etwinning

orb · etwinning

I'm wondering if anyone has been involved in etwinning http://www.etwinning.net

What are your experiences? What type of project did you set up? Was it successful? Do you have any tips?

Many thanks

jog_on

Yes, we have used it.

Don't really want to give too much away, but it's fairly good!

orb

Thanks jog_on. I would like to set up a short project initially and I have registered and responded to a few schools who are looking to do a similar thing. I'm waiting for their replies. Did you have any difficulties with communicating with schools in other countries... either through language barriers or through delays in contact? These are the two main things I'm concerned about.

dillsage

I registered and had an email from a school in Spain - happened to hit lucky. I've tried links several times before and have only had the odd email back - this time we're regularly emailing each other every week, exchanging ideas, photos, videos etc. We haven't registered as an official link or project (I'd like to when I get time to think it out) but the children in both schools, and the teachers, have already got so much out of it after only 1/2 a term. I'm learning Spanish, so it's helping me practise the language too. Initially she tended to write in English, but I actually prefer most of it in Spanish. When I did a previous link with a school in Jamaica, there were no language barriers, but we set up links between individual children, and that did tend to give delays - we were both limited in access to our ICT resources, so it could be 2 or 3 weeks between contacts. With my Spanish link, most of the communication so far has been between the teachers, with attachments of pictures, sound files or videos. I'm sure we will get on to having the children communicating more directly (though they are all at an early stage in their 2nd language) - but they have go so much out of it already, finding out what the other class is doing and what they are learning about our language. They've learnt an English song and have sent us a Spanish one. We sent them a harvest song and photos of us digging up potatoes and a recording of us saying a few phrases in Spanish. They've just sent us photos of their Halloween celebrations (she was surprised that we didn't celebrate it in school) and I've tried to explain Bonfire Night. This with Spain link is one of the best things about school at the moment! I've even found their school on googleearth on the street view thing - you can even see children going into the school gates!

orb

Thank you dillsage. Great idea about Google Earth! I hope I manage to find a school that keeps regular contact like you have! It sounds like you and your children have gained a lot from it. I think I will keep contact between myself and the teacher initially... from what you say it seems like a lot can still be gained from doing it this way. Thank you for sharing your experiences.