A few basic things that I have found and would like to share, regarding getting the best value from your time with language partners and
giving the best value to your language partner:
1) Each user should have a good headset, whether it costs $20 or $120, it should work well. The call should be just like calling your neighbor, and a good headset helps tremendously.
Please do not use your computer's built-in microphone and speakers - your partners depend on hearing you clearly!
2) Though my internet connection is very fast, maybe some others are not so lucky. If so, close other programs that use the internet while using Skype, including E-Mail programs, which may check for mail during a call and cause a minor problem with Skype. If you have wireless internet in your home,
make sure to plug in to the "wired" connection. This is much, much better than wireless (and again, your partners depend on hearing you clearly).
3) Skype video is rarely necessary, if at all.
4) For those who have a life-long love of learning, and who are not trying to practice only for a test, it makes sense to agree in advance on a day and time to talk, and to
keep regular appointments.
5) If you only want to practice for a few weeks so you can pass a test, you should be honest and tell your language partner about it - this way, the language partner can decide if he wants to invest his time working with you, since you may no longer have any interest in continuing after you pass your test.
6) Partners should exchange email addresses, in case one of them can't keep an appointment, he/she can email the other to inform. (many of us have "push email" now, so we receive emails almost instantaneously - this is better than italki messages, which may go unnoticed for a few days)
7) Conversations should be an "
equal trade of time", regardless of each person's level. ie, 10 minutes concentrating in one person's language, and 10 minutes in the other person's language. Perhaps it is best to agree to keep the conversations short - this way each person will be more likely to fit regular meetings into his or her busy schedule.
8) It makes no sense to accept friendships on italki from people who have nothing to do with your own target language.
9) And, it makes no sense to request friendship from those who speak your target language but are not learning your own language.
10) Unless you are a polyglot (and few people are), it is wise to concentrate on one language at a time.
For learning
German | Category
Uncategorized | Level
Unspecified |
Second language
English | Created
Jun 18, 2010 08:36 | Views
1017 |
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