Language exchange

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A language exchange is a relationship between two or more people who have interactions around the exchange of language.^[1] People typically join into a language exchange to gain practice in a target language. Other reasons for joining might include cultural exchange or companionship.^[2] Partners of a language exchange are usually native speakers of each other’s target language. Meetings between language exchange partners can be held in person or via videoconferencing platforms. Potential challenges of language exchanges can involve differing motivations, cultural miscommunications or scheduling conflicts. Language exchanges are sometimes called Tandem language learning.^[3]

In modern contexts, a language exchange most often refers to the mutual teaching of partners' first languages. Language exchanges are generally considered helpful for developing language proficiency, especially in speaking fluency and listening comprehension. Language exchanges that take place through writing or text chats also improve reading comprehension and writing ability. The aim of language exchange is to develop and increase language knowledge and intercultural skills.^[4] This is usually done through social interaction with the native speaker.^[4] Given that language exchanges generally take place between native speakers of different languages, they may also improve participants' cross-cultural communication skills.