Frequently Asked Questions

• First, you will receive an invitation to an initial information session where you will find out what is expected of a café coach. After the information session you can register as a coach.
• Next, you will be invited to a training session where you will receive more practical information and useful tips on how to lead and shape your Language Café. You will then join a pool of café coaches.
• Based on the number of registrations, it will be decided which Language Cafés can open, no later than one week before the start. If there are enough registrations, you will be contacted and we will get started. You will also be given access to the database of training materials.
  

Registrations for Online Language Cafés close two weeks before the first session, at which time Linguapolis will start forming the groups. You will be notified no later than one week in advance whether you can tutor an Online Language Café.

• You attend both the information moment and the training session.
• You inform yourself based on the tips and teaching materials in the database.
• You prepare ten 1-hour café sessions. Your preparation is thorough: it contains time management and elaborate activities, focusing on interaction and speaking skills.
• You supervise ten café sessions.
• You receive training and guidance through this process. During the semester, you are supported and monitored by Linguapolis.
  

No, as a café coach you don't have to teach grammar or vocabulary. That is the job of the language teachers at Linguapolis. In the Online Language Café, participants come into contact with different facets of culture and society and the emphasis is on speaking. You prepare speaking exercises, maximising speaking opportunities for all participants. You can answer (simple) questions about a new word, pronunciation, spoken language, culture, etc. You refer participants with language questions to our language courses.

The Online Language Café uses Zoom as its video platform. You will get an account from Linguapolis. We expect you to be able to work with this platform. If you've never worked as a host in Zoom before, test it beforehand so you can smoothly create Breakout Rooms, share files, use the chat and share your screen.

• Yes, as a café coach, you get to decide which topics you talk about, as long as they are suitable for keeping a lively conversation going. Preferably, the themes are close to your own interests and have a link to your country's language, culture or society. You will find numerous examples of possible conversation topics in the materials database.
• If you have decided on the topic for the next session, you can mention it. Participants who want to prepare for the session can do so.
  

• Yes, you provide your own teaching materials for your café. This does not have to be extensive. Think of a song on YouTube, a short news item about a public holiday, a quiz about popular sports in your country or the link to a local museum's website.
• You will find a lot of material for inspiration in the training database . If you would like to share your material with future tutors, you are welcome to send it to the project manager.
  

• After the training session, you will have access to a database full of inspiration material and tips on how to prepare your sessions properly. On this webpage, you will find examples of prepared sessions, a great number of speaking activities and tips & tricks on how to make the sessions run as smoothly as possible.
• After the first session, you will be followed up through a short online questionnaire. Moreover, the project manager is alwaysavailable throughout the semester to help you when necessary.
  

You will find examples in the materials database. You will also receive a simple template in which you can make your own planning. You send this to the project manager for feedback.

No, the Online Language Café has no homework and no exam. All sessions have separate topics, so participants who have been absent can easily join the next session.

• If you are ill and cannot coach your Online Language Café, please notify the Online Language Café Project Manager as soon as possible and in any case so that a message can be sent to participants. 
• Is it later than 12pm? Please you notify the participants yourself, after notifying the Project Manager.
• Plan an extra session at the end of the season. At the end of the semester, two extra weeks are scheduled for extra sessions.
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Do you run into any difficulties while coaching your Language Café? If so, contact the project manager to discuss the best way to handle things.

• Volunteer
• Student (with valid student ID) as part of a training course
  

• Those participating as a volunteer sign an information note from the University of Antwerp and are thus insured for civil liability, with the exception of contractual liability.
• Those participating as a student as part of a programme should be insured by their own educational institute.
  • Students affiliated with the University of Antwerp are insured for accidents and civil liability.
  • Students from other educational institutions must be provided with "extra muros" insurance coverage by their own institution and must submit an insurance certificate.
• Equipment used by café coaches (laptop, camera, microphone, etc.) is not insured.
  

• During the information session, you will get more information about the compensation you will receive as a volunteer, upon completion of the program.
• Students will receive the credits that their institution equates with participation in the Online Language Café, provided they complete the project successfully.
  

When you start your activity as a café coach, you sign a cooperation commitment. We expect you to respect this commitment.