The practicum is an important part of most TESL programmes; however, many novice teachers seek practical experiences beyond the practicum as part of their preparation for entering the profession. Collaborative projects between language learners and pre-service language teachers can offer such valuable practical experiences for both groups. The service encounter collaborative project is an example of an activity that provides an important link between the academic and experiential aspects of a teacher preparation programme. It is also a simple and practical way for new teachers to investigate authentic language use. In this project, pre-service teachers develop materials based on language samples they gather in collaboration with language learner partners. For the language learners, the programme provides access to authentic input, an opportunity for interaction with native speakers, as well as valuable cultural and sociolinguistic information.