“The conversation tables allow us to discover that there are not many differences between us”
“This is the first time we’ve physically been able to come together again, and that’s such a joy,” says Lynn. She works at the Dutch Language House and is organising this training session for volunteers together with Nele, who is the contact person for Brussels organisations that want to organise Dutch conversation tables. “These conversation tables can almost be taken literally. Various participants, with all possible levels of Dutch, sit around a table or a picnic mat, for example, and start speaking Dutch. Speak in order to learn. The conversation is moderated by a Dutch-speaking volunteer. It is extremely important for the moderator to possess the required skills, because the quality of the conversation stands or falls with the moderator.”
That’s why the Dutch Language House regularly organises training sessions for its volunteers. During these sessions, they receive tips on how to create a safe conversation atmosphere, learn new conversation techniques and are given an explanation about the latest conversation materials that they can use during the conversation tables.
Lynn and Nele ask the four participants to stand in two groups and get to know each other through the photos they have chosen. Michaëla joins Wouter. Her photo shows a lady who is calling out. “Why did you choose that photo?” asks Wouter. “Because I never thought I would enjoy learning languages so much. I have never worked so hard on language as I do today. You come into contact with so many different people and cultures, I love it”, answers Michaëla. And Wouter? He chose a photo of a large tree, full of leaves. “Because I love autumn, and also because a big tree is dying in my garden.It’s in the autumn of its life”, he jokes. “But those are banknotes on the tree, not leaves ” , Michaëla remarks. “So the tree is definitely not dying” , she laughs.
The music in the background stops, time to change groups. This exercise is new; volunteers learn how to approach this exercise simply by doing it together with their students. Nele and Lynn from the Dutch Language House join them. Wouter goes and stands next to Derk. “Or we’ll sit on the floor, that’s cosier, isn’t it?” asks Derk. “I’ve chosen a photo that shows books. Because I’m a writer, but mainly because I am addicted to collecting books. I gave a lot away when I last moved, but I still have way too many.” A little bit materialistic? “Only when it comes to books!”
After fifteen minutes, the first assignment is finished and the participants go to four ‘roses’. These are colour palettes where each colour represents something different: the dos, the don’ts and the most pressing questions about a certain topic of the conversation tables First, the participants use post-its to stick their dos, don’ts and questions on the roses. Then they sit together around the table and discuss the rose. The aim is to discover what does and does not work during the conversation tables, and any issues the volunteers may have encountered.
They start with the ‘enthusiasm’ rose. Wouter immediately asks his question: how do I get more people to attend my conversation tables? “I have many regular participants, but it is difficult to keep convincing those who only come occasionally”, he says. “If you really want people to commit to your conversation table, you need to be well organised. One a month is not enough; people want to come more often. You need a group dynamic and you create this by coming together on a frequent basis”, Nele advises him. The don’ts section features a post-it saying: ‘don’t interrupt’. As an experienced participant, Michaëla does not agree with this: “I like it when the conversation is dynamic, rather than when everyone is allowed to take turns speaking.” Derk agrees: “I mainly try to let my participants ask each other questions themselves. That makes for interesting discussions. I don’t do an introductory round, for example; instead, I let each participant immediately ask another participant a question.”
The participants learn from each other and they all clearly have their own individual approach.
On to the ‘dare to speak’ rose. One of the don’ts is ‘don’t worry about people with poor pronunciation’. “Ah, that’s the most difficult part”, says Lynn. “Is that right?” , asks Dirk. “Yes. It’s much easier to eradicate grammatical errors than mispronunciations”, replies Lynn. “But we have to keep trying to rectify wrong pronunciations, right?” , says Derk. Lynn offers him the following advice: “If wrong pronunciation means you misunderstand someone or don’t understand them correctly, then you should definitely point it out.” Derk suddenly wonders whether you can actually talk about politics at the conversation tables. “Sure you can”, says Lynn, “if you feel the group is open to it, then why not?You only have to adjust if you get the feeling that certain participants suddenly stop taking part in the conversation; then it’s better to change the topic.”
Other topics and questions then follow. There are two more roses. The planned half hour flies by, while the participants still have a number of new discussion materials to look at. Board games, word clouds, etc. — various new ways of getting people to talk and learn Dutch in an original manner. And that is necessary, as Felix says: “I was born and raised in Brussels. I know how important it is to be able to communicate in a foreign language. Being able to understand each other helps so much. You don’t need to have mastered a language completely to do this. Knowing how to teach someone basic Dutch vocabulary, so that we can better understand each other, is already a major step forward. Every little bit helps.”
Nele from the Dutch Language House agrees completely: “The conversation tables are not only about Dutch; they are also about the meetings that take place. People come together and learn to understand each other despite their different origins and cultures. This means they realize that there are not many differences between us, as long as we understand each other. That is the power of the conversation tables. And the moderators play an important, positive role.” Colleague Lynn confirms this. “The nice thing about the conversation tables is that you learn Dutch in a friendly atmosphere.
Not everyone likes following a language course behind a desk, and this means they tend to drop out quickly. The conversation tables are a great alternative. We can say to Brussels residents: you don’t have to go to class to learn Dutch, you can go to a conversation table. Wherever and whenever you wish. How great is that?” , she concludes.
And it is truly great! The conversation tables make the difference, thanks to the commitment and passion of these volunteers.
