In September, learners from the Newtown ELG mixed learning class in Wellington visited Café Baobab to put their classroom learning into practice in a real-world setting.
After spending time in class learning how to read menus, order food and drinks and make everyday conversation, learners had the opportunity to use those skills during a morning out at a local café.
The visit aimed to build learners' confidence in ordering food and drinks independently and making social connections in the community. Before the trip, learners practiced café vocabulary, learned the names of different drinks on a café menu and worked on pronunciation through interactive classroom activities.
At Café Baobab, learners were encouraged to order for themselves. The café owner kindly provided table service, giving everyone the opportunity to clearly communicate their order in English.
Once their orders had arrived, learners continued practicing their speaking skills by asking one another questions about daily life. Learners of different English levels took part, with activities tailored to suit everyone. While sitting in the café garden area, conversations ranged from everyday topics to discussions about the baobab tree that inspired the café's name, with the learners' sharing stories about special trees and cultural landmarks from their home countries.
Teacher Kathy Ombler said the class returned from the visit smiling, chatting and feeling more confident speaking English.
"The whole class was smiling and buzzing when they returned from the café, and speaking with each other with heaps of confidence," she said.
The visit was supported by long-time English Langue Partners volunteers Ken and Caroline, who regularly assist learners in the Newtown class. Through their patience, empathy and encouragement, they help learners build confidence and develop practical language skills both inside and outside the classroom.
The class was also joined by Wellington Centre Manager Thoria, giving learners the chance to get to know her while practicing their English in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
A special thank you goes to Radhika and the team at Café Baobab for their warm hospitality and for creating a supportive space where learners could build their confidence and have a lovely lesson out of the classroom.
