Hi everyone, I'm relatively new to italki. Haven't been able to use it much yet due to being very busy. I plan to use skype soon for language exchange however, I have a few questions.
1. Do most people tend to use voice or video chat? I think I would prefer video as I have someone to focus on when I'm talking and hand gestures and facial expression can help when trying to understand/explain. However, I understand that people may not want to show themselves, especially without knowing the other person.
2. Have you found it more beneficial to arrange a topic beforehand or just chat generally and spontaneously. For instance, if having a meeting once a week.
3. What is the most effective way you have found to arrange a language exchange? I see a lot of people prefer 50/50 although not sure if this means each person speaks their target language for the whole session or switch languages half way through the session.
Thanks in advance!
3) The whole 50/50 language.
Definition #1~ I hate the word "50/50" because I did a 50/50 before and it was stupid. The guy starts half a sentence and I had to finish his sentence in English and he said my answers weren't relevant. I had to guess what he did for that day. (stupid idea)
Definition #2~A better idea: The other 50/50 is when I did one day in English (for him/her to learn) and a different day for me to learn their native language. My advantage was that I was fluently enough to understand basic level of langauge, so there wasn't a big problem. They reply both in English and native languages.
Definition #3~They spoke in English and I had to reply back in their language. <I had bad experience because they poke fun of me of my ability to speak in their language, yet they never corrected me.
Definition #4~I type in English to them and they reply back in their written language as if I knew how to read it all! One told me "Well, learn!" What I usually do, I type in English and then I use eletronic translator to translate what I typed AND try my best to translate on my own.
Example #1: Hi, how are you? (Hola, como esta tu?)
Example #2: How are you? (你好吗？)
~~~~Good luck on your skyping with language exchange partners.
1) I do voice chat first 4 months. Most of my experience when the language exchange partner ask for video chat, they are quick to judge...and all that invasive creepy drama! I let them took a peak at my forehead and they already are judging.
I open video chat when they really need the facial muscles excerises. I video chat a student after 1 year because her English was not improving, so finally I open video chat.
If you are learning sign language then it is different~obviously need video camera.
2) Here's my first topic: Self introduction. What are your goals. School. Work. General topics. Not invasive unless they want to share, but I'm don't remember their personal stories unless they are ghost stories. :)
Usually, I pick a topic because the language exchange partner is so0o shy to speak to " a foreigner," also I had few men as language exchange partners who had really digusting topics (sex, porn, women's anatomy) so I had to force them to change topic. If they don't do so, then I block them. sex, porn, women's anatomy,
Thanks! Yeah, I suppose it really depends on each person.
Hello! I´ve found here some friends (partners ) ,and we talk sometimes. I ´ve been lucky, no problems so far.
I've only done one Skype chat so far. I had spent all day at home and I was still in my pajamas, etc. I asked to just do voice chat since I thought I looked a mess, haha. So, I think the etiquette is to ask if your partner would like to just write, use voice chat, or use video chat.
If you only know a little vocabulary, you might want to pre-arrange a topic.
