Language Exchange in Amman: A Gateway Between Cultures

A language exchange is when two (or more) people with different native languages come together to practise the language. Both participants wish to improve their skills in the other person’s native language (or another language they speak well). Within the context of a language exchange, participants can freely express their opinions, share experiences, and discuss a wide variety of topics in the language they are learning, while helping their partner practice their native language. 

Amman offers numerous language exchange communities. My personal favourite is the Idea Chamber (https://www.instagram.com/theideachamber/) where I have been attending English-Arabic exchanges for several months.

Language Exchange in Amman: A Gateway Between Cultures

How does it work? 

Due to growing interest and regular attendees, we are usually divided into 3-4 groups. In each session, we discuss different topics such as plans and goals, public transport, travel, holidays, friends, etc. Before the discussion, we review and discuss the key vocabulary and expressions related to the topic in both English and Arabic. This is followed by questions; each participant answers the questions individually and shares their views, and others may respond to these insights or correct any mistakes. Each meeting lasts about two hours, with the first hour dedicated to discussing the topic in English and the second hour in Arabic.

Some benefits of language exchange:

1. Practice crucial speaking skills: You’ll learn practical expressions in context, which are useful in everyday life, through communication with native speakers.

2. Improve listening and comprehension: You can refine your accent by mimicking how native speakers talk. Moreover, being exposed to various accents can further enhance your listening skills.

3. Develop cultural competence and awareness: It’s fascinating to learn firsthand about a country and its culture from participants, which might otherwise require a longer stay abroad to understand. 

4. Increase confidence: Knowing that your conversation partner is also learning a language and facing similar challenges can reduce the pressure to perform, allowing you to express yourself more freely than you might in an academic setting. You motivate and encourage each other, reducing the stress of making mistakes.

5. Make new friends and connections: You can meet people from diverse backgrounds and connect with them. As you engage in conversations, share experiences, and learn about each other’s cultures, bonds are formed based on mutual respect and understanding. These friendships can be incredibly valuable, providing you with insights into different ways of life, traditions, and beliefs. Furthermore, these connections can open doors to new opportunities, both personally and professionally. You may discover common interests or shared goals with your language exchange partners, leading to collaborations, travel companionship, or even career networking.

Tip: To better retain vocabulary, consider taking notes during your language exchange sessions and reviewing them afterwards repeatedly, discussing them with someone.

If you can’t participate in person, here are some online platforms you can use:

• HelloTalk: Essentially a language-learning version of WhatsApp. After registering, you can specify which languages you wish to practice and teach. Based on these preferences, the app filters users and provides a list of those who best match your language skills. You can exchange text and voice messages, and eventually, even start video calls as you get to know your conversation partner better.
• MyLanguageExchange.com: Similar to HelloTalk, you can search for conversation partners from among 500,000 users in over 130 countries. Though it lacks a mobile version, this can be an advantage as it allows for more comfortable browsing and chatting via a web browser, and you can use Google Translate for quick checks.
• Speaky: This app also resembles HelloTalk but allows you to filter users based on interests. It is a mobile application, which cannot be used from a web browser.