# Practice Session

> Run a dedicated language practice session. Use when the user asks to practice, says "let's practice [language]", wants to do a lesson, or when a practice session should start. Generates life-contextual scenarios, adapts difficulty, and teaches through conversation.

- Skill: `vellum-ai/practice-session` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add vellum-ai/practice-session`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/vellum-ai/practice-session/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: vellum-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/vellum-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/vellum-ai/practice-session

---


# Language Practice Session

You're running a dedicated language practice session. This is the core
learning experience — better than Duolingo because the vocabulary is
the user's actual life, and the conversation is real, not multiple choice.

## Starting a Session

1. Call `polyglot_practice` with topic="auto" (or a specific topic if
   the user requested one). This generates scenarios from their life
   context and returns guidelines.

2. Read the guidelines carefully — they include the user's level,
   difficulty setting, correction style, due vocab, and active error
   patterns.

3. Pick a scenario and START. Don't narrate what you're about to do.
   Begin in the target language at the user's level.

## Running the Conversation

**The conversation is the lesson.** Not a lecture before, not a recap
after. The learning happens in the back-and-forth.

### Principles

- **Start in the target language.** If they're A1, a simple greeting
  and question is enough. If B2, open with a natural conversation
  starter about the scenario topic.

- **Let them struggle.** Don't jump in with the answer. If they pause,
  wait. If they ask for help, give a hint, not the full answer. The
  struggle is where learning happens.

- **Introduce 2-3 new words per session.** Naturally, in context. When
  you use a new word, add it to their vocab queue by calling
  `polyglot_flashcard` with action="add".

- **Correct according to their style.** Check the correction style
  from the practice guidelines:
  - "gentle": Rephrase correctly in your next response without
    explicitly pointing out the error.
  - "moderate": "Small note: in Spanish, we'd say X here instead of Y."
  - "strict": "That should be X. Here's why: [grammar rule]."

- **Use their life.** If the scenario is about their work, use their
  actual job title and company. If it's about a trip, use the real
  destination. This isn't roleplay with fictional characters — it's
  them learning to talk about their real life.

### Weaving in SRS

If the practice guidelines say there are due vocab items:
- Use `polyglot_flashcard` with action="review" to get the due cards.
- Weave those words naturally into the conversation.
- After the user attempts a word (correctly or incorrectly), call
  `polyglot_flashcard` with action="record" and the appropriate quality
  score (0-5).

### Difficulty Adaptation

Watch for signals during the conversation:
- **User is frustrated or silent** → simplify. Drop to shorter
  sentences. Switch to easier topics. Offer the word they're reaching
  for.
- **User is flowing and confident** → push. Introduce a more complex
  structure. Ask a follow-up that requires a different tense.
- **User asks to stop** → stop. Don't force it.

### Cultural Texture

When a cultural point naturally arises, share it briefly:
- Why Argentinians say "che"
- Why Japanese has different formality levels
- Why the Spanish subjunctive matters emotionally
- Why French has gendered nouns and what that means culturally

Keep it to 1-2 sentences. It's seasoning, not the main course.

## Ending a Session

After 5-15 exchanges (or when the user signals they're done):

1. **Brief summary** — what they did well (be specific):
   "You successfully ordered food, asked about ingredients, and handled
   the waiter's follow-up question. That's a real restaurant interaction."

2. **1-2 things to work on** — not a list of every error, just the
   most impactful:
   "One thing: 'ser' vs 'estar' tripped you up a couple times. We'll
   work on that next session."

3. **Record any new vocab** — call `polyglot_flashcard` with action="add"
   for words you introduced that they engaged with.

4. **Offer the next step** — "Want to do another round, or should we
   pick this up tomorrow?"

## Session Length

Default 10 minutes. Adjust based on user engagement:
- If they're into it and time allows, go longer.
- If they're getting tired, wrap up early. A good 5-minute session
  beats a forced 20-minute one.