Extra Credit - Conversation Partner Journal Rubric (25 points).docx

Extra Credit - Conversation Partner Journal Rubric (25 points)
You
are
to
meet
with
a
native
speaker
of
English
for
10
hours of
conversation
practice
to
help
build
your
fluency
in
speaking
English.
You
will
meet
with
your
Conversation
Partner

5
times
for
two
hour
sessions
each
time.
A
typed
journal
is
to
be
kept
of
these
meetings.
For
every
two
hours
you
meet
together,
a
one
page
double
spaced,
typed,
journal
entry
is

required.
(5
postings).
Read
the
Journal
Rubric
carefully
so
you
know
how
to
develop
your
journal
writing
thoroughly
to
receive
the
maximum
point
value
for
your
extra
credit.
The
first
journal

entry
is
slightly
different
from
the
rest
of
the
postings
because
you
need
to
introduce
your
conversation
partner
in
your
first
posting.
Your
introduction
should
be
as
informative
as
possible
and
should
include
name,

brief
physical
description,
age
or
year
in
school,
major
and
educational
goals,
family
background,
interests
and
hobbies,
etc.
as
well
as
a
summary
of
what
you
did
together.
All
other
journal
information
should
begin

with
a
summary
of
what
you
did
in
that
meeting,
and
then
focus
on
what
you
are
learning:
linguistic
information
about
English,
information
about
American
culture
that
is
new
to
you,
and
any
additional

information
you
learned
about
your
conversation
partner.
Requirements
for
FIRST
ENTRY
Requirements
for
ALL
OTHER
ENTRIES
1) Submitted
On
Time
1) Submitted
On
Time
2) Title
–
Date,
Time

Frame,
and
Place
2) Title
–
Date,
Time
Frame,
and
Place
3) Length
-‐
One
Page
3) Length
–
One
Page
4) Summary
4) Summary
Introduction
of
Conversation
Partner
5) Name
&
brief
physical
description

6) Age
or
year
in
school;
7) Major
and
educational
goals;
8) Family
background;
9) Interests
and
hobbies.
What
Are
You
Learning?
5) Discuss
any
new
information
you

learned
about
your
partner.
6) Explain
any
linguistic
aspects
you
learned
(discuss
the
meaning
of
new
vocabulary,
terminology,
slang,
and
or
idioms,
or
pronunciation
you
heard
or
talked
about
with
your

partner
7) Discuss
cultural
aspects
of
your
time
spent
together
(cultural
differences
you
notice,
experience,
or
discuss
while
doing
something
with
your
CP)
8) What
was
new?
Surprising?
Uncomfortable
for

you?
TOTAL: 5 pts TOTAL: 20 pts (5 pts each)
2/23/2011
On Wednesday Feb.23ed, 2011, my conversation partner and I
had the first meeting. I was so excited to meet her because I had
a previous experience with a conversation partner when I was at
ALCI which was so helpful and kind of fun too. I called my
partner after my teacher gave me her contact number to set up
an appointment with her. My partner said she will be free next
week on Wednesday, so we decide to go with it. A day before
the meeting day I gave her a call to make sure that she is
coming to meet me at the same time that we already planned.
We decided to meet from 11:30 – 1:30pm at the BMU Café as a
good place for our first meeting. I arrived 15 minutes earlier so
that I had some times to make up some questions to get our
meeting started. As usual, when anyone meets a new person for
the first time, they definitely are going to start by introduce
themselves. However, I started asking her some questions I
prepared before the meetings in order to get more information
about her and her life. Her name was Danielle Butcher. She is
from Yuba City CA and she visits her parents every weekend
and sometimes during the week days. Danielle is 23 years and
she is a senior student at Chico State in liberal studies. I know
nothing about this major, however; she said that she wants to be
a teacher for elementary school, but she has to take a credential
program for that. She has one older brother, one younger
brother study at Butte College. Danielle lives with her friend
Katy who also student at Chico State. After that she started
asking questions, so I talked about myself, my major, my

