Chinese-English Teletandem (Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages)

I collaborated with VCU Chinese Instructor Dr. Yan Gao (2012-2017) on several experimental English-Chinese teletandem projects and co-wrote two funding proposals with her to enhance the Chinese language curriculum. One of these proposals was funded. We elected to work with our colleagues at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages (WUUL) in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Dr. Gao paired pre-service EFL student teachers at WUUL with her Chinese language students at VCU. Coordinating teletandem for LCTLs is far more restrictive than for Spanish-English or Portuguese-English scenarios. The vast time zone differences make it difficult, but not impossible, to create teletandem opportunities for students of Mandarin in the U.S. 

The WUUL students had to be online at 5 AM (Taiwanese time) to meet with the VCU students enrolled in an evening course, but they were willing to do it. The tandem exchange was slightly different, too. The Taiwanese students taught lessons of Chinese as a foreign language to the VCU students to gain credit-bearing practicum hours teaching real native speakers of English. They had much to gain from the teletandem activities. The VCU students also benefited from the exchange as they had supplemental instruction from a peer learner. Mandarin is difficult to learn. The teletandem activities did not minimize the learning curve but made the language more communicative and usable.

Click here for Chinese-English images and videos.