Below you have a video, a poster, and some testimonials from past participants.
Some testimonials below. For more references, see the news section.
“I’ve really loved being able to help Professor Guillén facilitate this experience for my students at the Salinas Adult School. It has helped my students overcome one of the biggest challenges to language learning: bringing authentic conversation into the classroom. My students have learned a lot of English but have also realized how much they already knew, which is very important as they move onward and upward in their education.” Jaimee Depompeo, Salinas Adult School Instructor
“Me gusta este programa porque podemos conocer diferentes personas y sus historias y me gusta el interés que ellos tienen en conocer nuestra cultura e idioma. Estoy muy emocionada de participar con los estudiantes de Monterey”. Team Tandem English learner
“I’ve enjoyed my experience in Salinas, speaking with some of the English learners there on Fridays. I think learning a language can be intimidating, but the focus on communication and relationship-building has made the process so enjoyable. Conversations with my tandem partners in had so many layers to navigate, since we all are coming from different cultures, with different language abilities, at different points in our lives. I learned much more than I anticipated to, not only in terms of Spanish language skills but from an intercultural communication standpoint as well. I’m so thankful to have been been a part of this class.” Team Tandem Spanish learner
“A mi en especial me ayudó mucho porque aprendí nuevas palabras cada vez y las diferentes culturas, el esfuerzo que realizan los estudiantes por hablar español, las diferentes tradiciones, por ejemplo, música, baile, comidas, los juegos de los niños, el crecimiento y desarrollo en las diferentes ciudades, la comunicación con los padres, el trabajo, etc.” Team Tandem English learner
“I like this program because we can get to know different people and their stories, and I like their interest in learning about our culture and language. I am very happy to participate with the students from Monterey. Having this experience every week has been an unexpected surprise for me. I have enjoyed not only the opportunity to learn and practice another language, but the intercultural experience. The exchange of kindness and support between the English and Spanish learners has fostered an encouraging environment for not only learning another language, but for becoming more involved with communities outside of the MIIS campus.” Team Tandem English learner
“Every Friday I have been able to learn about the day-to-day lives which seem a world away, only they are right next door! (And the best burritos I have ever had are down the street). With my compañeros in Salinas, we have shared with each other language, stories, dreams, struggles, but mostly… laughter.” Team Tandem Spanish learner
“This has especially helped me a lot because I have learned new words every time we meet and about the differences between our cultures. I like helping them learn Spanish and understand our different traditions, for example music, dancing, foods, children’s games, our growth and development in different cities, communication with parents, jobs, etc. This class has created a much needed window into the lives of our neighbors in Salinas. I am so grateful to have had this experience.” Team Tandem English learner
“Aprendo a tener más comunicación con las personas practicando el inglés y conociendo muchas historias de la vida de mis compañeros en curso de su vida desde niños hasta adultos. Me parecen muy interesantes las historias y valorar las historias mías ya que casi se me habían olvidado”. Team Tandem English learner
“We made great connections when we got to go deeper into our lives and hopes and wishes. I definitely feel more confident speaking and having conversations in Spanish as a result of this class.” Team Tandem Spanish learner
“Si pudiera cambiar algo, acerca del programa, me gustaría que fuera tres veces por semana, en vez de una”. Team Tandem English learner
“I think programs like this that connect two communities that wouldn’t otherwise interact in order to solve a mutual problem are so great. I hope I can be part of more programs like this in the future, or even start one. I have learned new vocabulary, new grammatical tenses and uses, new resources for continued learning. I have learned about tandem as a concept and as a tool to implement in future activities and locations. An unexpected learning was in the reflections, something that was new to me that I know have a good grasp on how to effectively reflect upon learning experiences.” Team Tandem Spanish learner
“I enjoyed learning about the daily lives of these women. They work SO hard, some of them in the fields. For them to come here at night is incredible. Working with the students from Salinas opened my eyes to a community I did not know much about. It also showed me that people from widely different backgrounds and present situations do have common interests and some values are cross cultural.” Team Tandem Spanish learner
“Estoy satisfecha porque mis compañeras me ayudaron a corregir mi inglés y me tuvieron mucha paciencia, GRACIAS, espero que siga habiendo más reuniones”. Team Tandem English learner
“Para mí fue una excelente experiencia, porque cuando iniciamos creí que sería muy complicado y no, fue todo lo contrario”. Team Tandem English learner
“Aprendí que la gente del ejercito es gente respetable, seria, inteligente, y él me ayudó mucho en mi inglés”. Team Tandem English learner
“Aprendí a no tener miedo ni vergüenza en el momento de hablar porque ninguno de ellos mostró eso en clase”. Team Tandem English learner
“I’ve learned to be patient and have fun with the language. I’ve learned to receive feedback with a smile and to keep pushing forward.” Team Tandem Spanish learner
“Mi compañero es una excelente persona. Él me ayudó mucho en mi English.”
Team Tandem English learner
“The focus on speaking and participation throughout the course forced me to get out of my comfort zone and stop worrying about every little detail to just speak. The tandem sessions were especially helpful because my partners were generally more comfortable speaking Spanish and I was able to understand most of what they were saying. The weekly reflections were helpful to improve my writing, particularly connecting complex thoughts over a longer space.” Team Tandem English learner