family, and how I become a student at Chico. Before I left, I
asked her about our next meeting, and she said “call me or I’ll
call you “. And that was my first meeting.
3/2/2011
On Wednesday March 2ed, 2011, my conversation partner
Danielle and I had the second meeting. This meeting was very
interesting because we talked about one of the greatest
memories in most of the people’s life which is the wedding day
and how people get married. We met at the second floor of the
BMU and it was 12:00 none and we planned to stay for almost
two hours because my math class starts at 2:00 pm. Danielle
was talking about the importance of marriage and how it is very
necessary and helpful factor to have a stable life. She said too
“marriage is one of the oldest institutions of the world and it’s a
relationship between two persons who vow for each other”.
After that I asked her a lot of questions and I really was
surprised from her answers because it seems to me that the way
people get married in United States is totally different than
what it is in my country, Saudi Arabia. One of the shocking
answers was that people here in the US get known each other
very well even before they get engaged. On contrast, people in
Saudi Arabia, mostly, get engaged to have the chance to know
each other. Other shocking answer was that couples usually can
live with each other and have a sexual relationship even if they
are not married. Afterward we started to talk about the wedding
day and who should be responsible of the wedding expenses.
She told me that generally the couples who are going to marry
are responsible but bride’s father in some religion like the
Catholic is responsible of part of the weeding expenses. We
also talked in general about where people in the US place their
weddings, she said that they place their wedding at the church
and they only invite their family and close friends. At the end
of the meeting I asked Danielle about one word she used in our
conversation which is “vow” and what does it mean? She

explained it to me very well by using it in several sentences.
Also, I had some problems in how to pronounce the word
“sexual” and she helped me by divide the word into two parts.
3/9/2011
On March 9th, 2011, it was my third meeting with my
conversation partner Danielle on Starbucks. I looked at my
watch and it was 12:13, I was 13 minutes late for the meeting;
consequently, I felt like I did a perpetrator. As we know ‘’ Time
is money’’ that’s in the American’s culture and also in Saudi’s
culture ‘’Time is gold’’. When I saw her I apologized to her.
She told me about the time is important and don’t be late. Also
she gave me example which is if you are late for most of the
classes at university, the teacher marks you absent. Then I
apologized to her again with explaining my situation which I
didn’t find a parking for my car near to the coffee shop, so I
park it at the university parking and then I came on foot. Also I
didn’t have some coins to park my car by the paid parking, so I
just had a free parking to stop my car that would be far away
from the university and that what I got it to park my car. Of
course she was anger from me, and she didn’t smile to me since
I came. Even though I told her my situation, she didn’t smile.
we did talk about many things like the local businesses like the

small coffee shops and we compare them with big chines like
Starbucks. Finally, when I was leaving, she said “One second I
didn’t smile since you came. You know why?’’ I said ‘’ I told
you. I’m so sorry’’. Then she was starting smile, and she said
‘’I was kidding with you to show you how the time is
important’’. Well after almost two hours of apologizing and
talking I promised her that I will not be late again next times.
During the conversation, I learned a new slangs which were
“hooked me up with’’ means got something for someone, ‘’a big
deal’’ means important, and “a little out there” means a person
with unconventional ideas.
3/23/2011
On Wednesday March 23ed, 2011, my conversation partner
Danielle and I had the fourth meeting. We decided to meet
12:00pm to 2:00pm at Celestino’s New York Pizza. I arrived
there ten minutes early, not only because I was hungry it also
because I did promised Danielle not to be late again. When she
arrived I notice that both of us were very hungry, so we ordered
two slides of pizza and a cup of soda for each to fill our
stomachs before start talking about how to make friends in
United States which is one of my hassles that I have faced in
Chico until now. After the lunch, Danielle was very excited to
start talking and giving me some advices in how to make friends
because she has faced same thing even she is a native speaker.
One of the advices that I had received from her was smiling and
greeting the people all the time are a helpful factor in order to
don’t lose them. Also, she said “always make time to hang out
with friends; otherwise, they will stop calling you”. Trying new
things with people might be a good way to make friends such as
joining a group that contains males and females because she
knew from our previous meetings that I live in a different
culture, and I still have a hard time to change my behaviors. At
the end of the meeting, I was very worry and confused because I
didn’t know whether I’m going to make friends or not, but she
told me just go with the flow. I really didn’t understand what
she said, so she explained it to me by telling me the exact

meaning which is “don’t ask questions and just do it”. I learn
from the conversation “ran off’’- went away without telling
anyone. “Called me out” means to insult intentionally.
3/30/2011
On Thursday, March 31st, my conversation partner Danielle and
I had our Fifth meeting. This meeting was totally different from
the previous meetings for some reasons. First of all, I had never
meet Danielle at night and this meeting was started at 8:00pm
and end at 10:00pm. The second reason is that I had never been
with an American group and this meeting was with Daniele and
her American friends. The third reason is that I rarely love to go
bowling and we went bowling in this meeting. It was really
amazing night by enjoying my time with that American group.
We went to AMF Orchard Lanes by my car. When I was there I
enjoyed every minutes because everything in the bowling center
made me excited to play with nonstop especially the low lights
and the nice music. The only thing that I was confused about
that when I ordered some French fries, nobody comes to serve
me and gives me the food until my table. I really surprised
because in back home especially in the bowling center the
Workers try to make you busy just in the bowling so, they try to
provide everything to the customers which make us very happy.
Danielle started talking with me about the American tradition. It
seems that all people should help their selves because we are in
U.S. and that is how they do it. Overall, I enjoyed my time
there. Unfortunately, I have lost three times because Danelle
and her friends had more experience than me. In this meeting, I
learned a new thing which is how to use the word “bowling”
exactly. I was thinking that I have to write “I play bowling”
instead of “I went bowling”, but now I learned the new thing
from her. And also “playing it fast and loose” means not
careful.
4/6/2011

