Tandem language learning

Tandem is a language learning method, in which two people teach each other the respective foreign language with a different mother tongue.

General Background

Basically, the two partners can meet in person (face-to - tandem ) or by e -mail, telephone or other media learning ( eTandem, also distance - tandem ). Learning can happen in different ways, with templates, textbooks or just in casual conversation. There are totally autonomous forms (tandem partnership of two people, supported by consultants ) and others that promote independent learning ( binational tandem course for groups, organized by moderators). Often the practice method depends on how well you have mastered the language. In the classical principle applies: Half of the time is devoted to a person, the other half of the other person.

Tandem has long been scientifically monitored. The facilities that use tandem, form the tandem network. Through numerous studies, the concomitant effects of tandem secured especially for the free speech and the development of listening comprehension, also that of the eTandems for reading comprehension. The writing skill depends on the quality of the corrections. Prerequisite for participation in the autonomous tandem are basic.

Tandem story

The origins of the idea " Languages ​​in exchange" are in the process of teaching exchanges of students abroad, the Partner Learning, " peer teaching ", tutors models and " two properties ". We distinguish several stages:

• The term " tandem " for a pair of like learning language first appeared in 1971 in connection with the " Audiovisual Method" at Wambach, from there he was transferred to the binational courses since 1968 held at the Franco-German youth exchanges. In this context, particularly the names Bazin, Göbel, Robert Jean, Leupold, Gaston Schott, Raasch, Scherfer, Wambach, Wessling, Zindler and Zamzow and the facilities German -French Youth Office, Working Group Applied Linguistics French, Bureau International de Liaison et Documentation and language Institute Tübingen mentioned.
• 1979 suggested Klaus Love Harkort Jürgen Wolff to develop the tandem - learning partner - intermediation, first for Spanish and German. The result was from 1982, in collaboration with Marisa Delgado, Bernhard people and Gracia Martín Torres also suggests a program, organization then worn by the former co-operative ' Centro Cultural Hispano- Alemán Tandem', forerunner of today's ' Escuela Internacional Madrid tandem '. The single agency later became the basis for the tandem network.
• From 1983 began as a result of a lively publication, travel and training activities the rapid spread of the idea, mainly through the creation of small " alternative schools " one. The material for individual mediation was transferred to almost all major European languages ​​. The network structure facilitated courses abroad, youth exchanges, tours of cultural events, class correspondence and similar cross-border activities.

Purpose

Tandem is an approach for all ages, from children to seniors. It can be used in kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, vocational schools and training institutions, youth organizations, universities and colleges, teacher training, adult education, are employed in establishments in the trade union education and work with migrants.

It is the land of a course group, in the land of another group, feasible together on a Drittort, cross-border or on the Internet. It combines many goals under one roof:

• General language tandem,
• Cultural exchange oriented encounter tandem,
• Professional specialist Tandem,
• Antiracist Intercultural Tandem,
• Multilingual Babylonia-Tandem,
• Transboundary Mugaz gain and
• ETandem the Internet

As a form of autonomous learning offers flexibility of content: conversation, storytelling, reading, professional activities (making and interpreting, translation ... ), leisure activities, cross-cultural differences. Tandem has become a language learning method to an educational movement. Tandem procedures are in kindergartens, public schools, school trips, youth exchanges, binational organizations such as the FGYO and DPJW on VHS, Goethe Institutes and similar adult education institutions, universities under the Erasmus programs, and in teacher education and training, used in companies as a professional tandem and with immigrants as Intercultural tandem, researched and developed.

Effects

First, the technical discussion focused mainly on the question of effectiveness in comparison with the conventional language teaching. For this reason, an investigation was conducted in the ' pioneer days ' tandem 1983 at the Goethe- Institut Madrid carried out, connected to each other in the individual tandem, tandem course and teacher controlled phases and the linguistic progress with a control group were compared. Both were prepared for the ' Certificate of Foreign Language '. It was found that the tandem node sections in the skills of listening and speaking better in reading and writing was weaker, and the certificate took off a whole as well. As a further advantage the mutual error correction has been called the ' Intake ' is higher than in large classes.

In tandem it's always been an equal combination of ' languages ​​understand and learn ' understanding cultures and get to know ' the. Accordingly, a critical analysis of its viability must also investigate this second ' pillar '. It turned out that in tandem can take place a change of perspective and comparison own and other internal and external perspective. This is very helpful in translator training.

Native speakers also report of an increase in the awareness of their own language in the course of the tandem, so it is suitable as a kind of pre- internship in private for teacher education. With regard to the necessity and quality of the advice it is considered essential in a practical introduction at the beginning of the tandem, the following ' basic tools ' to give to the path:

• Metakommunikationsformeln to the demands in the foreign language for the learner role, and
• Most important explanatory techniques in the first language, for learning helper role.

For agencies with large numbers of participants, the presented "Cocktail mediation", in which many people simultaneously form after an introduction in tandem partnerships, to be as effective as the mediation with questionnaire and imagination out. This form, which saves a lot of effort and at universities often is the only viable, does not harm the quality. It can therefore be recommended as equivalent form of learning partner determination, under the condition that for left heart previously announced the possibility of mediation questionnaire. The results of the people without any support in the linguistic field are weaker, which is consistent with the mediation experience. The achievement of cultural goals seems to be strongly dependent on other factors, it reaches people who were not taught even higher values ​​. After the probable course in self- search in demand, says in all groups a third to a half that the tandem would have been the same. Some differentiate between search and gradient, that is, they see the placement / Acquaintance event not as a guarantee of success, but as a facilitating partner finding.

In another study, tandem partner in Bozen / Bolzano and Merano, who learned together for more than one year and may be considered as 'experts', accordingly, asked about their experiences were. In this way also, criteria for good tandems ' are extrapolated. There were (in order of frequency, multiple answers possible): human understanding / sympathy, common interests, time availability, punctuality / reliability, consistency, common goals. The support at the beginning was regarded by all as important to start up or " seed ".

The Tandem Network also co-operated with the ' International ( email) Tandem Network ', which had been founded as a ribo 1992 by Helmut Brammerts, Ruhr- University Bochum. Besides began more and more public institutions such as universities, community colleges, Goethe Institutes and even primary schools to gain experience with the procedure. The cooperative ' alpha beta' in Bolzano / Bozen and Meran ( o) began in 1991 to apply the tandem principle to the entire Alto Adige / Südtirol region. Later, the founding of Tandem Foundation, owner of the copyrights and brand ' Tandem' followed, and language school association Tandem International. Was started in 2009 with the quality certification for the negotiations.

Tandem facilities

• Tandem Fundazioa: Tandem Foundation, material pool for learners and tandem switches.
• Tandem Community: 'Tandem International ' / Juan Ancosmez: Meet the Internet
• Tandem International: founded in 2002, association of language schools with license from Tandem Fundazioa
• Tandem Server Bochum / Tandem Agency: By Helmut Brammerts and Karin Kleppin operated ( renaming of the company founded in 1994 'International (email ) Tandem Network' server )