Engaging with Students

Creative Ways to Connect with Junior Students 🎉

Having teenagers in the house is not always easy. Hosting teenagers from abroad can feel more than a little daunting. But the most important thing to remember is that we just want our homestay families to be their normal, welcoming selves.

You do not need to teach English grammar or sound like a reality TV presenter to be the perfect host. The real beauty of a homestay immersion programme is that students get to interact with authentic spoken family English, hearing everyday words they will never find in a traditional coursebook. Trust me, coursebook writers do not use vocabulary like thingamajig or whatchamacallit.

Make Your Own House Tour Interactive 🏡

A great way to ease first night nerves is to turn your initial house tour into a side by side interaction rather than an interview.

These students have often travelled a long way and are completely exhausted. Instead of just telling them how things work, you can use a bit of humour and turn it into a light hearted guessing game. Ask them to work out how your shower operates or guess which chair the cat thinks belongs to them! This gives nervous students something immediate to focus on, providing essential practical information while completely removing the pressure of small talk.

Let Them Be the Expert 🎓

Another excellent icebreaker is to invite students to look up their own hometowns on Google Maps or teach you a few words in their native language.

Teenagers love the opportunity to be the cultural experts, and letting them see you struggle to pronounce a word in their language is a brilliant confidence booster that helps them relax.

Use Simple Games to Keep Conversation Flowing 🎲

You can keep the conversation flowing naturally with low pressure games, which are especially useful during car journeys or around the dinner table. Simple activities like category games, asking Would You Rather...? questions, or playing Twenty Questions can fill any awkward silences.

Chain games such as I went to the market and I bought... are also a great way of involving all your guests, rather than perhaps letting the linguistically stronger student steal all the airtime.

Remember That Downtime Is Important 🧘

Successful hosting is not about providing perfect English practice or maintaining non stop conversation. It is entirely normal if students need some quiet downtime to scroll through social media or if they choose to retreat to their bedrooms.

You can simply invite them to join you without forcing anything, or even just watch television together with the subtitles turned on.

The best language practice happens during ordinary moments.

Connect Through Everyday Tasks 👩‍🍳

Inviting students to help with tiny jobs in the kitchen is a wonderfully natural way to spark conversation. Simple requests like asking them to stir a sauce or chop tomatoes can easily transition into a chat about the foods they enjoy back home.

Preparing food together works particularly well because side by side activities remove the pressure of intense eye contact, allowing nervous teenagers to feel relaxed and comfortable while they chat.

"The best language practice happens during ordinary moments."

The Little Things Matter Most 🌱

Ultimately, patience and interaction matter far more than linguistic correctness.

Embracing this journey with an open mind allows you to witness these young people truly blossom, gaining confidence and sharing laughs with you as the days go by. You will quickly find that these global citizens of tomorrow bring a wonderful, vibrant energy to your home.

Thank you so much for opening your hearts and your homes to our students. You are providing a truly unforgettable experience, and the cultural exchange you share will stay with these young people for a lifetime.

Please remember that our team at Languages United is here to support you every step of the way, so never hesitate to reach out if you need a bit of guidance or simply some reassurance.

And do not forget: UNO is a universal language! 😄

Watch Our Webinar To Learn More 🎥

Homestay Webinar.mp4

Presentation By Jayne Bowra

Presented By Jane Bowra & Sanela Mujakovic

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