In the past, many students could practice English with
penpals - they could send letters to people all around the world. With the
Internet, we now can have keypals - we can send emails to international friends
from around the world.
Here is some advice to help you succeed with your online
language exchanges:
1.
How to start a conversation when speaking
English online
When you want
to speak to somebody, start by asking "Yes or No" questions. Use
questions such as "Do you like to blah blah blah?" or "Can you
blah blah blah?" or "Have you ever blah blah blahed?".
Remember your
goal. You are trying to find the other person's interests. Think about things
you enjoy and try to find some common ground with the person you chat with.
2.
How to keep a conversation going
Listen carefully. In that way,
you can get to know somebody as an individual, not just as an online speaking
partner. When you know them well, you will have more to talk about.
Ask follow up questions. After
you listen, use what you hear to learn more about that person. Especially use
"open ended" questions, such as "What do you like most about
blah blah blah?" or "What was the most interesting experience you've
had while blah blah blahing?".
Share your own experiences to show
you have similar interests and attitudes. If you only ask questions, you will
sound a bit like a policeman! Let other people know about you, too.
3.
Basic Guidelines for Online English Conversation
Exchange
Be patient. Do not try to find
one best friend right away. Instead, meet many people so that you can see who
you really enjoy talking to and who enjoys talking to you. That way, you can
really build a friendship that will last a long time.
Be polite. Avoid controversial topics, for
example politics and religion, at least at the beginning. Later, when you know
somebody better, you can start to talk about their opinions on such topics, but
even after you know them, you should do it slowly and carefully!
Be careful. Don't give any
personal information on the Internet, especially your address and telephone
number, but even your real name. If somebody bothers you, do not respond to
them. Most chat rooms even have an "ignore" button so that you don't
have to listen to an annoying person. That "ignore" button is very
useful, so use it!