As a bilingual/ESL certified teacher (PreK-12, BTW), I was always on the look-out for ways to encourage my students to interact with each other...both in their primary, as well as target, language. One opportunity that I wish had been available is a simple phone.

Most classrooms lack telephones, but because of GradeSpeed and Internet access, we all do have access to computers. These computers can be transformed into phones using a free program known as Skype. More importantly, our classrooms can now connect with other classrooms, person to person, group to group via Skype conversations.

Consider this account of this language teacher in South Carolina and his students' experiences with students in Peru...what are the possibilities for students in YOUR classroom?

Chris is a teacher in South Carolina. He sent me a link to his blog where he documents a project of his to use Skype to videoconference with another class who is thousands of miles away in Peru in South America. Apparently it went fine and the kids loved it.

Schools used to be isolated entities. You went to your school and you heard from your teachers. I don’t remember too much about other schools, except if there was some competition and we had to compete against them. Now with tools like Skype that make affordable global videoconferencing available to classrooms on a tight budget, the world is smaller than ever.

Ten years ago, the differences between the two cultures would have been significantly more profound. Widespread adoption of the Internet, popular music, television and other flatteners have created a global culture. My kids knew the same shows, listened to some of the same bands (artists) and spoke some of the same vernacular. The true flattening moment for my kids was when they realized that all of the Peruvian students were at least bilingual. Some are trilingual. My students are figuring out that if they intend to compete for work in ten years, it is high time they step it up. The competition is getting fierce, and the cultural differences are shrinking.

Are you ready to do this in your language learning classroom?