TalkEngO

TalkEngO - Training Retirees as Conversation Partners for English Learners

Empowering Retirees as Conversation Partners for English Learners

Overview

This initiative aimed to retrain retirees as effective conversation partners for English language learners. By tapping into their diverse professional backgrounds and life experiences, these individuals provided learners with authentic, engaging, and regionally diverse English practice.

The learners in this program were semi-retired or newly retired professionals, as well as students, from various fields—white-collar, blue-collar, and education sectors. Enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge, hobbies, and interests, they represented different regions of the UK, offering exposure to a variety of accents and dialects. They were also seeking flexible, work-from-home opportunities to remain active, engaged, and earn some extra income.

This programme not only helped English learners develop real-world communication skills but also provided retirees with a meaningful way to stay connected, share their expertise, and contribute to global language learning.

The eLearning module was developed retrospectively, with videos I produced as part of the original training programme. Additional components were created to complement the videos and reinforce the content.

Experience it

Details

Skills:

Instructional Design (ADDIE): Developed structured eLearning modules with clear objectives, interactive content, and assessments.
Curriculum Development: Designed a comprehensive training program for conversation partners, covering methodology, learner interaction, and assessment.
Content Creation: Wrote scripts and produced training videos to ensure consistency and clarity in instructional delivery.
Language Acquisition & Assessment: Applied CEFR standards, paraphrasing techniques, and error correction strategies to improve learner outcomes.
Cognitive Learning Strategies: Integrated reflection tasks and automated activities to reinforce key concepts and support long-term retention.

Software:

Articulate Rise 360
Canva
Microsoft

Storyboard

Reflection

A key improvement would be breaking the longer 15–20 minute videos into shorter, 3–5 minute sections to enhance engagement and retention while reducing cognitive overload. However, since the content is non-negotiable, this would likely result in a larger number of videos. Additionally, periodic bite-sized learning modules could reinforce key concepts after conversation partners begin work. More interactive elements, such as Rise’s scenario blocks or a Storyline block, could also help automate conversation development and correction, making learning more dynamic and practical.

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