Support for the Less Commonly Taught Languages
Faculty of Foreign Languages at Moscow State University
Mandarin Chinese-English Teletandem Project
Partner School: Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages)
Between 2012 and 2017, I collaborated with a Mandarin Chinese instructor at VCU to develop virtual exchange opportunities for students in Chinese classes. We paired VCU students with pre-service EFL teachers at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, who used the exchanges as part of their teaching practicum. Despite significant time-zone challenges, the partnership demonstrated that teletandem can be successfully adapted to less commonly taught languages, creating valuable opportunities for authentic communication, language practice, and intercultural learning.
Project Highlights
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Support for Chinese and Russian language programs through virtual exchange
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Partnerships with universities in Taiwan and Russia
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Grant-funded innovation in Chinese language instruction
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Teletandem models for less commonly taught languages
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International research, conference presentations, and publications
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Expanded opportunities for authentic communication and intercultural learning
Click here for Chinese-English images and videos.
Russian-English Teletandem Project
Partner School: Lomonosov Moscow State University
Between 2014 and 2020, I collaborated with Dr. Natalia Boykova, Assistant Professor of Russian at Virginia Commonwealth University, to develop virtual exchange opportunities for Russian language students. Together, we established partnerships with faculty at several institutions in Moscow, with the most productive collaboration emerging with Professor Alla Nazarenko, Dean of Linguistics and Technology at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), Russia's premier university.
Our work culminated in a joint research project presented at the 7th International Scientific and Methodological Conference on Information and Communication Technologies in Linguistics, ELT, and Cross-Cultural Communication at MSU. We also co-authored the article Connecting Cultures, Languages, and Students through Teletandem: Building Bridges to Enhance Learning and Understanding, published in the Moscow State University Scientific Journal (Series 19: Linguistics and Intercultural Communication).
Click here for additional information, images, and publications.
Project Highlights
- Virtual exchange supporting Russian language instruction at VCU
- Partnership with Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU)
- Russian-English teletandem promoting authentic communication and intercultural learning
- International research collaboration, conference presentations, and scholarly publications
- Demonstrated the applicability of virtual exchange to less commonly taught languages
- Expanded opportunities for immersion and language practice for students of Russian