Practice English by just talking.

Chat with a friendly partner for an hour a week, online. No grades. No pressure. Just a conversation.

Come and chat Be a conversation partner

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Here is how it can go.

A made-up story about a man named Sam.

SamWhat if I freeze tomorrow?

It is the night before Sam’s job interview. Sam is nervous.

PartnerTell me about yourself.

SamUm… I work… in a restaurant.

PartnerGood start! Take a breath. Try again.

So Sam practices with a friendly partner. It is okay to stumble. That is why we practice.

SamI have worked in a restaurant for three years. I love helping people.

PartnerThat sounded great!

They try again. And again. Each time it feels a little easier.

InterviewerTell me about yourself.

SamOf course! I have three years of experience, and I love working with people.

InterviewerWelcome to the team!

On interview day, the questions sound familiar. Sam feels calm.

What is a first conversation like?

Short and kind. Here is a small example.

  1. Your partner

    Hi! I’m glad you came. What do you like to talk about?

  2. You

    Hello. My English is small. I like food.

  3. Your partner

    Food is a great start. Take your time. I will wait.

  4. You

    Thank you. I will try.

How does it work?

  1. Say hello

    Tell us your name and how to reach you. It takes one minute.

  2. Meet your partner

    We match you with a friendly speaker from our team, at a time that works for you.

  3. Just talk

    One hour a week, online. Chat about anything. Go slow. Mistakes are fine.

Neighbors from everywhere.

Hello, in a few of the languages spoken across San Diego County.

Hello English

Hola Spanish

Kumusta Tagalog

Xin chào Vietnamese

مرحبا Arabic

你好 Mandarin

Salaan Somali

سلام Dari

Bonjou Haitian Creole

ሰላም Amharic

Привіт Ukrainian

Why just talk?

Lots of people understand more English than they feel ready to say out loud. What helps most is not another class. It is a relaxed chat with someone patient, who is happy to wait while you find your words.

That is all this is. One hour a week with a friendly person, until talking feels easy.

Our partners are experienced debaters. They know the feeling of being nervous before you speak, and they know how to help you get past it.

What do we do?

Conversation practice

You meet a friendly partner online, at a regular time. You pick what to talk about. It is free, and nobody is grading you.

How it works

School visits

Our second, smaller program. We visit classrooms with a friendly lesson about kindness and welcoming new classmates. Teachers pick the grade and the length.

What a visit is like
Two ceramic mugs side by side on a white table

Come and chat

If you want to practice English

All levels. Come once or every week. Bring a friend. It is relaxed and friendly, and nobody is grading you.

How to join
An open notebook and a pen on a wooden table

Be a conversation partner

If you have an hour a week

You do not need to be a teacher. You just need to be a good listener. We do a short training, then you chat for an hour a week.

Become a partner
A bright, empty room with long tables and chairs

Host a chat

If you run a business or a library

A quiet space and a regular hour is all we need. We bring the partners and run the chats.

Host a chat

Come and chat with us.

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