Disclaimer: You should always meet your language exchange partner, especially the first time, in a busy public area during the day such as a cafe or library. Let someone know where you are going and what time you intend to be back, and never agree to go somewhere private with someone you have only just met.
Advantages of Face to Face Language Exchange
Speaking to someone in person is the most natural use of language. It is how human language originally evolved to be used. Writing systems appeared in history long after the spoken word had become a sophisticated method of communication. An estimate by UNESO claims that 29% of the world's adult population is unable to read and write in their native language, yet the majority of those individuals are able to communicate verbally. However, the reverse situation, that of people being unable to articulate, yet being skilled in writing, is unheard of outside of those with specific disabilities. Isn't it strange then, that when it comes to studying foreign languages in countries where that language isn't spoken, the reverse is often true, with students mastering written communication before they can successfully handle a conversation? Regularly putting yourself in situations where you need to use the language to communicate your needs, is probably the most natural way to improve your speaking and listening skills.
Linguistic Gymnastics
One of the greatest advantages of meeting face to face is that it forces you to be flexible with the words you know well, to compensate for gaps in your knowledge. Even in your mother tongue, you have what are known as active and passive vocabulary. Your active vocabulary (also called 'productive vocabulary') are those words that you most readily use yourself when speaking. Your active vocabulary usually becomes a little larger when you are writing, where you may use words you wouldn't naturally reach for when speaking, but in either case, you regularly use a surprisingly small portion of the total number of words you know in your mother tongue. Passive vocabulary refers to those words which you understand when you hear them: such as those used in news reports or movies, but that you wouldn't naturally use yourself in a conversation.
When it comes to learning a foreign language, the gap between active and passive vocabulary will be large and there'll be many words you haven't learnt yet. When writing, we have time to look things up, or reword our sentences to use more creative grammar. As such, we are more likely to be able to word things elegantly and say exactly what we intended . However, when you speak, you can find yourself lost for words when you don't have the benefit of being able to look up things you sort of know, but can't easily recall. Speaking face to face teaches you to forget the fancier words you've learnt for now, and focus on consolidating the basics. The more automatic the basics become, the less effort you'll require when speaking.
Maximise the Benefits: Here is an excerise you can do at home before even meeting with your friend. Find a piece of text in Japanese. It can be from a textbook or an authentic text depending on your ability level. Read it out loud once over, and then line by line, try to simplify the text as far as possible. For example, if the text says, 日本人には日本語で挨拶するようにしています (nihonjin niwa nihongo de aisatsu suru you ni shite imasu) 'I make a point of greeting Japanese people in Japanese', you might reword this to, 日本人にはよく日本語で挨拶します。 いい練習ですから (nihonjin niwa yoku nihongo de aisatsu shimasu. Ii renshuu desu kara.') 'I often greet Japanese people in Japanese because it's good practice'. This takes a little practice, but is a great way to get you used to thinking in more simple Japanese, which will allow you to reply to your partner more easily. I'm not saying you shouldn't attempt to use longer or more complex sentences, but if you're flustered, it's good to know you can still communicate your point in some way. The complexity of your replies will naturally increase as you confidence with spoken language increases, so you needn't worry that you'll always speak in simple sentences.
Developing an Ear for the Language
Until we start speaking to native speakers, our main sources of audio are native language media (such at TV and movies) or pre-made recordings for learning purposes. These both have disadvantages. The way people speak on TV and when acting, are not always the same as natural everyday spoken language. Even on news reports and chat shows, speakers tend to reach for fancier words and expressions and adopt a more standardized speaking style. The tone and flow of the language is quite different again when acting. Study material is often contrived and deliberately uses a limited vocabulary. If you are lucky, you'll find something spoken at natural speed, but they are still recorded by voice actors and will have a slightly different rhythm to the everyday spoken language your friend will use.
