For those who want to hang out

For those who want to help

In Moscow, recently there has been a social project to help travelers with city orientation. It is called Wowlocal. Those wishing to take part in it can take a simple test on the website for knowledge of the city and, if the outcome is positive, receive an Ask me I’m local badge at the Fabrika gallery-hostel. Actually, that's all - there are no duties in the project, and, having received the badge, you can simply walk around the city whenever you want, helping foreigners who have applied. In addition, the project team holds conversation club meetings in English and city navigation games.

Another way to help tourists coming to Russia is to provide them with a place to stay. There is a Couchsurfing portal for this - after registration, you need to check the box where it asks if the user provides an entry, indicate the location, timing and write a couple of phrases about yourself. After this, you can choose your roommates yourself - all travelers carefully fill out questionnaires, hang up photos and talk about themselves. This is probably the easiest way to communicate in a foreign language with a nice person right at home. In addition, on the portal you can find one of the most complete posters of language meetings in Moscow.

For those who just want to talk

In English

Moscow English Conversation Club is one of the oldest conversation clubs in Moscow. And he really is very English. Visitors (and there are quite a few of them) are usually divided into groups of 5-7 people and disperse to the corners to chat about secular topics. The new arrivals move from group to group, listen anxiously and look for somewhere to join. Some people just stand and watch the discussion, comprehending the delights of English phonetics, while others actively participate in the conversation. As a result, the time allotted for communication - and this is a whole 4 hours - flies by.

Separately, at MECC there are meetings of the English psychological club - for those who are interested in talking in English about character accentuations and psychological trauma, this is the place.

You can find out the schedule of meetings on [the club website.

German

For those who want conversations and lectures in German, we can recommend the Russian-German House in Moscow - this is a pompous building in Khamovniki, where all kinds of cultural events regularly take place - concerts, opening days, discussions and meetings to maintain the patriotic spirit in Russian Germans. In addition to all of the above, the Einfach Deutsch discussion club is regularly held there - and this is where you can communicate in German with native speakers and amateurs. Each meeting has its own topics.

In Spanish

There are even fewer Spanish language clubs in Moscow than places where you can speak German and French. But nevertheless they exist. One of these places is a club

The library of the ZIL cultural center hosts fascinating meetings of people learning English and wanting to practice live communication. Reading lovers gather here every week, because the conversation clubs here are not ordinary, but literary, dedicated to discussing this or that work. You can find out more about the work of the English Literature Club. Meetings are held on Wednesdays (start at 19:00), the duration of the lesson is 2 hours. Free admission.

 st. B. Cherkizovskaya, 4/1

"Dial" on Kuznetsky Most 12+
Everything is free except minutes

A conversation club meets in the anti-cafe; classes are held every Saturday. Here you only need to pay for time (3 rubles per minute in the first and second hours, 2 rubles per minute in subsequent hours, after the 4th hour time becomes free), you can bring a snack with you. By the way, the course is taught by native speakers. Starts at 16:00. Afterwards you can stay and chat until the morning.

Anticafe Wooden Door

A unique anti-cafe with communication in foreign languages. Meetings of the English Speaking Club (“English Speaking Club”) are held regularly, but you can communicate in English at any time - all administrators speak the language high level, and one of them is a foreigner who doesn’t understand a word of Russian. The classes are free, but you need to pay for the standard time spent in the anti-cafe (2 rubles per minute in the first hour, subsequent ones - 1 ruble per minute).

The AMC, which is essentially an American-style library, hosts conversation clubs on various topics. For example, you can talk to employees of the American Embassy in Moscow. Students with different levels of training can participate in conversation club meetings. Often native speakers are invited to such meetings, which makes learning even more interesting.

