Abstract:

Tandem language learning is an approach rarely used in Canada to teach second languages in elementary and secondary classes. The face-to-face exchanges are limited and not accessible to all the students. Information and communication technologies provide an interesting solution to offer exchange opportunities for all and can be easily included in educational activities. Some teachers use the free version of different software to have their students communicate with other partners but these free platforms are not totally adapted to tandem language learning, for instance the exchanges cannot be saved for feedback and they do not allow the teachers to find partners. A web platform, Tandem Canada, was created to address the issues of this language learning approach when it is used in a class. The platform is composed of a web interface, a registration module that allows the teachers to register their classes and find partners, and an exchange space to create tandem learning activities with different asynchronous and synchronous tools. The platform is safe and complete: all registration requests are validated, no commercial software is used, and it offers technological and pedagogical resources to make exchanges activities. It is hosted on university campus and can be exploited for academic research. The platform has been available since Fall 2018 and first observations have been done. Only 25% of the registered teachers have used exchange activities and 75% of those teachers have chosen the videoconferencing tool. These observations show that the integration into language classes is not obvious; there are two aspects to consider: the new language learning approach on one side, and the technology on the other. In this paper, the platform will be described as well as the observations made before and during the Covid19 pandemic in order to propose issues to implement this language learning approach into classes using a web platform. Further investigation is also necessary, specially the analysis of the teachers’ and students’ feedback is crucial as well as that of principals and parents.

Keywords:

Tandem language learning, Computer assisted language learning, Experience feedback.