Date post: | 31-Oct-2014 |
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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
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