 Novinsky Blvd., 21

Members of the One Step Forward club regularly meet in different cafes, starting at 19:00. New faces are always welcome here; the required language level is at least Intermediate. There will be conversation practice, grammar (where would we be without it), as well as games, positive emotions and many new acquaintances. The meetings are free, but it is better to buy a cup of coffee at the coffee shop where the meeting is being held.

 st. Kozhevnicheskaya, 10, building 1

You need to be clearly aware of the difference between an English language school and an English speaking club, such as English Fast and Furious. The school teaches English comprehensively, teaching grammar, phonetics, vocabulary and other components of the English language, depending on the characteristics of a particular school.

All learning practices are used: reading, listening, writing, speaking. The main emphasis is usually placed on grammar, because this is the basis without which a non-English speaking person cannot not only formulate his thoughts clearly and competently, but also fully understand what is being said to him or what he is reading in English.

On the other hand, when a student spends all day doing nothing but solving grammar exercises with standard cliché phrases, a feeling of dissatisfaction grows in him, not to mention the fact that it is simply boring. We learn a language in order to speak, write, understand foreigners, perceive foreign culture and not feel like strangers in places where we don’t want to feel like strangers. The student gets bored and loses understanding of why he is doing these exercises.

Many people give up learning a language without getting to the most interesting part – live communication. The English speaking club helps solve this problem. There is no study there as such; people come there to communicate in English with native speakers and their compatriots who speak English at the same level as them.

However, communication in itself does not exclude comments and corrections from the participant in the conversation leading the meeting. In our club, we allow such comments because without them, progress in speaking skills will not be as significant as it could be.

A typical language club is a small, cozy room - not some kind of lecture hall. A fairly informal atmosphere has been created there so that those who come feel as little constraint and embarrassment as possible - everything should help break down the language barrier. There are some posters on the walls with useful information about Great Britain or English. You are greeted by a friendly and sociable presenter - others simply cannot resist such a job.

Watch the video from the club meeting, and you will also find out what place it occupies in the set of English learning tools:

There are places where English language learners come specifically to get oral practice and overcome the language barrier. They are called speaking clubs (you can find: speaking clubs, conversation clubs, - ed.). But the entire beneficial effect in terms of learning new words and making the use of certain grammatical structures automatic can be negated by the haphazard approach of meeting organizers to some aspects of their preparation. This also applies to the choice of topic for discussion. We will talk about how to choose a topic for the next conversation club meeting and how this affects the effectiveness of communication from the point of view of learning English. Selecting a Discussion Topic – What to Consider? First of all, in a good club they will warn you about what will need to be discussed before the meeting: they will send you the topic by e-mail or post information about it on the website. By the way, free conversation clubs are often guilty of the lack of this information: “people will still come along if...

The format of speaking clubs as a means of developing speaking skills is becoming popular among teachers in regular secondary schools. Educational standards the relationship between the four aspects of language competence: writing, speaking, listening and reading in school teaching is regulated only in the most general outline. In many ways, the teacher makes decisions here based on his experience. There are many techniques that allow you to develop one of the listed skills. The conversation club is intended for conversation practice and the development of listening comprehension. What is this “conversation club”? Without going into details, we can say that this is an informal meeting of several people who want to speak English and overcome the language barrier. Most often, such meetings take place with the participation of a moderator - a native speaker or simply a participant who speaks good English, who does not allow the conversation to stall and helps the interlocutors if they have any difficulties due to their low level of English proficiency. There are professional conversation clubs that accept those who want to communicate in the language they are learning for a fee, but...

“The discussion club is simply one of the formats of the English speaking club. Discussion format. There is a pre-announced topic, there is a topic and there is a presenter,” Ekaterina Nikanorova, head of the English language communication club “Cherrypie Club,” answered a question about the difference between a discussion and a conversation club to an English Fast and Furious correspondent. “There are other types of speaking clubs: for example, a gaming club. People play and speak English. There is a cinema club. Let's say I host TED Talk Discussions (this is a useful website for English learners TED.com - editor's note). We watch small video conferences in English and then discuss. This is also a conversation club, just a different format,” explains Ekaterina. “Who is the leader in the discussion club is at the discretion of the organizers. A native speaker can play this role. I also sometimes act as a presenter, although I am not a “teacher”, not a foreigner or a native speaker.” “Yes, we have a discussion club and...

