Electronic Tandem Language Learning (eTandem)

Abstract

Tandem language learning occurs when two learners of different native languages work together to help each other learn the other language. First used in faceto-face contexts, Tandem is now increasingly being used by language-learning partners located in different countries who are linked via various forms of electronic communication, a context that has become known as eTandem. In addition to providing a brief account of the history of Tandem and eTandem, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of electronic communication media suitable for eTandem, both asynchronous and synchronous, from the telephone and email to amateur radio and business-quality videoconferencing. Finally, the Electronic Network for Language And Culture Exchange (ENLACE) is introduced, a Webbased medium through which users of Windows, Macintosh, and Unix-based computers can find language learning partners and engage in eTandem language learning using synchronous text chat alone or in combination with video and/or audio conferencing.

Development of Comprehensibility and its Linguistic Correlates: A Longitudinal Study of Video‐Mediated Telecollaboration

“…The current study examined the change in comprehensibility and its linguistic correlates of 30 American learners of Japanese who engaged in a semester‐long conversational exchange with native‐speaking partners via Google Hangout . The interactional treatment was left naturalistic with focus on form reinforced via recast training (see the subsequent section on recast training ) based on major principles of eTandem that emphasize autonomy, reciprocity, and corrective feedback (Cziko, ; Little et al., ). The following research questions guided the study: …”

“…Among many possible approaches to telecollaboration, one of the most commonly adopted models is eTandem (Cziko, ), in which a pair of learners with different first languages team up and help each other learn their respective languages by making “native speaker voices a central part of the language learning experience” (O'Rourke, , p. 42). In this particularly autonomous yet collaborative learning set‐up, learners are expected to work for mutual understanding via negotiation for meaning (Long, ) and to provide corrective feedback, which is considered the “central overtly pedagogical element of a tandem partnership” (Little et al., , p. 39).…”

Observação pedagógica em contexto de aprendizagem telecolaborativa

“…Com o advento da internet, primeiramente surgiram projetos de troca de e-mail (Brammerts e Little, 1996;Cziko, 2004;Macaire, 2004;Woodin, 1997), que substituíram os projetos de penpals. Devido ao seu caráter de comunicação assíncrona, tais projetos eram mais fáceis de serem inseridos nas aulas de LE.…”

“…Uma das formas de se trabalhar com a telecolaboração no ensino de línguas que mais tem se destacado nas práticas atuais é a aprendizagem em eTandem (electronic-tandem) (Cziko, 2004;O'Dowd, 2011) ou teletandem, para usarmos o termo criado por Telles (2006) no projeto Teletandem Brasil: línguas estrangeiras para todos (doravante TTB) 2 .…”

Beyond the language classroom: researching MOOCs and other innovations

“…Tandems and e-tandems have been extensively analysed (Cziko, 2004;Lewis & Walker, 2003;Vassallo & Telles, 2006); other researchers (Brammerts, 2003;Guth & Helm, 2010;O'Dowd, 2007) also discuss language exchanges as sites of intercultural learning. Research has also centred on learner-to-learner interaction and feedback (Bruen & Sudhershan, 2015), motivation and engagement (Bruen & Sudhershan, 2015) and the impact of participating in a tandem to improve language, intercultural and digital skills (Gajek, 2014; see also Pomino & Gil-Salom, 2016).…”