The following describes a two-part classroom-based study examining the impact of extracurricular, peer-taught activities on the formal learning of beginner students of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL).Student thoughts and comments related to their learning performance are also investigated and reported upon in the paper. Due to the difficulty of learning CFL, the lack of familiarity with the Chinese language and culture among students, and the need for additional practice outside the formal foreign language university classroom, the researchers provided students with more informal opportunities to use and be exposed to the Chinese language. Building upon the theory of intergroup communication, the multicultural space in which these informal activities took place is designed to encourage learners to engage in cross-cultural exchanges with peer teachers. It is located in an Irish university, and within the space local and international students promote and share their culture and language through various peer-teaching activities. The study took place in two stages over two consecutive academic years, firstly, in semester two of first year (Stage 1) and, secondly, in semester one of first year (Stage 2). Feedback from Stage 1 shows that most students agreed that the combination of formal in-class practice and peer-teaching enhanced their learning of Chinese. Before Stage 2 of the research began in a new semester with a new cohort of students, changes were implemented to the initiative based on feedback from students in Stage 1, who asked for more cohesion between the formal language classroom and the extracurricular activities. All students in Stage 2 of the research agreed that the combination of in-class practice and peer-teaching activities enhanced their learning of Chinese. The paper discusses the merits and limitations of formally linking credited courses with peer-teaching activities, and offers some recommendations for implementing future collaborations.