How to Use Online Language Exchanges

When you learn a foreign language, it is important to spend as much time as possible listening to the language and speaking it. For many language learners, it is not possible to travel to other countries to participate in a language immersion program. With the advent of the Internet, students of other languages can connect with each other in several different ways to improve their language skills. Online language exchanges allow language students to connect with each other via online chat and e-mail exchanges.

Individuals post their language exchange classifieds at the ESL Teachers' Board website. You can e-mail the individual directly and connect when you are able to. Search daily to find people who want to learn your language and whose language you want to learn. A more organized way to find a language exchange partner is through a site such as My Language Exchange. Here, you search for the language you want to learn and input your native language to find partners who match your search. LingoPass is another language exchange site that offers language exchange services for free to registered members. Students can also hire language tutors through the site and take private lessons. Lingo Pass allows students of languages to host language lessons/discussions in their native language so that other students can learn from them. The "teacher" then earns point to use towards learning from other language learners that speak the language(s) they want to learn.

When you meet with your language exchange partner, you will chat via headset and microphone. You can also type your conversation, which makes it easier for both parties involved to see any troublesome words. Visual learners will find seeing difficult words written down appealing. Having a web cam can help facilitate your language exchange sessions. Your language partner will be able to see you form the words he or she is trying to learn in your language, and the same is also true for you. Seeing a native speaker's mouth and expressions when speaking in the language you are trying to learn can improve your ability to understand what is being said.

You can also choose to exchange e-mails with your language partner. This can help improve your writing skills in the language you want to learn. Ask your language partner to correct your grammar and spelling, and to help you build vocabulary by helping you find alternate words to ones you already know.

You should be able to use online chat programs such as Skype if you plan to be a language exchange partner. Typing skills are also important. Though your exchanges will likely take place through voice and video chat, you may still find it necessary to type something to your partner at times. If you want to share an article with your partner or a video you found on the Internet to discuss, you should also be comfortable copying and pasting hyperlinks to websites so that your partner can view the material you want to discuss.