A student-led language exchange organization serving youth.
We realized that 1-on-1 learning is nearly impossible in the classroom and many tutors charge high costs that students cannot afford.
LinguaMondial is a student-led language exchange serving youth in Volusia County, Florida. We strive to encourage the study of foreign languages, through our mentoring initiative, increase one’s awareness of a given culture, introduce the basics of linguistic study, provide bilingual resources to students who are non-native English speakers and are facing difficulties in the classroom, actively support and bring endangered or vulnerable languages, specifically those of indigenous origin, to light, foster a safe language learning environment, and periodically update teachers, instructors, and Volusia County Schools World Language department officials with information surrounding the progress and growth of our organization.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why “LinguaMondial”?
Lingua (tongue, language; Latin, Italian) + Mondial (global, worldwide; French) = our global language learning community!
How does it all work?
After a student completes this form, a member of our team will search for an available mentor and pair them based on similar interests and the language the student needs help in. Then, the student and the mentor will meet virtually or in-person (high school students only), as needed. We also have a "hotline" (via Zoom and Remind) for students to get quick responses if they are confused with, say, a conjugation or verb tense.
How much does our program cost?
Absolutely nothing. Learning a language or seeking help for a class in school should not cost anything. We believe everyone should have this equal opportunity.
How do we ensure cyber safety in our mentoring initiative?
Safety is one of our main priorities! Here are some of the measures we take:
If a member of our team does not already know them, each mentor wishing to help students must complete a brief interview (in person or via Google Meets) to get to know them better.
We also are an open-minded community and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. This is, but not limited to, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical restrictions, learning restrictions, and age.
What is our language preservation and education project?
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a language becomes extinct every two weeks. This may not seem insignificant, yet a rich culture and tradition is lost. As Dr. K. David Harrison, associate director of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages and a linguist at Swarthmore College, puts it, “When we lose a language, we lose centuries of thinking about time, seasons, sea creatures, reindeer, edible flowers, mathematics, landscapes, myths, music, the unknown and the everyday.”
Our hope is that, through this initiative, we can uplift Indigenous voices and educate the public with primarily first-hand accounts. These may include articles, published research, information from cultural centers, etc.
If you are interested in joining the Language Preservation team, click this link: https://tinyurl.com/join-language-preservation.
If I live outside of Volusia County or the United States, can I still participate in LinguaMondial?
At this moment, we are unfortunately limiting our language mentoring initiative to students in Volusia County. However, you can join our mentoring team and we hope to expand our program within six months. Also, we would love for you to become involved with our preservation project!
How can I get involved/what are the benefits?
We would love for you to join our team! To apply as a mentor or view open positions, click Get Started. Through involvement in our mentoring initiative or creating language resources, you have the opportunity to earn volunteer hours as well as CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) experiences towards the IB diploma. Moreover, this can show colleges and employers that you have a strong willingness to help others.