indirect speech: how to understand it; how to use it.
• Pronunciation tips and explanations: wanna, gonna, coulda, shoulda, hafta, useta, Ima (I’m gonna), etc.
• Pop culture: TV, movies, music, celebrity, advertising.
• Current events and the media.
• Travel: world cultures, historical sites, travel narratives.
• Media: the media’s portrayal and stereotyping of different cultures, e.g. American women are promiscuous; British people are snobby and intellectual.
• Food: restaurants, grocery shopping, cooking, cross-cultural aspects.
• Shopping for a variety of items: clothes, shoes, electronics, etc.
• Money: Americans value money more than most cultures.
• Politics and religion: now these are touchy topics and they should know this because many cultures openly discuss politics and religion. You don't necessarily have to discuss them but do convey their sensitivity.
• Social class: America is a somewhat classless society (socioeconomic).
• Information technology and how it’s affecting the way we communicate and socialize.