The article discusses the linguistic and psychological aspects of extracurricular activities of foreign students and the rationale for the feasibility and organization of a speaking club as part of the pre-university education program for foreign students mastering the Russian language at the basic level (A2). The relevance of the work lies in the increasing need to introduce additional forms of extracurricular activities for students studying in a language environment. The causes of linguistic and psychological barriers to communication in a foreign language are investigated. Statistical data on the frequency of communication between foreign students and native speakers of the Russian language have been obtained. The main formats of the speaking club are analyzed. The needs of students and their expectations are determined in order to adapt the club’s program to their interests. The assessment of the current level of satisfaction with the progress in learning a non-native language was carried out. The factors influencing the development of foreign language oral skills are identified.