TandemPlus Spanish-English Summer Exchange Launches
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to participate or helped recruit volunteers for the TandemPlus summer 2020 Spanish-English exchange sponsored by the US Department of State’s English Access Microscholarship Program. In this exchange, English learners from Mexico – many of whom have aspirations to teach – are paired virtually with Spanish learners from Minnesota. These Spanish learners include current University of Minnesota students and alumni, as well as area community members. In addition, a few middle and high school students from Spanish immersion programs and other advanced learners are participating to retain their connection to Spanish language and culture over the long summer at home. These K-12 student learners were generally recruited by their parents through a tie to the university.
The exchanges have only just begun, but the feedback the TandemPlus program has received so far is that both the Spanish and English learners appreciate this unique opportunity to practice their language with a native speaker, and learn more about another culture, particularly at a time when international travel is restricted.
Participants engage in at least three one-hour sessions with their partner, half of the time speaking in English and half of the time in Spanish. For the conversations, partners can choose topics of their own or follow conversation topic guides provided by TandemPlus.
These pairings began on July 13, 2020 and will continue until August 13, 2020.
Are you or anyone you know interested in participating? There is still time to sign up! Please pass on this advertisement to any Spanish students or learners you know who might be interested. Contact tandem@umn.edu to request to join or learn more.
The TandemPlus program sends a huge thank you to the coordinator of this opportunity, Catherine (Kate) Clements, a university ESL instructor, and former TandemPlus coordinator herself, who is currently serving as an English Language Specialist for the Department of State.
