Impact of Speech Buddies

Testimonials

This program has had a significant impact on many of its students over the years, so the following are testimonials sent in from some of these students. For more insight to this program, read the article Speech buddies Bridge the Language and Culture Gap, from September 2017.

"Once a speech buddy, always a speech buddy." -Matt McClure

“For me, being speech buddy has expanded my knowledge of English teaching practices, made me more aware of the challenges present in language learning, and confirmed my desire to help future students express themselves in English.” -Jenny Joyce, Spring 2018

“I became more confident in talking with English-speaking people and less scared of trying out “American” things that were unfamiliar. [...] I strongly believe that SB program has provided very significant opportunities to all participants, including myself, to think bigger and to be open-minded with foreign culture.” -Seung Bee Yang, 2014

“It opened a whole new area of passion, growth, and development!” -Zoe Allison, Spring 2017

“After the first Speech Buddy meeting, I had such a big realization moment, [...] I had never fully understood that ‘th’ was a new sound for me that I had to learn through special practice. [...] On this day, you can still see me working my tongue to say the ‘th’ correctly remembering the lessons from my Speech Buddy.” -Bilguun Badamvaanchig, 2012

“Speech buddies aren't just language tutors: they are mentors, cultural ambassadors, and more often than not, friends with the students they work with on a weekly basis. It's a great program and I thoroughly recommend it to native and non-native English speakers alike.” -Veronica Taglia

“We still talk and keep in touch, which is incredible considering that it has been 3 years now since we both were in the same classroom” -Javier Fernandez Aguera

“The impact of the coursework I completed has led me down a rewarding path. The world of global education, language teaching, and advocacy for others is a journey I thoroughly am enjoying!” -Nicholas J. Damiani

“If you ask me how my participation in this program has affected me, I can answer surely like this. ‘The biggest affection, also, the biggest present of my life’” -SoJin Lee, 2015

I participated in the speech buddy program in 2016 and it was such an amazing experience. My English was quite good, but my problem was that I was sort of inhibited by native English speakers and some times I was so nervous I couldn’t process what they were saying to me. My speech buddy, Emily Collyns, helped me a lot to overcome this fear [...] We also talked about the Argentinian and American cultures. Among other things, I remember she explained to me how fraternities and sororities work since I wasn’t familiar with them because they do not exist in my country. All in all, I strongly recommend this experience to every non-native English speaker who wants to improve their language skills and/or gain confidence when interacting with Americans. There are ALWAYS new things you can learn about the language —and in general— and speech buddies can be of great help. Big hugs from Argentina, Juan Pablo Gonzalez.