On Wednesday April 6th, 2011 Danielle and I had the Sixth and
the last meeting in my assignment. It was a normal one because
nothing special happened. As usual, I called her a day before
that to make sure that she is coming to meet me at the same
time that we already planned. It was 12 none, so I invited her to
come to try the Arabic food which is a part of my culture in
Chico which makes me very proud. There is only one Arabian
restaurant here in Chico, so we went to it. Danielle really
enjoyed and liked the food. We ate “Felafel” and “Shawarma”
which were very delicious. After eating our lunch, we preferred
to go outside and walk around downtown Chico. While we were
walking, I was very interested to ask her about the American
guys and their tradition especially when they eighteen years old
and also some questions about the age twenty one and how it’s
very special for them. She said about the second part” it’s
almost a drinking age”. When anyone gets twenty one, he/she
can go to the bars and probably get drunk in the birthday. Most
of American guys prefer to stop house parties and choose the
bars parties instead of it. And about when they are eighteen, she
told me that the most of the American people left their families
and go to live alone with a little help from their parents. Most
of them prefer to live in apartment or in dorms. At the same
time, many of them start working to provide their lives their
own money to pay the tuition for the school and the rent for
their apartments. Before this meeting I was using the word
“Fess” a lot instead of “Tuition” when I’m talking about the
money that the people should pay for their schools. Now, I start
using “Tuition” because it’s better than “Fees” and it’s more
formally.
At the end of our meeting I asked her about one word she was
using a lot which is “smart as cookie”. She told me it has the
same meaning of “smart”, so it’s almost the same. So here we
done with our assignment, however; Danielle now we are not
partner as much as we are friends. I will be in touch with her
because I got a lot from her as friend an as a teacher.

Conversation partner Journal 1
February 12th, 2009
2:00PM – 3:00PM
In February 12th 2009 at 2 PM in Creekside Coffee shop on
campus was the first meeting with my conversation partner. At
first we got coffee and then, she introduced herself to me. Her
name is Jessie, she is from Brentwood, and she just turned 21 a
couple months ago. So she told me that she is so happy because
she can drink and gamble and do everything she can do. She is
studying English for the third semester in CSU Chico. She is
slightly shorter than me. Then, I introduced myself to her.
Actually, I was wondering before I met her if she was a girl boy
or girl because of her name. So I told her that and she laughed
and told me there are many people have hard time to recognize
if Jessie is girls or boys name specially, if she contact someone
by e-mail. Then she told me that in America they have many
names used for both sexes. And then, she asked me if we have
the same thing in my country and the answer was no. Finally,
we set up time to meet next week in the same time and same
place.

February 19th, 2009
2:05-3:00PM
As we sat up the time, on February 19th at 2:05 PM we met on
campus in Creekside Coffee shop and got coffee. First, I was 5
minutes late. So I felt sorry to her and she told me it’s ok for
but In American thought “Time is money” which I knew it
before. So she didn’t explain it to me. Secondly, we talked
about our classes and how are we doing. Secondly, she asked
me what the hardest thing I have faced in Chico. I answered,
making friends is the hardest thing I have ever had. She was
agreeing with me and she told me it’s really hard to get in
groups in Chico. Then she asked me about making friends in
my country and she understands the different and how it’s
became hard for me to make friends in Chico. Then I told her
that I have a hard time to ask the professors front of Americans
in class because of my accent and the pronunciation. She told
me that a hard in the begging and it becomes easier if I do it
again and again. Then, she helped me to pronounce some words
that begin with P letter such as pronunciation and
approximately, because this is the hardest letter that most
Arabic people have.
February 26th, 2009
12:30-1:20PM
On February 26th, at 12:30PM we met in front of the BMU then,
we decided to go to an Arabic restaurant because she was
excited to teat Arabic food. We went to an Arabic restaurant
and got our Arabic lunch. Jessie enjoyed the food and loved it.
After we paid the bills we walked around the downtown. While

