Photo above: top row: Emma from Honduras speaks with student Cooper; bottom row: Javier from Costa Rica speaks with student Brooklyn.
The Cultural and Conversation Exchange program was created for undergraduate students who are enrolled in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Its primary objective is to provide the students the opportunity to practice the Spanish language with native speakers from Latin America through cultural exchange using online platforms. This program is offered for eight weeks during both the Fall and Spring semesters.
By engaging in conversations with native Spanish speakers online, students can develop and improve their speaking skills and cultural knowledge. Each week, students discuss various real-life topics that enhance their Spanish language learning abilities, expand their vocabulary, deepen their understanding of culture, and improve their pronunciation.
“I would definitely recommend this program to students trying to learn Spanish because I believe it helped me become more confident in speaking the language as well as challenging myself and improving my skills and pronunciation,” Alexandria C., a student in Spanish 203, said.
More than a hundred students participate in the project every semester. Students are paired with a partner and discuss a current topic assigned by the coordinator, Patricia de Leal. Communication primarily occurs through platforms such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Teams, and Facetime.
A Canvas forum allows participants to provide weekly updates on their meetings. At the end of the semester, students present a final project that includes sharing their experiences with their partners and showcasing their cultural learning.
The positive feedback about this program is leading to its incorporation into additional classes.
“It was a great way for me to gain some confidence in my speaking,” Lily C., a student in Spanish 203, said.
De Leal’s goal is to continue to grow the program, not only within Spanish classes but also across other language offered in the department. This semester, for example, the French program is launching a pilot that pairs students with partners from Haiti.
In addition to improving students’ oral and comprehension skills, the chance to connect and learn more about other cultures with a peer in another country has been a rich experiential learning opportunity.
“This program made me realize that even people with a different native language can have the same humor as me," Lenda K., a student in Spanish 203, said. "It's an eye-opener.”
To learn more about participating in a conversation exchange program in Spanish or another language offered at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, contact de Leal at pperezgonzalez2@unl.edu, or chair Nora Peterson at npeterson10@unl.edu.
