Connecting cultures online through e-pal program

The scale at which the world is measured can be difficult to grasp, especially for high school students who have yet to explore all that it has to offer.

In order to help students realize the variety of cultures that occupy the massive expanse of a world they live in, Lind-Ritzville High School (LRHS) Spanish I and II classes reached out to create online pen pals, or e-pals.

LRHS Spanish teacher, Kathy McAnally, has led students through pen-pal programs in the past.

She explained, “I have done this four or five times over the last 15 years or so.”

Making the connection online is a newer concept, however. The students are participating in the program through Edmodo.com, an online learning network designed to connect kindergarteners through twelfth grade students and their teachers to resources they need to succeed, all across the globe.

Founded in 2008, Edomodo currently has 63 million student and educator members worldwide. The founders of Edmodo write, “[We’re] dedicated to connecting all learners with the people and resources they need to reach their full potential… Edmodo was created to bring education into a 21st century environment.”

E-pals help to network students together and build lasting international relationships in an era driven by technology. McAnally explains her inspiration was “to make the use of the second language more meaningful and real for the students. If they are using both English and Spanish to communicate with new friends in a new culture, they have a real purpose for the learning to take place.”

“Also,” she continued, “with the constant use of social media by today’s teens and the prevalent use of apps on their phones, it makes it easier to use out of class time as well as in class time for communication to take place.”

The Spanish I classes have been communicating with students their age from Spain, while the Spanish II classes will soon be communicating with students from Peru.

“I find international classroom teachers on the site Epals.com to find other teachers that share my goals of connecting classrooms for the sake of improving language skills and insight into other cultures,” McAnally explained.

“We then invite only that teacher and their students to enter into our virtual classroom [on Edmodo.com] to communicate. You have to have a special code to enter the classroom and the teacher is in total control of what is said and by whom.”

“It is all very safe and strictly monitored,” she added.

Students in the Spanish I classes have been enjoying the process of getting to know their e-pals.

Student Rachel Schell said, “I love the concept of not just learning about a culture or town, but to actually get to communicate with people of that culture. It creates bonds and friendships. I’m really excited about it!”

Jessa Hoeft’s favorite aspect also revolves around networking.

She explained, “ learning about what people my age do in other countries and getting to know people from other countries.”

“My favorite part is learning about all the differences and similarities between the different cultures!” said Alarah Pierce-Pulliam. “I like hearing what other kids my age in different countries do on a regular basis.”

Pierce-Pulliam is also a fan of the Edmodo.com app that students can use on their mobile devices to access forums they share with their e-pal: “It’s way more convenient and I can interact with the students outside of school.”

Although the students have just begun the program, there is a high chance the relationships they build with their e-pals will be sustained for many years. This is only one of several benefits students glean from the process.

“The biggest benefit to participating in the activity is that authentic communication is taking place through the language that is being taught in class every day,” McAnally concluded.

“Students learn other interesting facts about people their own age in other countries by reading and writing in a second language. It makes the foreign language real and useful in a natural setting which doesn’t happen unless you speak with a native speaker.”