Skype is a program where you can interact with other people by making video calls, phone calls or write chat massages. Skype is free to download at http://www.skype.com and to use it you have to become a member and also you need to know someone else who is a member. To place a call you need to be online, i.e. have an internet connection, and you also need to have some kind of web camera, speaker (or perhaps a headset) and microphone, and of course you need to have a friend who is online at the same time. You can download Skype to computers who have Windows, Mac or Linux systems. Skype is also available on your mobile and on your TV (but then you need a TV that is “Skype-ready” and a compatible mobile).
If you get in touch with people from another country, you can use Skype to talk to them. This will help the pupils to practice their communicative skill and speech, also writing chat messages lets the pupils practice their writing. When talking to people in other parts of the world, the pupils will expand their knowledge about how people live in other parts of the world and also, I think it’s really motivating for them to be able to both see and talk to someone who’s from another country. With the video call on a projector screen, you can use Skype in the whole class, asking questions and just talking to the other person or persons. If the pupils have pen pals, it might be a good idea to let the pupils talk to each other on Skype in private.
Things to consider when using this resource is, of course, if you have the equipment that is necessary for it, like for example internet connection, web camera, speakers and microphone. Also, I think it can be a good idea to consider who is going to register to Skype – just the teacher or every pupil in the class?
I think Skype is a very easy resource which I use on a regular basis, and I think the pupils will enjoy it and get motivated by using it. I recommend you to give it a try!
Hi.
ReplyDeleteI think that you have written down some really good arguments on why Skype should be used in a classroom.
As you have written the students get the opportunity to talk with native English speakers and that will certainly benefit their learning.
In today's society many parents are working full time jobs and some parents may work many miles from home during the week. Then I think that Skype is a great tool if some parents are not able to come to "utvecklingssamtal" in school. Instead the teacher can talk to these parents and children through Skype.
I believe that this is a amazing tool that we teachers should take advantage of and use for various purposes.
Therese Asplund