While it may at first sound a bit different to what you're used to hearing, conversational Japanese has advantages over recordings and media. When you converse, you aren't bombarded with quite so much speech at once. You are given natural pauses to stop, think and then form your reply. These little rests give you time process what you've heard and they make a huge difference compared to say, watching a Japanese TV show, in which you've barely remembered what a word means, before the next sentence is thrown at you. You also have the benefit of visual cues such as facial expressions and body language.
Maximise the Benefits: When I taught English, I had a few students who used to mouth along with me when I was speaking. It was quite disconcerting, but a very good strategy. Again, this is an exercise you can do at home between meetings. Find something in Japanese that you'd like to watch, and without speaking out loud, move your mouth so that you're copying the speaker. Of course, this won't help with words and grammar you simply don't know, but you'll be amazed how much more you pick up when you do this. You don't need to practice this exercise many times before you find you can identify the words you know much more easily. You can of course, speak along with your partner in your mind, but be warned, it is very hard not to waggle your chin while you do this! By tuning your ear this way, you will also be able to pick out and repeat words you don't know the meaning of so that your partner can try to explain the meaning.
For more creative tips on improving your listening comprehension, check out Bokusenou's articles on preparing for JLPT levels N2 and N1.
Disadvantages of Face to Face Language Exchange
While it is arguably the most ideal form of language exchange, face to face isn't for everyone. It has some drawbacks compared to other methods of exchange. Lets now take a look at the more common issues and discuss possible solutions.
➜ Finding Time
Face to face language exchange is highly demanding of both of you as it requires you to free up several hours of your busy schedule to meet together. For language exchange to be effective, you really need to meet up several times a week, or at the very least, weekly.Remedy: If you are finding that your schedules are clashing more than you'd like and that frequent meetings are hard to organise, consider having more than one language exchange partner. That way, there's more chance that at least one of them will be free when you are. Alternatively, if you really don't have the time yourself to meet more frequently, or if it's too hard to find native speakers in your area, consider using other methods of language exchange (to be discussed in later articles), to keep you busy between face to face meetings.
➜ The Cost
Depending on where you live, you might find that there aren't so many native speakers in your area, so you have to travel a considerable distance to meet up. This could not only make finding time to meet up even harder, but could be tough on your wallet too. When you consider the cost of 1:1 tuition, you may feel that the costs are justified, but even so, not everyone has that kind of money to burn.
Remedy: It is always a good idea to try to meet somewhere in the middle, or take it in turns to visit one another's home town, so that both partners share the cost. If it is possible to walk to your meetings, or even part of the way, then consider doing so whenever you can. When choosing a location, is there a cafe that offers free refills, or water?
Maybe it's possible to save money in other areas of your life in order to afford these frequent meetings. Could you go out drinking at the weekends less, miss out on cinema visits, or make your own pizza from scratch instead of reaching for the phone?
➜ Difficulty
If you have never had a conversation with a native speaker before, then it most likely will be hard at first. Chances are you will struggle to have anything close to an actual conversation during your first few meetings and if you have been studying Japanese for a while and consider yourself to be of a reasonable level, this can be a heavy blow. The temptation may be to just study harder before you see your partner again, so that you can amaze them with how quickly you've come on, or so the next meeting won't be so mentally draining. Doing so however, will only prolong the time it takes to move beyond this difficult stage.
Remedy: If you are a beginner, you may find it better to request tutoring rather than conversation practice. Ideally, you should look for a native speaker who is proficient enough in English to effectively help you with the basics and explain grammar. In some cases, you could be expected to pay a small fee for this. Alternatively, you may be better off starting in a class, self-teaching, or trying a different method of language exchange for a while before trying face-to-face exchange.
For everyone else, the best way to support yourself through this is to understand that this is a normal part of the process. If you really want to shorten the time it takes to move beyond this stage, increasing the frequency of sessions, or using other methods of language exchange between meetings, is the only way to do it. While it's not a good idea to allow the bulk of your interactions to be in your native language, if you need to use it for clarity, or need a break to rest your brain, don't be shy to switch back to your native language.
