Teaching English using

multimedia devices: the

example of SKYPE

In this short presentation we will

Discover the latest didactic innovation

involving IT

Getting to know Skype as tool for

language learning

Find a “place” were to meet possible

partners in our project

Read some feedbacks from teachers who

are using this tool in their classes

Just to warm up….

…a brainstorm

How many communcation “apps” can

you name?

What’s SKYPE?

Skype (pron.: /ˈskaɪp/) is a proprietary Voice over

IP service and software application.

Some prices of Skype-in or out (in euro):

ITALY > GERMANY: 1,9 cents/min

ITALY > USA : 1,9 cents/min

ITALY > JAPAN : 2.3 cents/min

ITALY > AUSTRALIA : 1,9 cents/min

ITALY > BRAZIL : 2.3 cents/min

ITALY > TURKEY: 2.8 cents/min

TYPE OF CALL CHARGE

PC to PC For free

PC to phone (“SKYPE-

OUT”)

Cheap calls depending

on the country you are

phonning to / from. Phone to PC (“SKYPE-

IN”)

Possible applications in language

learning

Classroom to classroom

videoconferencing activities

1:1 activities, in a school lab

Personal relatioships between students

around the world (TANDEM)

PRO

Intercultural knowledge of the world

Social interaction among classmates and with pupils around the globe

It increases motivation and interest for the subject

It stimulates curiosity

Provide direct access to authentic language, bringing language into life

It sets up linguistic awareness

It’s a low-cost activity for the school

CONS

The school has to provide a good

internet connection

The teacher needs to know how to use

the program

Lesson must be prepared very carefully to

prevent technical inconvenient

Where can I begin?

eTwinning is the community for schools in

Europe.

it offers a platform for staff (teachers, head

teachers, librarians, etc.), working in a school in

one of the European countries involved, to

communicate, collaborate, develop projects,

share and, in short, feel and be part of the most

exciting learning community in Europe.

What can I find on eTwinning?

Just by registering on the website www.etwinning.net/it/pub/index.htm

You can become part of a community of teachers and schools and:

Create every possible kind of collaboration (commmon projects, discussions, etc) with collegues across the EU countries.

Create a partnership with one or more EU schools

Some possible activities

Pair works on laptops

Class debates

Competitions between classes

Metalinguistic tasks

Intercultural activities

Some feedbacks (1)

(some extract)

“students take a leading role in the project,

also those who are not generally active

can take responsibility, believing in

themselves”

Jo speak, Cookridge Primary school

Some feedbacks (2)

“It has a peculiar role in motivation, in way that normal classroom can’t. Pupils have a real audience for their work. Perhaps they might be interesting for the some thinks. It can be a great topic of competition

Once a boy asked the teacher to check his work about football he has written to another country because he did not want the other to think that he couldn’t write good English”

Professor Marylin Leask,

University of Bedfordshire

Some feedbacks (3)

“It give some sense of important, it improve

their self-esteem they are able to value

them self and what their doing, they feel

important, part of the community, part of

the school”

Nick Falk, Sackville school

Time to sum up!

By using SKYPE you can easily make your

student become part of a something

which was completely unthinkable before!

They can become aware of the real

importance of language learning

They can meet cultures and different way

of lives

They can understand to be a little part of

something much greater.

In other words….

MUCH MORE THEN SPEAKING A

FOREIGN LANGUAGE.

From now on…

It’s up to us, as language teachers!

SO

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Conor Galvin, 2010, eTwinning in the classroom: A showcase of good practice (2008-2009), Central Support Service for eTwinning, Brussels

Council of Europe, 2001, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, Cambridge University Press, London

Christina Crawley, Anne Gilleran, Donatella Nucci, 2010, Voices of eTwinning: Teachers talk, Central Support Service for E-twinning, Brussels

WEBSITES

http://www.etwinning.net/it/pub/index.htm (visited on Jan, 18th 2013)

http://www.slideshare.net/saraheaton/using-skype-for-language-teaching (visited on Jan, 24th 2013)

http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/comenius_en.htm (visited on Jan, 24th 2013)

www.skype.com (visited on Jan, 24th 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype (visited on Jan, 27th 2013)