Conversation Partner Program
VolunteerWould you like to help a student practice speaking English? |
ParticipantWould you like an opportunity to practice your English? |
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Volunteers must |
Participants must |
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Access the volunteer registration form here:
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Access the participant registration form here:
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Conversation Partner Program Handbook
Conversation Partner Program Handbook is available for both volunteers and participants.
Conversation Partner Time Log
Conversation volunteers are expected to record the times spent with their partners (participants) and the topics covered. The time logs are submitted to cpprogram@mun.ca upon completion of hours. For more information, please see the Conversation Partner Handbook.
Conversation Starters
Are you having trouble starting your conversation? Do you need ideas on how to initiate the chat? See below several lists of questions to support your discussions.
- What program are you currently studying?
- Do you have any other activities happening this semester, like work, volunteering, clubs, etc.?
- What inspired you to join the English Conversation Partner Program?
- What do you like to do in your free time, outside of school/work/responsibilities?
- Are you enjoying your semester so far?
- What are your goals for practicing English this semester?
- Do you have any other goals for this semester aside from practicing English?
- Do you have any important things to clarify before we continue the program? Any allergies, sensitivities, etc. that would be helpful to share in advance?
- In your culture, are there any unique traditions or customs for when you meet somebody new?
- What is your impression of St. John’s as a city?
- What do you think of the city’s amenities (shopping, public transportation, healthcare, etc.)?
- Have you explored much of St. John’s?
- Do you have any favourite landmarks in St. John’s?
- Do you have any favourite stores in St. John’s? What do you like to buy there?
- Have you tried any restaurants in St. John’s? What do you like to order there?
- If you could change one thing about living in St. John’s, what would it be?
- Is there anywhere in St. John’s you would like to visit?
- Have you ever visited anywhere else in Newfoundland and Labrador?
- Is there anywhere in Newfoundland or Labrador that you would like to visit?
- Tell me about your family. Who are your parents/siblings/etc.?
- Have you started your own family, or do you hope to?
- Who were your best friends over the years? As a kid, as a teenager, in university, etc., who were your best friends?
- Do you have a best friend today?
- To you, what makes somebody a good friend?
- Have you noticed any differences regarding friendship between Newfoundland and Labrador culture and the culture from which you come?
- Have you noticed any differences regarding family between Newfoundland and Labrador culture and the culture from which you come?
- Do you think friends can be family?
- Do you think family members are always friends?
- Do you have any family members whom you are especially close with today?
- When you were a kid, what job did you want to have when you grew up?
- Have you ever achieved something for which you worked hard?
- Have you ever experienced a big failure?
- Do you think failure can be a learning experience?
- What do you hope to do after your studies?
- Outside of school and work, what other things do you hope to do in the near future?
- Do you have any big dreams for the future?
- Have you ever achieved a big dream outside of work or school?
- Which is more important: the destination or the journey?
- Do you think ambition comes with both benefits and challenges?
- Do you have much work experience?
- Do you think university students should work while in school if they don’t need to?
- Do you think volunteer work is important for career development?
- Do you have a job right now? Do you hope for a different job in the future?
- Do you have a dream job?
- Do you think it is important to be career-oriented?
- Do you think it is important to balance work and free time?
- What does your weekly routine look like?
- To you, what is the best way to spend your free time after work or school?
- To you, what would be an ideal weekend during the semester?
- Are you familiar with any works of art or culture from Canada or Newfoundland and Labrador? If not, what do you think they would like or sound like?
- Do you know of any famous works of art or artists from your culture?
- Do you like visiting museums or galleries?
- Do you enjoy graffiti art?
- Do you know of any famous films or books from your culture?
- To you, what makes a good work of art? A good film? A good book?
- Are you interested in creating art (visual arts, film, literature, etc.)?
- Do you think people are born creative or do they become creative?
- What do you think of the idea of art, books and movies being created by artificial intelligence?
- What is the worst movie you have ever seen? Explain why it was so bad in your opinion.
- What are the communities (cultural, religious, etc.) that make up your home country
- Are different communities recognized in your home country’s laws or policies?
- Are there any notable cultural events in your home country? Are you able to celebrate them in St. John’s today?
- Are you familiar with any of Canada’s many cultural communities?
- Multiculturalism is a big topic in Canadian culture. What do you think of this?
- In your home country, do you think many people are familiar with the cultures of surrounding countries?
- In your home country, are there many immigrants? If so, where do most of them come from?
- Is it common for people from your home country to emigrate? If so, where do most of them go?
- Do you enjoy trying food from different cultures?
- Do you enjoy consuming media (books, films, etc.) from different cultures?
- Besides your hometown and St. John’s, have you travelled much?
- Do you enjoy travelling? Why or why not?
- Do you know of any ways to save money while travelling?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
- To you, what are the most important parts of travel? Is it the food, the sightseeing, the museums, the nature, etc.?
- Is there anywhere in Canada you would like to visit?
- Is there somewhere in your home country that you would recommend foreigners to visit?
- Do you think travelling within a country you’ve already been to can be just as meaningful as travelling to new countries?
- On one trip, would you rather visit many places for shorter periods of time, or fewer places for longer periods of time?
- Is there anywhere your friends, family, or acquaintances want to visit but you have no interest in visiting?
- Do you enjoy learning about history?
- Is history taught in your home country? What history is taught?
- Do you think schools should make it mandatory to study history?
- Can you tell me what you know about the history of Newfoundland and Labrador? Of Canada?
- Can you tell me about the history of your home country?
- If you could live in a different time period, which one would you choose?
- If you could meet a famous person from throughout history, who would you choose?
- If you could bring back a trend that was popular during your lifetime, which would you choose?
- How often do you think about the distant future?
- Do you think history repeats itself?
- Do you have any final exams or assignments this semester?
- How many more semesters do you have remaining in your program?
- Did you learn anything especially interesting this semester?
- Do you have a method for studying?
- Do you have a method for staying productive during stressful times?
- Do you notice any differences between studying habits in your home country and those in Canada?
- How do you tend to react when you get a mark you are not happy with?
- How do you reward yourself for your accomplishments at school?
- When you were younger, did you have long holidays during the school year? How would you spend your time?
- Do you have any plans for the semester break?