we were walking, she started to talk about how Americans serve
their guests. She said, in American culture the guests who invite
to celebration or a cup of coffee should feel free as they are in
their own home. They might take anything from the kitchen or
use the restroom. Also, they can play with kids and pets and use
the yard without hostess’s permission. The most important thing
that if guests invite for lunch or dinner and they need refill they
can go to the kitchen and refill the plates. Lastly, after they
finished guests may clean up their plates and have cup of coffee
or cookies, tea, and juice without help or hostess’s permission.
Finally, we decide to meet next week.
March 5th, 2009
2:00-2:50PM
On March 5th at 2PM I met Jessie in the library 2nd floor. First
she asked me about the relation between my family and our
neighbors in Saudi Arabia. I told her our neighbors are such as
relatives because we are open to each other in everything. Then
she started talk about how neighbors related for most American.
She said that the relation between the students may comes
friendship and be very close to each other for example, playing
games overnights, hung out and have lunch or dinner
sometimes. But between families it depends of the people. On
one hand some neighbors just say hi to each other and they
don’t like to be friend with neighbors. On the other hand, some
neighbors like to be friends and share hobbies, food and hung
out with each other.
3:00- 4:00PM
We met in campus first and then Jessie asked me to visit her
work place which is the gym on campus. There were lots of
people come through and Jessie told based on her experience in
the gym guys are all focused on getting bigger and lifting as
much as they can and really want an intense sweaty gross work
out, but most of the girls want to slim down- become long and
lean. They try to never sweat in front of people and when they

use weights they tend to be smaller. Then she asked me if we
have the same thing back home? I told her that we have separate
gyms and the most gyms are for guys and in my home town we
just have one gym for girls and 4 gyms for guys. We also have
the same focuses that guys and girls looking for when they go to
the gym.
2:00-3:00PM
On April 2nd I met Jessie on compose and then we decided to
go to star bucks. Since we arrived there were many people who
were drinking and talking to each other. Jessie was standing
behind my when I was ordering and the employee accent was
strong. After we sat Jessie started talking about different areas
who have different language patterns she told me that the
language we hear on T.V tends to be typical of the LA area or
New York, but in other areas they have different sayings and
words. For example, in northern California people say "hella" a
lot when they want to emphasize something and, in Boston they
say "wicked" when they think something is really cool or
interesting. Jessie used to live in Idaho so she told me that we
she was living in Idaho it used to drive her crazy that people
would say someone was ignorant when they had a different
opinion and they would pronounce it "ignernt'.
2:00 – 3:15
On April 9th I met Jessie on campus and then we went to DMV
to get my car registration. While I was driving Jessie was
talking about driving rules in America. First, she talked about
speed limit in towns and said that most people follow the speed
limit in towns but, not on high ways. She said in high ways
some people drive over speed and others follow them because
the one who is in the front will get the ticket. Then there was
an ambulance cars in emergency state made all cars stops on the
sides to let it move; then she asked me if we have same thing
back home and I answered no. Once we arrived the DMV office
there were some people inline. The employ was very helpful and
smiley and the process didn’t take long time which is quite the

contrary back home.
12:00 – 2:05
On April 19th Jessie and went to a party in Jessie complex pool
because the weather was very nice and they got free lunch.
Since we arrived there were some girls and guys swimming in
the pool while the others preparing the food. Jesse was
wondering if we have the same thing back home. I told her that
we don’t have it but, we have them separate for girls and boys.
Then the food was ready which was burger and hot dog. The
only thing that I was confuse about that even it a party it was
self serve for tomato, ketchup, mustard , soda, and chips
because back home if someone does party for his friends he
should does every tiny thing for them and give them everything
ready to eat. And then, we met new people and talked about
school and classes and they told I’m very lucky because I have
a nice conversation partner. They were talking about the
weather and how it is changing every day and, they talked about
the summer plans. Finally a guy said ok guys “I am going to
kick it “which I was confused about; Jessie explained it to me
after that and she said it means I am going to relax at home.
4:00 – 5:00PM
I met Jessie in campus and then we went to the new hookah par
in downtown Chico. Once we arrived there were many people
smoking hookah, drinking tea, and chatting. Jessie asked me if I
am interested to know more about American traditions when
children get 18 years old. She said in America most people left
their family house when they get 18 years old and live in dorms.
On one hand, some student start working to buy their school
tuition and dorm rent. On the other hand, some parents buy
everything to their children

Extra Credit - Conversation Partner Journal Rubric (25 points).docx

Extra Credit - Conversation Partner Journal Rubric (25 points).docx

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Extra Credit - Conversation Partner Journal Rubric (25 points).docx