For oral English practice. For fun. Many, for both. Understanding your own and other people's goals is very important, since it determines whether you get what you expect. Communication clubs in a foreign language have a dual nature: on the one hand, they have always been a place for new acquaintances in an informal setting, on the other hand, they are a way to consolidate theoretical knowledge in English grammar and other aspects of language learning in practice. If your goal is to consolidate the material you have covered or, perhaps, to maintain English at the achieved level, then you should choose a place where this side of the conversation club is more important than the entertainment component. Only you can determine what is right for you. Look at how the discussion moderator behaves, is he trying to teach something or is he just chatting with the guests? Is he finally a native speaker? Try to practice using new words and complex statements. The need to say a living phrase yourself using...

In small Russian cities Usually there is nothing to choose from. There are only a few speaking clubs for major foreign languages. Moscow and St. Petersburg are another matter, hundreds of institutions with different characteristics: conversation clubs, discussion clubs; “movie clubs”, where films are discussed; book clubs with a focus on English. The problem of choice in all this diversity arises in full force. Everything gets even more confusing due to the fact that many clubs undergo a certain evolution during their history and their official name no longer tells a potential visitor much about what awaits him. What should you consider when choosing a conversation club in a big city? 1) What goals are you pursuing: what the chosen location and format should give you. 2) Cost of the lesson and impression of the first visit. 3) Behavior and professionalism of the presenter or teacher. 4) The format of the foreign language communication club, as formulated by the organizers. Your goals and cost of attendance Some people use clubs to have fun...

Let's start with a banal and fairly well-known format - conversation clubs, and then move on to more original options.

Since more and more more people understand the need for practice or simply want to meet like-minded people, or native speakers (native speakers), quite a lot of language exchange clubs, communication and practice clubs have appeared. Surely there are similar ones in your city; we will look at just a few examples of such clubs in Moscow.

pros

Inexpensive or even free.
You can meet native speakers, play games, and have a good time.

Minuses

To feel comfortable, you need to speak the language at least at level A2.
If the level is lower, it is better to visit a club where there is a presenter or teacher, but such meetings are usually paid.

The Hard Rock Cafe hosts Language Exchange Meetings every weekend. Native speakers come to meetings, or rather, different languages. You can follow announcements of events in these groups on social networks:
https://vk.com/moscowlanguageexchange- VK group
https://www.facebook.com/MoscowLEM/ - on Facebook

There is also a more “organized” format of meetings, for example, as in this club:
https://merge.timepad.ru/events/
They even prepare some supporting materials for you so that you can learn new vocabulary in advance and communicate more effectively during the meeting. These meetings are already paid, 500 rubles. per lesson.

Nowadays the anti-cafe format is also gaining popularity. And they very often host language master classes, lectures and, of course, communication clubs. For example, meetings are regularly held in Tsiferblat English And German conversation clubs. http://pokrovka.ziferblat.net/calendar/

Of course, there are such clubs for other languages:
http://www.espalabra.ru/- for practice Spanish
here, in addition to communication, there is also a decent cultural program. For example, joint excursions along the metro, a cinema club, trips and travel along Jacob's trail in Spain, a culinary club.
There are two speaking clubs (divided by language proficiency level). Prices range from 500-800 rubles, there is a subscription.

For those who are determined - Couchsurfing

pros

If you're lucky, you'll talk enough and part as friends.

Minuses

There are no guarantees that the guest will not be away for the whole day to perform a cultural program)

The bravest and most determined can receive foreign guests at home; to do this, you need to register on the website https://www.couchsurfing.com

This method works not only for Moscow, but also for other cities (at least large and tourist ones).

Of course, there is no absolute guarantee that a sociable person will come to visit you, but often the host and guest manage to chat a lot and people part as friends - which means it will be possible to continue communicating online).

For the spontaneous - Spontaneous meetings in tourist places

pros

Free, spontaneous, and at the same time finally see your city =)

Minuses

There is no guarantee that the tourist you need will be in the right place at the right time.

