Learn with others
Volunteer to be a language buddy
Conversation Circles and Language Buddies
Develop your English language skills
Develop your English conversational skills by joining the Conversation Circles and Language Buddy programme. Opportunities are provided to improve your English by speaking with other students online and in-person. Your English language skills will also help you with your spoken English, and knowledge of New Zealand phrases. Either the Conversation Circles or learning with a Language Buddy can be added to your CV and will help towards your job aspirations.
Sessions are run on Tuesdays and Fridays for all students
Graduate and undergraduate students can join any of the following Conversation Circles.
Topics vary and can focus on themes and ideas that you study in your programmes.
| Tuesdays | Fridays |
|
11am NZST:
At CeTTL, Room M.1.50, Level 1 of the Student Centre |
12pm CST /
Via Zoom |
|
12pm CST /
|
We also offer the following sessions to students at the University of Waikato College:
Conversation Circles:
Mondays 3:10-4pm NZST in LAIN.B.05
Writing and grammar 1:1 sessions:
Tuesdays 3.10-4 pm NZST in LAIN.B.05
Join the English Language Conversation Circles
The online & in-person conversation circle sessions are available to all students in Hamilton, Tauranga and beyond. Sessions will be flexible and topics of discussion can include current events and topics that you choose. You can gain confidence when speaking in group situations and also improve your presentation skills.
If you would like to join any of these conversation circles, see the times listed above. It's good to stay in touch with others and keep practicing your English - join us!
Zoom and the University of Waikato information page for first time users:
- To access the online conversation circles and if you're meeting your language buddy online, you need a laptop with a microphone and webcam (or your phone), and access to the internet.
- To access with Zoom video conferencing software
- To link to the University of Waikato information page for first time users, view the ICT Help resources (login required).
Contact us at eldonline@waikato.ac.nz if you would like more information
Find a Language Buddy
Develop your English language skills with a trained student volunteer. This opportunity is offered on the Hamilton and Tauranga campuses and beyond.
Along with learning how English is used in conversation and in social settings, you will also gain an understanding of how English is used in New Zealand - including local phrases, and you can practice common situations where you will use English during your university studies e.g. tutorials, labs or group work. You can meet online or in person. Let's keep talking!
If you would like a language buddy, please fill out our easy form.
If you have any questions, you can ask them at eldonline@waikato.ac.nz
Volunteer to be a language buddy
We need volunteers for our Language Buddy programme.
Your service makes a big difference in the experience of new international students to the University of Waikato. Register your interest by filling out your details in the Language Buddy Volunteer form. The Language Buddy volunteer opportunity is a partner with the University of Waikato Employability Plus Award (EPA) programme, and contributes to your EPA profile.