Making Friends through Email while Practicing ESL

For week five, I didn’t have many relevant ESL technology articles; however, one article caught my attention because it put a new age spin on good, old fashioned letters.  That’s right, ESL students at the Snohomish High School are practicing their L2 English writing skills by emailing letters to community member pen pals.  How cool and refreshing to know that the students are carrying on the tradition of getting to know someone through writing letters!  The article by Melanie Russell of the Tribune in Snohomish in Washington on June 28th also discussed the positive effective the ESL teacher had on her students, the school, and the people in the school district.  The teacher helped her students overcome shyness by emailing letters once a week throughout the school year while teaching and instilling online etiquette and safety.  The email letters included the students’ and the community members' hobbies, favorites, and activities.  Lastly, the pen pal writing activity resulted in improved writing scores.  Better yet, the activity strengthened communication skills and created a community bond for those involved. I like this activity so much, that I will be sure to incorporate it with my future ESL students. Thanks for reading and Happy 4th of July - God Bless America!

Click here to read: ESL Pen Pals

P.S. I have had no luck with Zangu yet.  I am now registered and logged in, but Spanish is not available yet.  So...to be continued….