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Who Are We?
The LanguageLine Program, founded in 2018, is an international student-run program that virtually connects senior citizens (60+) who speak German, Russian, and French to students learning or who speak those languages. As of late 2023, the program is on pause while we make technical improvements. Stay tuned for updates!
How It Works : Senior Citizens
Step 1: Sign Up!
Sign up to be a senior-citizen virtual conversation tutor by filling out the form linked below:
Step 2: Look For Our Email!
Soon after registering to be a tutor, you'll receive an email from us -- we will work with you one-on-one to set up tutoring appointments at your preferred time.
Step 3: Watch Students Sign Up!
You will receive automatic emails when students sign up for your tutoring sessions. At any time, the LanguageLine team is always reachable by email and happy to provide assistance!
Step 4: Have Fun and Do It All Again!
Enjoy your meeting with your student(s)! You will be helping to cultivate the language skills of young people across the world. We will stay in contact with you and encourage you to arrange further meetings with us!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Can I Prepare For Meetings?
LanguageLine students should do 2 things to make sure they're prepared:
1) Make sure you've got the correct time in the correct time zone (All of the times given to students and senior citizens are in EST)
2) Download the German or Russian question sheet linked in the Resources section below to use as questions for your meeting, Question sheets are used to facilitate and improve conversation, as well as provide quick translations.
Is There a Long-Term Commitment?
No! Both senior citizens and students have no requirement to continue meetings after their first one, but are always welcomed back.
How Many Students Are There Usually Per Senior In A Meeting?
There are typically 1-3 students per senior in a meeting, as we cap the number of students at 3.
Does It Cost Money To Participate?
LanguageLine meetings cost no money for either party!
Are There Any Requirements To Participate?
The only requirements are a stable microphone and internet connection.
Who Can I Contact If I Have Questions/Inquiries/Concerns?
You can contact us at languagelineprogram@gmail.com or use the Contact Us form at the bottom of the page.
Conversation Resources
German/English Conversational Questions
Russian/English Conversational Questions
Russian/English Conversational Questions
(Click the picture to access)
Russian/English Conversational Questions
Russian/English Conversational Questions
Russian/English Conversational Questions
(Click the picture to access)
French/English Conversational Questions
Russian/English Conversational Questions
French/English Conversational Questions
(Click the picture to access)
Our Story
LanguageLine is committed to providing a completely unique, unmatched, and, of course, free experience of communicating and learning to students and senior citizens during and long after the COVID-19 crisis.
The LanguageLine program originally started as small meetings taking place in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2017 where local German senior citizens would meet with high school students in offices or coffee shops to discuss various topics.
When the COVID-19 crisis hit, however, not only were in-person LanguageLine meetings not possible, but senior citizens and students were affected deeply around the world- socialization and education, with it. Andrew began reaching out to hundreds of teachers, students, and organizations across the world to connect German or Russian speaking senior citizens with students learning that language in school.
Find out how far LanguageLine has come below. We hope to continue providing incredible experiences for students and seniors for countless years to come!
'a language line meeting in 2018'
Accomplishments
University-Level Usage
University-Level Usage
University-Level Usage
LanguageLine has been previously used as required curriculum at Yale and Vanderbilt, and has been recommended by professors to students at over 23 universities across the US, including Harvard, MIT, UChicago, Columbia, Michigan, and Emory.
Invisalign Changemaker
University-Level Usage
University-Level Usage
LanguageLine was awarded $5,000 in grant money through the Invisalign Changemaker's Challenge, awarded to only 100 projects out of over 800 in the US! Click on the circle above for more details.
International Impact
University-Level Usage
International Impact
Overall, LanguageLine has impacted senior citizens and language students from over 7 countries around the world. LanguageLine has found support from German-American clubs across the US, including CaliforniaGermans, the largest German-based organization in California, as well as BAGSO and ServasGermany, two of the largest senior citizen organizations in Germany.
About Us
Andrew Co-President
Evan Co-President
Evan Co-President
Andrew has a burning passion for social entrepreneurship and learning languages. He spent Summer 2022 in Almaty, Kazakhstan learning Russian with the US State Department and is currently helping Hoover Institution Professor Naimark write a book on Stalin's genocides in the Soviet Union.
Evan Co-President
Evan Co-President
Evan Co-President
Evan is a current Stanford undergraduate interested in modern languages and international politics. He enjoys translation and works with the European Southern Observatory to make science education texts available in French. Evan is also an amateur astrophotographer and loves the night sky.
Raj Technical Lead
Evan Co-President
Raj Technical Lead
Raj has a deep interest for entrepreneurship, computer science, and mathematics. Raj has helped found multiple ventures, including educational programs for seniors and students, and has served as a technical/SWE intern for Northrop Grumman and EMD Electronics.