International Email Exchange in a Writing Class

Andrew ImrieRikkyo University

Outline

• What is international email exchange?• Email exchange in a writing class• How to find a partner class• Keys to success• Planning & Syllabus• Final thoughts

What is International email exchange?

• Organised email correspondence between two classes in different countries

• ePals, net pals, keypals• Students in one class are paired up with

students in another class• Native or non-native speakers of English• Weekly, biweekly, or monthly• Topics: culture and information exchange

Email exchange in a writing class

• “Students should be assigned some writing to do every week…”

• More rewarding/authentic alternative to journals, secret pen pals, etc

• Broadening the curriculum• Opportunity to reinforce selected writing skills

Writing skills

• Forces students to think about an audience• See examples of other students’ writing• Writing as a process• Writing in paragraphs• Topic sentences• Email exchange leads to a

comparison/contrast paragraph or essay e.g. Education in Germany and Japan

My experience

• Gustav Stresemann Business School• Vocational training college 16-20 year old• Maintz, Germany

How to find a partner class

• Ask someone you know• Find a partner online• Advertise and search• Many websites where you can find another

class

ePals.com

• www.ePals.com• Create an account• Create a profile• Search the other profiles• Find an appropriate class and contact

Profile

• Be specific• What kind of email exchange? How long?• Topic of emails?• Approach? Credit? Evaluation?

ePals: My profile

• My profile

ePals: Searching profiles

Key to success #1: Finding a reliable partner

• Find a teacher who you can work well with• Make your aims and objectives clear• Understand your partner’s wants• Be flexible

Key to success #2: Planning

• “Lack of foresight and preparation was our biggest downfall. We were doing this by the seat of our pants and it showed.” (Campbell, 2006)

• “[Next time] I would like to prepare in advance and have activities 100% decided as well as dates for assigning and submitting assignments predetermined”. (Campbell, 2006)

Planning

• Agree schedule• Negotiate content • Weekly topic assignments• Date for email correspondence• Syllabus• Project needs a goal or purpose• For example: an essay or a presentation• Credit

SyllabusWEEK TOPIC

1 Self Introduction

2 Holidays & Celebrations

3 Education

4 Dating & Marriage

5 Job Hunting & Work

6 Business

Choose topic for paragraph or essay

7 Final Email

Write comparison paragraph or essay

Key to success #3: Prepare students

• Students need to do pre-email work before writing each email

• Students should do preview questions to generate content for each topic

• Give students a list of useful vocabulary• Teacher should check first draft of emails• Paragraphs, topic sentences, highlighter pens

Key to Success #4: Weekly CreditName Email 1:

Self-IntroEmail 2: Holidays & Celebrations

Email 3: A Day in my Life

Email 4: Business

Email 5: Job Hunting

Ken Suzuki 3 2 0 3 3

Miyuki Ono 3 3 3 4 3

--------------- ------ ------- ------ ------- -------

Yoko Ishii 3 3 3 3 2

Key to success #5: Active teacher role

• Keep in regular touch with the other teacher: Skype, email, Facebook

• Make sure your students send their emails on time (‘The Golden Rule’)

• Support students with preview questions & word lists• At the beginning, make students write a first draft of

each email and check it • Highlight particular writing skills• Make students send you a copy of each email• Publish the weekly credit sheet

Key to success #6: Recycle the information in the paragraph/essay

• Remember the goal is to gather information to help write a comparison/contrast piece of writing

• Students should choose their topic from topics covered in the email exchange e.g. Education or Job Hunting & Work

• Use final email to gather more information• Get the students to share emails with each

other

Developing intercultural awareness

• International email gives Japanese students a window on another country and culture

• “The ability of the students to build up a personal relationship with their partners via email…their capacity to produce engaging, in-depth correspondence were found to be key aspects of the email.” (O’Dowd 2003)

Culture Box

Facebook

Conclusion

• Decide your goals & objectives• Find a partner class and reliable teacher• Create a detailed syllabus with dates• Start work before the email exchange begins• Begin in the computer room & continue for

homework• Keep on top of any little problems• Students recycle information for final assignment