Maria de la Paz Adelia Peña Clavel - 'Learning from each other—Teletándem an environment for enhancing autonomy'

18 November 2019, 6pm GMT 

The Mediateca, the self-access centre at the UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) implemented tandem methodology to offer learners a chance to practice and develop their speaking skills with speakers from foreign universities in 1998 by using telecommunication tools. Since then, this project has grown and now offers these activities to students of French, Chinese, English, Korean German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Portuguese. However, there have been some difficulties to overcome.

Research has found out that teletandem can enhance the development of learner autonomy since it activates learning and communication strategies in learners (Peña, 2010; Telles, 2006).  Intercultural competences are also developed. However, some kind of learner training beforehand needs to be provided, if we want students be responsible for their learning.

The talk will give a brief account of the tandem methodology and principles; then, I will explain how we have implemented these sessions at the self-access centre and what instruments and activities students use during the teletandem sessions.

Maria de la Paz Adelia Peña Clavel has been the Coordinator of the Self Access Centre at the School of Languages, Linguistics and Translation-UNAM, Mexico since 2017. She is a tutor on the Online Diploma Course for Self-Access Language Learning Advisors since 2001. Her main interests are researching teletándem, agency, identity and autonomy in Language Learners. She is also interested in promoting the use of technology to promote learner autonomy and language learning.

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