Speaking Practice
The Language Speaking practice scheme allows students and staff within Queen Mary to book 30-minute speaking sessions with native or proficient speakers. The scheme is back for the new academic year 2026-27! Sessions are bookable again. We are adding new languages and new slots as volunteers come forward, join the scheme and offer sessions!
You can practise your speaking skills in the language you're learning, in an informal way. Sessions are offered by volunteers – QMUL students and staff, who enjoy helping others learn. It’s a great way to practise the language, and get to know Queen Mary students from different schools and different backgrounds. If you're interested in offering speaking practice sessions as a volunteer, please complete this form.
Any member of the Queen Mary community, from any school, can book sessions – students as well as staff. You don’t need to be taking a QMUL language module to be able to participate. Maybe you are learning the language by yourself, or you just want to brush up your speaking skills. The sessions are for any level, except complete beginners. The session hosts (volunteers) will encourage you to speak, ask questions, suggest topics, and will listen, but they won’t formally ‘teach’ the language. If you want to learn a language as a taught course in a classroom setting, please enrol for one of our language modules.
The languages offered include Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Catalan, English, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Mandarin Chinese (also for beginners), Nepali, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu and Yoruba. Not all languages are available at all times - the languages available depend on the volunteers that offer them. We’re adding new languages and new slots as they become available – so come back regularly to check this site for updates! Are you a native or proficient speaker in any other language? Why not sign up as a volunteer?
You can book a session by clicking on the link below. On the booking page you can choose the language you're interested in (more languages may be added as more volunteers join), and when you scroll down you will see the days and times of available slots, for the following three weeks. Can't find a slot that doesn't clash with your modules? Email languagepractice@qmul.ac.uk to check if there is flexibility and slots could be offered at a different time.
The scheme normally runs from the beginning of October up till Christmas in the first semester, and from mid-January until June for the second semester.
Use your QMUL email address to make the booking. You can book sessions until 24 hours before the session is due to take place, to give the volunteers sufficient notice. Once you have booked, you will receive an email confirmation for your booking, with a link to join the meeting on MS Teams. The session will appear in your Outlook calendar, and you will also receive a reminder email on the day before your session is due to take place.
You can book sessions up to three weeks ahead. Bookable slots further ahead will become available on a rolling basis. To book further sessions please come back to this booking page.
If you need to cancel a booking, please do so as early as possible so that another learner can book that session. You can cancel a booking up to one day ahead of the session. Check the confirmation email you received as you booked - there's a link to reschedule or cancel your booking.
We are usually looking for new volunteers. Any Queen Mary student or staff member can volunteer. As a volunteer, you will receive training, become part of a Speaking Practice volunteering community, and receive a certificate for the volunteering work you have put in. Your contribution will be recorded as a 'QM Extra' on your Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR). If you are interested in volunteering please complete this short form.