We believe the best way to learn English is by using it in real conversations about real life. Not scripted dialogues. Not endless worksheets. Just thoughtful, supportive conversations that help you feel more confident every time you speak.
Port of Conversation is exactly what it sounds like: a friendly port where people from around the world gather to practice English, share ideas, and grow together.
Meet The Founder
About Us
A place where real conversations build real confidence
Hi, I’m Rachelle
I’m the founder of Port of Conversation, and I created this space because I saw firsthand how powerful conversation based learning can be.
I studied Linguistics and Cognitive Science and completed a TESL Certificate at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. I also
spent over a year as an EAL Peer Mentor, supporting learners as they practiced English through real conversations.
That experience showed me something important: when learners feel comfortable and supported, their confidence grows quickly and so does their ability to communicate.
Fun fact: I once sailed to an island that doesn’t even appear on Google Maps. Curiosity and exploration are kind of my thing.
Why Conversation Makes All The Difference
Many English learners know the grammar, but still hesitate to speak.
That’s because confidence doesn’t come from memorizing rules. Instead, it comes from practice in a space that feels safe, encouraging, and human.
At Port of Conversation, we focus on:
- Natural, real-world discussions
- Topics that actually interest you
- Small-group and community-based learning
- Encouragement over perfection
Here, mistakes are part of the process — and every conversation moves you forward.
In Their Own Words
''One of Rachelle's main strengths lies in her ability to create original activities. In addition to the fact that they appeared to be fun to do, they were also applicable to real life outside the classroom. Ms. Deutsch had created her own listening activity, for which she had written a (natural-sounding) script that she had two friends record for her. This was no easy thing to do, so she should be commended for the time and effort she took to create this activity.''
— Noortje de Weers, Practicum Evaluator
''Ms. Deutsch demonstrated an appreciation of lesson design, specifically, an awareness of the links between stages in a lesson and their relevance to one another. During the lesson planning stage, Rachelle revised her lessons quite substantially and the decisions she made on what to exclude or alter worked to improve the flow of her lessons. She also tried to create links between individual lessons by referencing previous lesson material, recycling vocabulary or via homework, which served as a base to expanded upon in the subsequent lesson.''
— Michael Belevsky, Sponsoring Teacher
