I always see people asking about how to set up pen pal exchanges with other schools on social media. If you are a part of my Facebook group, you know I have posted some things that I do for the exchange. I have also posted to Twitter @CreativeASL my new pen pal connection with a state school for the deaf. Since there have been so many questions surrounding this topic, I thought I would address them all in one post.
So you want to do an exchange…
Setting up an exchange is not that difficult. So what are some things you will need to know in order to set up an exchange? Consider these questions:
- Who will you connect with?
- Are language skills compatible?
- How will you connect?
- Do you have common goals?
- Do you have a vision for the length of time needed?
- Do you have administration and parent support?
- How will you grade the exchanges?
- Will students feel comfortable during the exchange?
Let’s talk about why you should do an exchange…
Before we answer your burning questions, let’s talk about why you should do an exchange. My “why” do this exchange came to me because I am always asking my students to complete tasks in real-world settings. I will assign tasks saying “connect to a deaf person for this purpose” or “pretend you are making a call to your deaf client and xxxxx.” I wanted my students to actually experience this. I wanted them to actually be forced to communicate using what they had learned.
How to make a pen pal exchange happen…
Before you start, you need to find a teacher willing to join in this adventure with you. You don’t have to personally know the co-teacher, but it does help to have someone with your same teaching philosophy. You both need to decide the outcome and share a common goal for your students.
You will want a group of students that have the same language skills as your students. You don’t want an ASL 2 class connecting with students at the residential school or a level 1 class with a level 4 class.
If you are planning to use live connections through technology such as Zoom, House Party, or Google Meet, you will need to make sure you and the co-teacher are in the same time zone and have classes at the same time. You will also need to make sure both parties have the same access to technology.
If this won’t be a live meetup, you can use other online resources to connect. I like Canvas because of all the features it offers. I can place written work, video work, or instructions in the class. Students can post written or video work and comment on others’ responses. Other options for this are Flipgrid and Google Classroom.
What is your goal…
It is also important that you have a goal in mind and the co-teacher shares a similar vision. If you both have different ideas for the exchange, then it won’t work.
You will need to decide if this pen pal exchange will be a one time meet up or a long-term connection. You will also need to decide how often you will need to connect. Will it be one time a week? Twice a month?
Will your exchange be a project to be completed together like the creation of a movie or documentary? Will the exchange be with the purpose of just getting to know each other? Will you be working on a cultural discovery together? This should be planned out before the exchange takes place.
Support is imperative…
You will need to make sure you have support from your administration. Most admin teams will find this collaborative effort a positive in the 21st century. It totally connects to all the standards we try to address in the classroom. But do make sure you discuss with your admin team prior to starting this exchange.
Also, you will need to inform parents and guardians about this adventure and get permission slips signed. This is just a precaution and a way to keep families informed. Here is an example letter I send home.
Also, pump this idea up and get students excited about it. Make sure you encourage them to try their best. You might want to make the exchange happen in groups so students don’t feel as vulnerable. After you have connected a few times, maybe you can have students venture out on their own. First, build their confidence.
Scoring the exchange…
You will need to find a way to score the work that students are doing. Make sure you have a rubric in place for each exchange. Will the work be written or signed? Both?
I hope this helps you get started on your pen pal exchange. Don’t forget to share your successes and challenges in our Facebook group.
Stay tuned for more ideas about pen pal exchanges.
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