English Language Support

English Conversation Groups

The Office of International Students & Scholars offers daily English Conversation groups at Yale so that international students, scholars and their families and partners who speak English as a second language, will have an enjoyable, informal means for improving their conversation skills. These popular groups are also a good place to meet others and explore American culture topics.

While they are not formal classes, they are an excellent supplement to a course of study in English as a second language (ESL). See the OISS events calendar for an updated schedule, if you are interested in joining English Conversations at Yale.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

If you are interested in formal study programs to improve your English as a second language (ESL) skills, there are a number of options in the area. [Learn more]

One-on-One Conversations

One-on-One Conversations matches international students, scholars and their spouses/partners at Yale with volunteers from the New Haven and Yale communities for language and culture exchange. The time commitment is minimal and for the participants of this program the possible benefits include:

• Sharing your country and culture with others
• Expanding your understanding of people, the world and cross-cultural communication
• (for non-native English speakers) Improving your English through informal conversation practice
• Learning or practicing teaching skills
• Offering friendship across cultures

Meetings are scheduled for one hour per week at any mutually agreed upon on or off campus location. Minimum commitment is four weeks, with the aim to continue for at least one semester (12 weeks). The topic and format of the meetings is up to the participants. Most often, participants engage in informal conversation; however guidelines and suggestions for topics if desired are available through the OISS. Meetings are usually conducted in English and no knowledge of a second language is required or even necessary.