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Thinking of introducing e-paling as a class activity? You may find it useful to read these suggestions formulated by teachers who have done this, before  writing your invitation to seek out a partner class.


  1. Explain your objectives and interests. Why does this type of activity suit your need?
  2. What specific activities would you like to engage your students in? Give examples to illustrate.
    What will the students write about? What will be exchanged? Keep in mind that students can also exchange classwork, present events or class projects that are on-going or have taken place, comment and ask questions of  material received. You may want to consider an exploratory phase aimed at identifying a set of questions to be addressed by both classes. Is the cross-cultural dimension important? How so?
  3. E-paling generaly involves one to one communications (students are paired). However, in a class context, it can be very useful to include some class to class or team to team communications. Each of these approaches has its advantages and its limitations:
    •  One to one (paired) : each student is personaly engaged. However, it's more difficult to recuperate individual contributions so that the whole class can benefit. Class management can become difficult.
    • Team to team: members of a team contribute to content, also facilitates organisation when students are absent because of illness, etc.
    • Class to class: good way of introducing a theme, a question, of wrapping things up or as a send off to a new phase, a refresher... Can contribute to renewed motivation and give direction to the whole class. Well suited to preliminary work such as familiarising students with a specific vocabulary or new concepts.
    A mix of these approches can help. Make your preferences known.
  4. If you opt for pairing of students or even for a team to team approach using E-mail, consider waiting until the whole class has finished writing before sending out the messages. Send them all together, organisation is simpler and both you and the partner class always know exactly where things are at.
  5. E-mail is often the prefered mode of communication. But some have used a forum for example, because of the ease with which one can folow an series of exchages through the use of threading. Chatting, audio or videoconferencing, blogging, etc. are other possibilities.
  6. Plan a sequence of phases, stepwise, timewise; don't let things become interminible, bring closure at the appropriate time. If there is trouble talk it over with partner teacher, adjust.
  7. Would something be gained by working with more than one partner class? In succession? At the same time?
  8. Communication between students must be paraleled by regular communication between the teachers involved, so as to ensure a harmonious and productive experience.
  9. Be open to adjustments as partner teacher brings his or her observations.
  10. Publish your annoncement and find a partner class.