We are excited to offer a new language event for AY25-26, which is open to all members of the Northwestern community, our Just Thinking Out Loud Livestream Listening event. This event is designed to help students with their English listening skills while focusing on a topic of interest and importance. Anyone the Northwestern community is welcome to join and participate.
- Free and open to all members of the Northwestern community
- Events are held online throughout the academic year (fall, winter, and spring quarters only)
- Advanced registration is required to access the session.
- Each event highlights a specific aspect of US English and/or American culture
- Participants are encouraged to engage with each other after the listening task of the event is finished
- Events are designed to focus on listening skills at any level of English proficiency
Winter Quarter 2026 - Just Thinking Out Loud Livestream Listening Event
- One sign-up form (click here)
- If you sign up for an event but your availability changes, resubmit the form. We will contact you based on your most recent availability provided in the online form
- ELP will contact you with ZOOM meeting information for events that you have registered for
- Format for livestream listening event for Winter Quarter 2026 -> 1 remote event (via Northwestern ZOOM)
- Note - This schedule is subject to change
- Livestream Listening Event Schedule for Winter Quarter 2026
| Date | Time | Event Name (format) | Event Description | Hosted by |
| 2/20/26 | 12:00-1:00 PM | Just Thinking Out Loud - Apartments & Housing |
Join both of ELP's Speech Language Pathologists, Autumn Bryant & Mark Temenak, for ELP's Just Thinking Out Loud event for Winter Quarter 2026. Participants can leave their cameras and mics off as they join the Zoom meeting to listen in as Autumn & Mark share their thoughts on Apartments & Housing.
Unlike other language table events, this will be a listen-in event as Autumn and Mark do the talking. You can drop a question or comment in the chat, including privately just to Autumn or Mark if you want, but you don’t have to, and you do not have to speak out loud yourself. This will be like listening in to a podcast, a livestream, or even the radio. Instead of the usual language table format, for this livestream listening event, Autumn & Mark will just think out loud and interact with each other, sharing anecdotes and opinions about the topic, so you can hear word choices, grammar usage, phrasing, and other facets of English speech and language. This is a great way to passively take in how native speakers express ideas, while also hearing some new vocabulary related to apartments and housing that you can use in future small talk and extended conversations with others. Here is the event description:
Finding a place to live is a rite of passage and one of the basic essentials to life. However, what a home is means something different to everyone depending on where you might live in the world. Please join us for a conversation where we will discuss a wide variety of items related to this topic including renting, buying houses, housing differences between the USA and your home country, and many more!
All are welcome! Hope to see you there!
|
Autumn Bryant & Mark Temenak (ELP's Speech Language Pathologists) |
Our Language Table series, Something to Talk About, offers a chance to meet other people for fun, informal activities and casual conversation. Anyone in the Northwestern community is welcome to join and participate.
- Free and open to all members of the Northwestern community
- Events are mostly held online throughout the academic year (fall, winter, and spring quarters only)
- Advanced registration is required to access the session.
- Each event highlights a specific aspect of US English and/or American culture
- Ask questions, share experiences and opinions with peers and ELP staff
- A supportive environment for speakers at any level of English proficiency
Winter Quarter 2026 - Something to Talk About Language Table Events Series
- One sign-up form (click here)
- Register for one, two, or all of the language table events for this quarter
- If you sign up for an event but your availability changes, resubmit the form. We will contact you based on your most recent availability provided in the online form
- Please check event format (remote vs. in-person) in the Event Name column in the table below
- ELP will contact you with ZOOM meeting information for remote events that you have registered for
- ELP will contact you with location information for in-person events that you have registered for
- Format for language table events for Winter Quarter 2026 -> 5 events (4 remote via Northwestern ZOOM, 1 in-person on the Evanston campus)
- Note - This schedule is subject to change
- Language Table Event Schedule for Winter Quarter 2026
| Date | Time | Event Name (format) | Event Description | Hosted by |
| 1/22/26 | 12:00-1:00 PM | Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety (remote) |
Join ELP's Language Pedagogy Specialist, Jen Alexander, for a discussion about tools to manage stress and anxiety.
Stressed out about your never-ending coursework? Anxious about the VESLT? Dreading that upcoming conference presentation? Dealing with an intense case of “imposter syndrome”?
In this workshop-style ELP Language Table, participants will share ideas and resources for managing their stress, anxiety, and fear responses to academic demands.
Jen will send you off with an annotated list of things to try. Find community here: you are not alone; anxiety is common, and there are resources to help you cope.
All are welcome to join!
|
Jen Alexander (ELP Language Pedagogy Specialist) |
|
1/30/26
|
12:15-1:15 PM
|
Academic Social Events 101: An Introduction to U.S. Academic Networking (remote)
|
Join ELP's Language Pedagogy Specialist, Tamra Wysocki, for a discussion about how to network in the U.S. academic context.
Academic social events such as poster sessions, department gatherings, and conference coffee breaks or receptions, can sometimes feel unfamiliar or awkward, especially in a new cultural or academic environment.
This interactive session offers a chance to learn about common expectations in U.S. academic settings and to practice simple, low-pressure communication skills. We’ll explore how to introduce yourself in different situations, including how to adjust your approach depending on whether you’re speaking with a peer or with a faculty member, as well as how to begin short conversations and join or exit group discussions politely.
The goal of this session is to help you feel more comfortable and prepared for your next academic event.
Please join us!
|
Tamra Wysocki (ELP Language Pedagogy Specialist) |
| 2/6/26 | 12:15-1:15 PM | Do I need a car? - Car Buying Experience & Advice (remote) |
Join ELP's Assistant Director, Brian Hampson, for a discussion about a discussion about the pros and cons of buying and owning your own car.
Buying a car can be both an exciting and exhausting experience. The first step in the process may be to consider whether or not you need to own a car. After many international students and scholars arrive to Northwestern and start to experience car culture in the U.S., they may started considering purchasing their own vehicle. This language table session will discuss why many people feel that a car is necessary.
The session will also go through the major aspects of the car buying experience. If you have experience buying a car in the United States, please join us and share your thoughts and stories! Please join us!
|
Brian Hampson (ELP Assistant Director) |
| 2/13/26 | 12:15-1:15 PM | The Language of Love (remote) |
Join ELP's Assistant Director, Brian Hampson, for a discussion about a Valentine's-themed discussion about dating and relationships.
Have you ever experienced one-sided love? Been shot down? Had a relationship that was short-lived? Been friendzoned? Join us for a timely discussion before Valentine's Day as we take a look at love and relationships from a language perspective as well as a cultural perspective.
The session will provide some vocabulary and phrases related to describing a relationship. We will also discuss relationship scenarios such as long-distance relationships, cross-cultural relationships, meeting and dating, balancing dating with graduate work, and more!
Please join us and share your experiences!
|
Brian Hampson (ELP Assistant Director) |
| 2/27/26 |
12:15-1:00 PM |
Improv Your English (in-person) |
Join ELP's Language Pedagogy Specialist, Tamra Wysocki, for an in-person language table event focusing on improv (improvisation).
Join us for a fun, low-pressure improv session designed to help you speak more freely and confidently in English. We’ll try a few easy activities that support fluency and comfort in real-time conversations. Take a break and a enjoy a chance to play and connect.
All are welcome!
|
Tamra Wysocki (ELP Language Pedagogy Specialist) |