HOW TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE BY DOING ‘TANDEM’

From chatting to a face-to-face meeting:  The language tandem 

If someone would ask me what is one of the best ways to learn a language I would mention the possibility to make a language tandem.

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What is a language tandem?**

A language tandem is basically a conversation exchange, only that the idea behind it is most of all to use the language you want to practice and to use then your mother tongue as well, so that your conversation partner can practice too.

Learn from the nature!

Why is this supposed to be one of the best ways to learn a foreign language in my opinion? Observe the nature. If you just think how a child learns its own mother tongue you will observe that this mainly happens by imitation. For imitating you need, obviously, a role model that is the native speaker in this case.                                                                   Audiobooks, Podcasts? Cool! Conversation with a native? Even better!

Of course you could also just listen to an audiobook or to a podcast – what is without any doubts a great way to improve one’s listening skills and to passively improve one’s pronunciation. That should not be forgotten.

 However, it is only a passive way to practice your language abilities and actively communicating with a native is much more fun and interesting. You can learn about the other country and culture at this way as well. Furthermore, your conversation partner can correct your mistakes at once.

Discover the possibilities of a language tandem

How to do such a tandem? There are several ways to do such language tandems. For a start you can begin with chatting on the internet with native speakers. There are several websites where you can find nice people who might share your interests and speak the language you want to learn. The first international chat forum I would like to suggest you here is called Interpals.

Interpals – a huge variety of language and culture exchange

On Interpals you can find people from almost every spot of the world. Consequently, there will surely be also a native speaker for the language you are looking for, too. There is even an option called “language exchange” to directly looking for a person whose aim is to learn your mother tongue.

What might be disturbing about Interpals

While the positive characteristic of this page is its variety, the negative aspect of this page in my opinion is that everyone (as long as you haven’t blocked that person’s age, continent/country or sex) can write you all the time, so it can happen that you receive several messages at once sometimes.

English, baby! – The more relaxed way to find tandem partners

On the website English, baby! you cannot see anyone online and in the most cases people will only write you after you have accepted their friendship request. You have more time to focus on writing your messages this way.

English,baby! – Limited to English

There are also many people to exchange with, but compared with Interpals the variety of countries and languages is limited, especially when it comes to English native speakers since it is a website made for people who learn English.

Fun ways to improve your English

 Differently to Interpals on English, baby! there are little English vocabulary quizzes, weekly English tests with audio records and sometimes videos and several forums to discuss many topics.

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Possibility one of a tandem – Chatting

Exchanging by chatting with a native speaker is a great way to begin using your target language. You feel less nervous to use it because you have more time to think how you are going to write your sentence. Also, your conversation partner can easier correct your mistakes because he has more time to read it and the same applies when you want to correct a mistake of your conversational partner.

Hello there!

Later you can try out a tandem by a video call. Many people have an excuse not to learn a foreign language by saying that first they need to go to the country where their target language is spoken. Since we live in the 21st century this is not necessary. Technology is advanced enough to enable you to make video calls across a large distance.

Learn more and pay less

By doing this you even have a bigger chance to have a good exchange than actually being in the foreign country. How come? How often did you have the chance to hold a long conversation as a tourist with a resident in your target language? I am sure the most of you would agree that it doesn’t happen too often.  So in other words; learn more and pay less.

The face-to-face meeting – internet meets reality

If you want and have the opportunity you could even meet up with a pen pal and have a real face –to- face conversation. Personally I think this is the most exciting way to make a tandem. You could go to drink a coffee together or just walk around. At this way you will not only talk, but you will comment what you both see.

The same happens when a child learns its mother tongue. It experiences its environment and observes the linguistically reactions of the “bigger ones”.

Do not underestimate precaution

Before you do such meeting, you should have talked on Skype (or another program to make a video call) at least once with the person you are going to meet. Even if the person you communicate with seems totally trustworthy you should always be careful, there are enough people who fake their real identity. Furthermore, you should arrange the meeting at a crowed place. It’s never bad to be careful enough in such matters.  

Two ways: switching or mixing

When it comes to a tandem you can either both talk in one language first and switch to the other language later. Another way to do the tandem is when you both talk in the foreign language. If you are a Spanish native speaker and your tandem partner is an English native speaker, you would talk in English and the other one would reply in Spanish. At first it is a bit strange to do so and you will probably sometimes automatically reply in the language the other one uses at that moment, but after a certain time you get used to it.

Now it’s your turn!

 In case you will try such a tandem, you will see how easy it actually is and that it is a really nice way to improve one’s language abilities. You will not only gain more when it comes to your language skills, but maybe you could even gain a new friend as well. 🙂

Have you ever tried a tandem before?

Share your experience with us!