This is a Skype chat I had a week or so ago with a Chinese English learner called Stella (name changed). She found me on Skype, I sometimes put my online status to Skype me to see who responds to my profile message.

Towards the end of our chat Stella did call me and we exchanged a few words but they got less frequent and in the end she just typed and didn’t speak, despite having said her speaking was better than her writing and calling me to prove it/practice her English with me.

My comments to Stella are fairly self-explanatory, but as millions of English learners go online to sites like Italki.com, Livemocha.com, Myngle.com and many others to experience language exchange and real English practice, I have found (and I have been mucking about with Skype users in China and elsewhere for language practice purposes since mid-2005) that they need structure and some kind of focus to the conversation before they make the call.  Otherwise they run out of things to say and they don’t get the most that they can from the time that friendly English speakers like me give them.

[26/03/2009 14:53:17] Stella:  hello this is the chinese girl,

[27/03/2009 11:20:35] Stella: Hello! Please add me to your Contact list.

[27/03/2009 11:51:04] Jason West: Jason West has shared contact details with Stella.

[27/03/2009 11:52:05] Jason West: Hi there Stella...sorry I was on the phone. Nice to meet you.  let me know if I can be of any help.

[27/03/2009 12:49:02] Stella:  nice to meet you

[27/03/2009 12:49:08] Stella:  are you there

[27/03/2009 12:49:17] Jason West: Yup

[27/03/2009 12:49:43] Stella:  what?

[27/03/2009 12:50:09] Jason West: I am here :)

[27/03/2009 12:50:17] Stella:  oh ,,

[27/03/2009 12:50:24] Stella:  my english is poor

[27/03/2009 12:50:29] Jason West: A bit busy at the moment so I cannot really chat but I am happy to in the future

[27/03/2009 12:50:47] Stella:  ok,,,

[27/03/2009 12:51:14] Jason West: No worries...have a look at this, download it and give it a go, it is how we teach and how you can use our materials and the internet to improve your English, it works.

[27/03/2009 12:51:33] Jason West: http://www.languagesoutthere.com/categories/FREE-ENGLISH-LESSON-PLANS

[27/03/2009 12:52:04] Jason West: There is a low level plan with Chinese instructions, we have a lot more liek that.

[27/03/2009 12:52:26] Stella:  thank you

[27/03/2009 12:52:43] Jason West: No prob, let me know how it goes?  How did you find me?

[27/03/2009 12:57:19] Stella:  SKYPE me at the top to find you

[27/03/2009 12:58:22] Stella:  are you busy now ?

[27/03/2009 12:58:28] Jason West: ok, cool

[27/03/2009 12:58:46] Jason West:  Yes, I am I have something I need to concentrate on and do, but do contact me again

[27/03/2009 12:59:12] Stella:  oh ,,,see you

[27/03/2009 13:00:07] Jason West: bye, thanks for getting in touch

[14:03:49] Stella:  hello

[14:03:52] Stella:  are you there

[14:05:04] Jason West: hi yes, how can I help, how are you?

[14:05:20] Stella:  fine thanks

[14:05:26] Stella:  and you

[14:06:15] Jason West: not bad, but tired and trying to get back into working, we justhad a holiday here in the UK

[14:06:50] Stella:  oh,,,i see

[14:07:33] Stella:  don't let me stop you

[14:08:01] Jason West: nah, don't worry... :)

[14:08:20] Jason West: did you have a go with the lesson I showed you?

[14:08:21] Stella:  hehe,,

[14:08:52] Stella:  lesson i showed you?

[14:09:09] Stella:  but don't understand

[14:09:38] Jason West: Yeah, I sent yu this link and said have a go with the lesson plan that has Chinese instructions:

[14:09:42] Jason West: http://www.languagesoutthere.com/categories/FREE-ENGLISH-LESSON-PLANS

[14:10:05] Stella:  oh,,,you are teacher

[14:10:12] Jason West: They help you to practise speaking and listening..

[14:10:24] Stella:  oh,,

[14:10:27] Stella:  my english is poor

[14:10:38] Jason West: I thought you contacted me about improving your English?

[14:10:55] Stella:  really

[14:11:27] Jason West: Yeah

[14:12:17] Stella:  ok

[14:12:29] Jason West: why, was I wrong???

[14:14:41] Stella:  How in your opinion can I improve my English

[14:15:26] Jason West: How long have you studied english for?

[14:16:31] Stella:  4years ago

[14:17:10] Jason West: What level do you think you are?

[14:18:18] Stella:  i think my english is very poor

[14:19:14] Jason West: ok

[14:19:32] Jason West: is your writing and reading worse than your speaking?

[14:20:13] Stella:  im good at speaking

[14:20:28] Stella:  no writing

[14:20:46] *** Call from Stella, duration 12:16. ***

[14:20:50] Jason West: that's interesting...it suggests you taught yourself by talking to people...

[14:22:45] Jason West: write

[14:23:08] Jason West:  write it

We had a very short conversation and I showed Stella how to write words the other person can’t understand in the chat box, which helps communication.  She became quieter and quieter and ended up just writing and not speaking and I’m used to using Skype to talk and teach and being very patient and encouraging to the person on the other end.

[14:25:17] Stella:  when you visit to china

[14:25:25] Stella:  hehe

[14:28:01] Stella:  ok

[14:28:13] Stella:  i say ,get off work now

[14:28:20] Stella:  yes

[14:28:34] Stella:  what

[14:28:59] Stella:  sorry

[14:29:38] Stella:  my english is poor

[14:29:43] Stella:  (sweat)

[14:30:57] Stella:  thanks

[14:31:14] Stella:  no

[14:32:56] Jason West: www.italki.com

[14:33:12] *** Call ended ***

[14:33:24] Stella:  i m writing

[14:33:36] Jason West: ok

[14:33:49] Stella:  ;(

[14:34:07] Jason West: I have to do my work but do contact me again and do have a look at those lesson plans and use them before you speak to someone.

[14:35:38] Jason West: What happened today with you just now was that you wanted to practise your English with me but you didn't know what to say or what to talk about. Our lesson plans give you some language to practise and then give you something to talk about when you call someone.  it is really easy and everything is explained in Chinese.

[14:35:40] Stella:  ok ,,thanks

[14:36:36] Jason West: Don't worry, give it a go and use the lesson plan and then give me a call as it says in the instructions.

[14:36:39] Jason West: Ok?