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Rachelle Schuster

French teacher

Bay Port High School

Green Bay, WI

rachschu@hssd.k12.wi.us

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What is TalkAbroad?

TalkAbroad is an opportunity to talk with a native speaker in the target language, like Skyping. Doing so can raise oral proficiency levels and provide exposure to the culture of another country.

My students do 5 conversations per year,

30 minutes each, for $50 per student.

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Why is this class using TalkAbroad?

1. When we have traveled abroad with students (France, Martinique, Quebec) we have noticed that many students do NOT try to use their French.

2. You have come a long way speaking French last year, speaking with your prof or your classmates. You are ready for the next level of challenge…speaking with native speakers!!

It is hard to find native French speaker in the GB area, and one-to-one is the best way to practice & to improve.

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How does TalkAbroad work?

Students receive an assignment for class.
Students create a TalkAbroad account and purchase credits.
Students select a conversation partner and make a reservation to speak with them.
Students complete the conversation via the TalkAbroad website.
Students submit the audio recording of the conversation to your professor.

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Assignment themes

Leisure (sept)
social relationships (oct)
customs and traditions (nov-dec)
global issues (fev)
communication and media (mars/avril)

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Section Codes

XXXXXXXXX

Credits to purchase/pre-purchased codes

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

TalkAbroad student manual link

TalkAbroad.com

2.

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3. Choose a Conversation Partner and Create a Reservation

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Conversation Guidelines

Make a reservation by selecting a time on the calendar of the partner.

Reservations must be made 36 hours in advance.

Reservations may be cancelled up to 12 hours before start time. (You miss your conversation, you must buy another. Students will receive a code to get a 50% discount with a missed call. The cost will be $7.50!)

All conversations are 30 minutes in duration.

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FAQ about Partners

Conversation partners are locals in the country indicated on their profile.
TalkAbroad is a part-time job and they are trained, paid, and supervised accordingly.
Most partners use TalkAbroad as a way to pay for their university education.
They are real people. Please be courteous.

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4. Complete the Assignment via the TalkAbroad website

At the time of your conversation log into the TalkAbroad website and select “Join Conversation”

Technology requirements:

Computer with high speed Internet
Microphone
Video Camera
Google Chrome Browser

***Phones/Ipads/etc will NOT work.

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Suggestions for the conversation

Arrive 5 minutes early
Know who to contact in case you or the partner have problems with the Internet connection
Prepare a topic or topics to discuss
Complete a test call prior to the scheduled time to assure you will not experience problems. This can be done with the support team.
Set aside 1 hour for the conversation in case there are delays due to internet problems.

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5. Submitting the Audio Recording

After the conversation has been completed, you will receive an email with a link to provide feedback and submit the recording to your professor.

Recording the conversation is done by the conversation partner. You will only need to verify the audio recording was successfully uploaded.

If there were any technical problems with the call (such as poor call quality) please indicate it on your feedback and TalkAbroad will help reschedule the conversation.

This is an excellent time to set the expectations of your students. You can remind them that many of the partners live in developing countries. That means many of them will live with relatives and share rooms. They may see other family members in the video. Many of the countries are hot with very little access to air conditioning, meaning that partners may need to leave the windows open so they don’t overheat. Students may hear traffic, dogs barking, kids playing in the street, etc. That needs to be expected and welcomed as part of the experiential learning process. That being said, if there are disturbances that impact the experience for students to a large degree they only need to let us know on the feedback form and we will replace the credit so they can redo the conversation with no questions asked. We have a very liberal policy on this because we want the students to have a good learning experience.

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TalkAbroad Support

http://support.talkabroad.com
TalkAbroad provides full English-speaking support. This is your first stop for any questions or problems.
TalkAbroad is very responsive and should contact you within an hour after your request.
You can also contact TalkAbroad support via chat on the student homepage.

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In class preparation for the conversation

Teacher - must be enthused, sympathetic, patient, understanding of student anxiety.

In class:

develop questions on theme and “ice breakers” together
practice interviewing each other in pairs & small groups
discuss how to hold a conversation (?words, repeat please, slower please…)
learn how to say

“Can you hear me?” “Can you see me?”

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debriefing / reflection

Classroom discussion - comparing conversions & cultures - usually in English

Individually: 1st semester (3 conversations)

Listen to conversation again, if not time for full 30 minutes, listen for 10-15 minutes
Write reflection about conversational skills, your speaking, your comprehension:
strong points
weak points
how to make it better for the next time

Individually: 2nd semester (1 conversations)

Listen to conversation again
Choose about a 5 minute segment that shows your conversational skills
Record that 5 minutes, submit to Madame
Write reflection telling why you believe that this section is a good indicator showing your abilities to converse in French.

Individually: 2nd semester ORAL FINAL (1 conversation)

Listen to conversation again
Choose about a 5 minute segment that shows your conversational skills
Record that 5 minutes, submit to Madame

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student feedback after completing 5 conversations

letter for parents explaining Talkabroad