I like to exchange in small groups so I can adapt how much I interact depending on my confidence, while still being exposed to natural conversations. If you have a few Japanese speaking friends, consider introducing them so you can try this approach for yourself.
I like to exchange in small groups so I can adapt how much I interact depending on my confidence, while still being exposed to natural conversations. If you have a few Japanese speaking friends, consider introducing them so you can try this approach for yourself.
Conducting Successful Sessions
➜ Before You Meet
Although not essential, it can be a good idea to get to know one another online first. Try to clear up exactly what your partner needs from you and let them know what you hope to gain from the relationship. It is a good idea before you even start looking for a language exchange partner, to consider what your own goals are. Do you want to to live in Japan? How important is reading and writing to you? Do you need to know formal Japanese, or do you just want to be conversational? Do you plan to take exams? When you do find a partner, it can be a good idea to ask them these questions about their English goals too. Do they just want to practice their English or stop it from getting rusty? Are they planning on taking exams? Do they need English for work? Knowing these kinds of things from the outset, can help to keep you focused and prevent precious time from being wasted on less impotent activities.
➜ Study Material
To begin with, a natural flowing conversation is going to be hard for most people. The best way to ensure the earlier exchanges are useful for you, is to take study material. I took Japanese for Busy People ii and iii, and also a fashion magazine when I'd completed these books. Use a textbook that has exercises that you can do together, and ensure it has answers at the back, because your partner won't always be sure what the book considers the 'correct' answer to be. Don't just read the sentences off the page and simply insert the correct answer while you read, but cover it, look at your partner and try to say it. He or she will gladly indicate if you make a mistake, and help you get it right. This is also a golden opportunity to try making your own sentences. Books can't correct your own attempts at using the grammar, and you will often assume a structure can apply when actually, your partner will explain, 'aha, no.. it doesn't work in that case.. you have to say...'. which conveniently brings us to the next tip...
➜ Have a Notebook Just for Language Exchange
When you have to ask for a word, or you partner tells you something that isn't in the book if using one, jot it down in your note book. Consider splitting your book into two sections: one to use as a jotter to scribble down notes during your sessions, with a separate section where you can neatly write new vocabulary and grammar notes as well as a quick summary of the session when you get home. You can then use this book to recap while riding the bus or train on your way to your next meeting.
➜ Don't Let the Meetings Become Monolingual
As the name suggests, language exchange is meant to be an 'exchange', which means you both need to be benefiting from your friendship with a native speaker, It's a good idea to find out exactly what your partner expects from your meetings, before you even start your exchange. This way you can ensure your partner gets to practice their second language too. Also try to resist the temptation of sticking to your native language because it's easier. If you really need to use your native language because your brain is refusing to process any more Japanese (I'm writing from personal experience here), at least try to interject in Japanese as much as possible so you're still getting some practice. You may consider asking your partner to carry on in Japanese, until it's their turn to practice your language.
➜ Finding an Exchange Partner
Hopefully you'll be itching to get out there and start exchanging in Japanese. However, finding a native speaker to exchange with isn't always easy. There are a number of ways you can search for potential partners, but depending on where you live, you may need to be patient. You can always take advantage of some of the other language exchange methods while you are waiting.
- Try language exchange sites such as mylanguageexchange.com or openlanguageexchange.com
- Sites like Gumtree and Craigslist (search your region and then 'activities') are surprisingly good spots for hunting down language partners.
- If you are a student, you can put up posters around campus advertising that you're looking for a native speaker to exchange with. If you're not a student, you might find that you can place an advert in the window of an Asian supermarket or similar specialist store, usually for a fee.
- See if there are any English-Japanese conversation groups in your area. These are a great way to meet not just native speakers, but other learners in your area. If there isn't already a local group, you could even try starting your own!
Conclusion
We would love to hear your own language exchange experiences or tips, so please leave us a comment. If you have encountered any specific difficulties that weren't discussed here, feel free to discuss those too.
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