The best way to learn a language is to speak it. That is the premise with which the Language Café began operating a few months ago, within the Language School of the Universidad Industrial de Santander to practice foreign languages proactively. This initiative is carried out within the framework of a project by the DILECPOLE Research Group and supported by the Office of the Vicerrectoría Académica.
“The Language Café is a space for conversation in various languages—English, French, and German—and is open to the entire university community. Each session features thematic activities on topics such as health, books, education, and cinema, which we rotate throughout the year; for example, we have held sessions on Mother’s Day and Halloween. The idea is to promote and encourage language learning,” explained Juana Mora, professor at the School of Languages and co-director of the Language Café.
Miss Mora highlighted that the German sessions are led by an exchange student from Germany, the French sessions by various exchange students and native-speaking assistants from France, and the English sessions are sometimes supported by native speakers from the United States. “In addition, we are assisted by numerous graduates and current foreign-language students. Students from engineering, nursing, and medicine have participated, and word about this space has spread,” added Professor Mora.
How the Café works
The methodology varies in each session: “Our activities are conversation-based; we always include participatory activities. We have organized language trivia, role-playing games, board games, and guided discussions on different topics.”
Students find this to be a space where they can express themselves freely. “For example, last week’s session focused on health—specifically mental health—and provided an opportunity for many students to open up about their ideas and concerns. This not only helps them practice the language but also allows them to feel understood in a supportive environment,” said Mora.
