Based in Burkina Faso, West Africa, UbiLearning offers innovative and tailored linguistic services to English Language Learners (ELL) both online and in-person. Their services include English online learning courses, translation, transcription, and interpretation.
UbiLearning aims to revolutionize English language learning through the use of digital technology and humanitarian–oriented language training.UbiLearning has committed to building youth’s linguistics capacities for the main purpose of allowing them to go global and to access training opportunities. It is this perspective that UbiLearning is providing free English courses to three youth organizations namely Koura Association.
In Fall 2020, ELL students from UbiLearning participated in virtual conversations with St. Olaf students through Professor Jill Waston’s Education course: Ethics of Refugee and Immigrant Education. The main goal of this virtual exchange was to provide opportunities for ELL students to immerse themselves in the English language and for both ELL students and St. Olaf students to communicate with people from different cultures and countries.
Belem Mamadou, the CEO and Co-founder of UbiLearning, has said that the collaboration between St. Olaf and his organization was wonderful. During these virtual conversations, ELL students and St. Olaf students talked about everyday topics, such as their jobs, bringing reality to the classroom. Even though they couldn’t go to the countries, their knowledge of the countries has expanded and broadened. This in turn “brought people closer and made it possible for people to have less prejudice towards other cultures and countries.”
Based on the input of the ELL students, they believe they have grown personally, and improved their intellectual skills and language skills through this exchange. Many ELL students even expressed their interest and eagerness in continuing this exchange in the future.
Belem has shared that, at the beginning of this exchange, “it wasn’t very easy for his students” due to their lack of English proficiency. However, the awkwardness and unfamiliarity gradually faded away as St. Olaf Students and ELL students started to build a connection through interacting with real people and listening to each other’s authentic stories. Not only did this virtual exchange help ELL students to practice their listening and speaking skills, but it also gave them the opportunity to understand another culture to a greater extent. Many ELL students’ attitude towards the United States has changed. They see the United States more positively because they were able to interact with people living in the United States thus improving their image for the United States and breaking some of their stereotypes.
Aside from the positive impact this collaboration has made on students, Mamadou also mentioned that working with St. Olaf students “really impacted the organization positively.” Many ELL students come to UbiLearning to learn English. This virtual exchange with native speakers from St.Olaf is an important sequence for them to improve their language skills.
Speaking from a greater level, Mamadou deeply appreciates the mission of ACE and the way ACE courses enable students to apply academic knowledge in a real-world context and to interact with the communities. “A school shouldn’t be totally isolated,” as Mamadou further elaborates, interactions between students and other communities is a crucial part of any individual’s study. “It is a sense of continuity in life.”
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