Go to Red Square and help tourists find their way, why not? Nowadays, most people travel without a guide and will be happy to chat with locals and learn something about the city. In Moscow, you can safely go to Red Square. It is worth considering that not all tourists are equally ready to communicate. It is usually easiest to establish contact with Latin-speaking guests - Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese.

If you doubt that you are ready to communicate or are shy, start small. Try to come to a meeting with a teacher or say at least a couple of phrases to a random tourist, just be sure to try. Take a friend with you if it’s difficult to decide to go to a meeting alone.

If, due to reasons or a very low level of language proficiency, it is still difficult for you to go to such a meeting, try to start communicating online. We will tell you how and where to find a pen pal in the following articles.

We are often asked: what do English Speaking Club meetings look like? We'll tell you:) We meet and speak English for 3 hours every day. We are fun, cozy and cultural - everything you need to practice English. Want to join? It's easy - we work every day, and the first meeting is free. Just sign up - through the schedule or the registration form below.

The most common question that potential guests ask us over the phone sounds something like this: “What is your English Conversation Club anyway?” Here, for example, is one of our meetings at Coffeshop Company. We sit, chat, drink coffee, discuss pressing problems in English. Like? Join our meetings!

Are you visiting us for the first time and don’t know how to find a table for the English Language Club in a cafe? It’s very simple: look for a table where they speak English! Here, for example, is one of our meetings at Coffeshop Company. We are always interesting, fun and we speak only English. Like? Come!!!

Do you think that starting to speak English is very scary? 90% of the guests of our English Speaking Club think so, but... 15 minutes after the start of the meeting, they forget about the language barrier forever!!! After all, we always have the friendliest atmosphere and the best moderators who will help and advise!!!

Friends, there is always a moderator and administrator at Club meetings. The moderator organizes the discussion, and the administrator registers guests, orders drinks and resolves all other technical issues. Everything so that you can talk for 3 hours without being distracted!

Each meeting of the English Speaking Club lasts 3 hours, and all this time we talk on a specific topic. Meeting topics are published in advance on home page website so that you can prepare if you wish. For example, at this meeting the topic of Hypothetical Situations was discussed.

At each English Conversation Club meeting, we talk for 2 hours on a specific topic. Our questions are interesting, everyone has different opinions - it’s never boring!!!

Don't you know what the English Conversation Club is yet? We'll tell you:) At every Club meeting we communicate in English for 3 hours. Want to practice your English? Join us!

Those who are going to our English Language Club for the first time always ask who comes to us and whether it is easy to fit into our company. Friends, all our guests are not only smart and interesting, but also very friendly people!!! Look at the photo, you will understand everything yourself :)

Most of our guests come to the English Conversation Club to overcome the language barrier. And when it is overcome, they stay with us to practice English and... just communicate :)

Friends, at a meeting of the English Language Club, in addition to the host, there is always a person ready to take care of you, our administrator. The administrator meets you at the beginning of the meeting, registers guests, and resolves all issues. For example, Anastasia is the administrator of our meetings on Wednesdays.

If you think a cafe is too noisy for an English Conversation Club, don't worry. You'll always hear other participants, and a drink is already included in the price of admission - no need to worry about that.

Friends, have you never been to the English Speaking Club before? This is what it looks like: everyone sits, discusses questions on the topic, the presenter corrects the participants if necessary. We are always very fun, cozy and cultural - in general, the atmosphere that is needed to practice English!

At every meeting of the English Conversation Club there is always a moderator who involves everyone in the conversation, corrects minor mistakes and stops those who talk too much (it’s very easy to get carried away!). Want to practice your English? Join us!

Those who want to come to us for the first time often ask who comes to us. We answer: our guests are very different people in age, profession, etc. But they are all very positive personalities, because people are boring foreign languages they don't teach!

Speaking English for 3 hours can be difficult, but it only seems so. Because at every meeting there is a topic for discussion and a moderator who not only helps and corrects, but also creates an atmosphere in which 3 hours fly by unnoticed!!!