Korea University (KU) has been running a language exchange program for several years now. The Learning by Teaching Experience (LTE) program allows students who speak different languages to meet and interact with each other in a one-on-one exchange. Korean students can expect to learn a foreign language and form relationships with international students, while foreign students can expect to learn Korean outside of a classroom setting with someone similar to them in age. The program is run by KU’s Global Service Center (GSC) and hopes to foster cross-cultural understanding by providing opportunities for exchanges, supported by an activity fee of up to 40,000 South Korean Won (KRW) per pair.

Many students participate in the LTE program for different reasons. The purpose of the program according to the GSC is for students to teach and learn each other’s languages and to share multicultural ideas and experiences. The program materials are developed entirely by the participants, which means student preferences are taken into consideration. While some participants may be studying for a language exam, others may instead want to improve their pronunciation and use of daily phrases in their target language. Each pair of students is given the freedom to design their own program and meet as often as they like. One past participant who spoke to The Granite Tower (GT) mentioned the comfort of the language learning environment as a major reason that she enjoyed the experience of the program.

Freely Exchanging Languages

The goals of LTE participants are crucial to the success of the meetings. In particular, new participants are matched with students who share similar goals. For example, those who are looking for an intensive experience involving textbooks and study sessions may express interest in meeting their partner three or four times a week and focusing on academic writing. The GSC processes the applications and carefully identifies the best match for each student according to their age, gender, field of study, and language needs.

The program regulations instruct students to speak at an appropriate language level and be supportive of their partner, thus leading to multiple successful exchanges. Another participant told GT that she enjoyed the program because she was unafraid to make mistakes in English or use the wrong expressions while learning the language thanks to her partner’s positive and helpful attitude.

All participants of the program qualify for a certificate of participation issued through KUchive after completing the semester, although the benefits of the program extend beyond this. Kim Eunmin (’20, Psychology), who joined the program in the 2022 spring semester, started with the expectations of meeting new foreign friends and creating new relationships, expectations that she believes have been met.

Glowing Reviews

Many past participants of the program have given positive feedback to the GSC at the end of their activity period. An exchange student from the University of New South Wales said of the program, “I think my confidence and pronunciation have improved immensely thanks to my partner’s encouragement and gentle reminders. I had a lot of fun meeting a new friend and would recommend this program to anyone who wants to improve their language skills in the most natural way possible.”

Kim Eunmin agreed with the sentiment. “My partner and I talked about the activities we wanted to do together and skills we wanted to improve through this program. I learned English expressions used in social media and my partner asked me about Korean grammar.” She then went on to add that she enjoyed the meetings and wished they could have been more frequent.

A current participant in the program, Cha Dajeong, mentioned that those who want to make foreign friends and have deeper relationships with them should consider joining the program. “Rapid improvement in speaking skills may be difficult,” she said, “but it’s helpful to learn basic expressions that may not actually come to mind when trying to speak in a foreign language”.

An exchange student from the United States also recommended the program, explaining that it can be difficult for exchange students to bond with Korean students outside of the Korea University Buddy Assistant (KUBA) program, so the LTE program creates an opportunity for people to meet friends they would not have otherwise interacted with. The student went on to explain in their review that they felt that they had benefited greatly from the program and even became better at explaining difficult concepts in their native language. They credited the positive experience they had with being able to talk comfortably and ask questions without feeling embarrassed, which improved their confidence.

Supporting Students

In the 2022 spring semester, the GSC introduced an “activity support fee” intended to encourage participants to meet and partake in cultural activities, such as going to exhibitions or performances. Support for cultural activity expenses is budgeted at 40,000 KRW per pair each semester, and admission tickets to events and locations that are of interest to both participants can be purchased.

Additionally, the center provides information to Korean students on how to teach certain grammar points to international students. In the orientation packet given to participants, the GSC includes a link to a website that contains a free Korean textbook and a variety of explanations regarding Korean grammar and other aspects of language to aid native speakers in responding to difficult questions.

Foreign students with a passion for languages and a knack for explaining concepts in English to fellow students would be great additions to the program, especially if they have a passion for teaching or an interest in exchanging languages and culture. Korean students interested in making foreign friends, learning about different cultures, and improving their language ability in a relaxed, outside-the-classroom environment are encouraged to apply at the start of each semester.