Unlike some traditional teachers, who'd probably say I am distorting all the main principles that have ever been established in English language methodology, I believe that many social networking services can and should be used for language learning. One of the most available, accessible and probably popular way would be organising chats in chat rooms or discussions via the comment and posting sections on social networks. For the sake of convenience, I refer to these forms of language exchange as 'chats'.
Now there are two forms of chats that can be used, written or text chats and voice chats. The text chat option does not necessarily have to be synchronous, i.e. participants can choose not to post their answer or comment right away as such language exchange does not necessarily have to be in real time. It will probably depend on the the student group and how willing they are to particiapte in a particular form of language exchange. Either way, the benefits are immense if the teacher uses chats appropriately.
It is my opinion that for the purpose of practising speaking skills, it is better to start with text chats because they are far more practical to realise and control. More importantly, shy students as well as those who feel less comfortable when speaking will more gladly accept to chat whereas those who like 'talking', will talk or write anyway, as long as they are allowed to have some form of conversation. In time, the teacher may slowly switch to voice chat. The gradual shift will then be less painful even for the most insecure students.
The next step would be to choose an adequate service. There are many chat rooms available online where native speakers from other countries gladly accept to chat. However, this might not be the safest way to introduce in a language group which is why I find it better to establish chat groups with students taught by a colleague of yours anywhere in the world. A closed group can be formed, via any of the available social networks, such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. For the sake of keeping it easy to manage, it would be better to invite only one colleague and their students to chat. Your colleague and you could both be the administrators, access to the group would be controlled and the exchange via the group page would be monitored by both of you.
Setting up such a group does not take too much time and what is more, sessions can be planned ahead, topics can be pre-defined and the exchange on the various topics can be prevented from meandering by having the students stick to the point and by reminding them of the topic. Alternatively, students can be allowed to chat freely.
With older students, chats could easily be turned into strings of discussion with a predefined topic, the topic might be a direct follow-up to some unit from class, the chat could be scheduled at a particular time or dragged out over a certain period, etc. Possibilities are endless and any of the available social networks would serve such an end rather well.
Here is what could be done in a Legal English course:
1. Create a group on Facebook together with a colleague of yours and name it appropriately. A recognisable group name should be chosen. For instance, Legal English students in [country 1] and [country 2]
2. Invite students to join. A more practical way would be to tell the students to search for the group on Facebook and ask to join.
3. Ask your colleague to do the same with their students.
4. Set up a topic. For instance: The implementation of regular addiction tests in the work place
5. Start chatting by proposing the argument you would like them start with. For instance: Regular addiction tests should be implemented in every work place regardless whether the laws in the country have statutary regulations stipulating such testing.
Below is an authentic excerpt from a string of discussion conducted online in a Facebook group created two years ago based on the above presented outline. The students' names have to be kept confidential here and the emoticons the students used have been left out. Of course, both teachers knew exactly which group the students belonged to. It should also be noted that the language errors made by the students have been preserved. Later in the follow-up class, both teachers analysed the discussion with their respective student groups and explained all the identified language issues.
Here is the excerpt:
Teacher 1: I believe that regular addiction tests should be implemented in every work place regardless whether the laws in the country have statutary regulations stipulating such testing.
Teacher 2: I agree, and I think such regulations should cover all forms of addiction.
Student 1: I dont think alcohol addiction should be regulated as drug addiction. They are not same.
Student 2: That's not true. Addiction is addiction and consequences of mistakes provoked by intoxicated state of the mind in the work place are all dangerous.
Student 3: But if worker comes to work after drinking previous night?
Student 2: A hangover is dangerous also.
Student 4: That is not true.
Teacher 1: All right, let me just remind you that we should not discuss addiction but whether it should be tested.
Teacher 2: Guys, try to think of the reasons why an employer would like to have employees tested in the first place!
Student 5: I can think of mistakes somebody make when high or drunk.
Student 6: But you not think that boss will know when worker come on work high or drunk?
Student 1: Well, not always.
Student 3: I think people can be high and work.
Teacher 1: People, you are again meandering. Please, try to give us the reasons for the testing!
Student 5: May be prevent mistakes?
Student 6: Or as a warning?
Student 7: I remember we read about possibility that statute of company be changed.
Student 3: You mean predict addiction or testing.
Student 7: Testing.
Teacher 2: Now, that is a good point. Let us now see what an employer would have to do in order to enable such change of statute. Does anybody remember?
Student 3: I remember. Company must have EGM, right?
Teacher 2: Correct! What else?
As can be seen, the discussion was rather productive. Hopefully, this will encourage fellow teachers to try out this idea.
