[emzaz]

(Original post by Xurvi)
I'm a little sceptical.

It's a good idea on paper, but what do you expect to learn if you're speaking with people of your level or not-so-better than you? There are no fluent people in your list as far as I'm aware, and I'm afraid one would get used to do errors because of this.

Even on TSR sometimes people reply in a thread and all seem to agree on the translation or grammar one has posted, despite it being sometimes *very* wrong.

So I guess you'd need fluent people to talk to you? But then it takes time to correct someone decently. I remember spending sometimes one hour or more to check some text that was submitted here, because I had to make sure I was correct, I had to understand the grammar behind it (because I speak correctly by habit but there are loads of rules I forgot), and then I had to explain it in a clear, concise and educational way.

While the learner is happy to spend this time on learning, I know that I'd much rather revise my Japanese for my test tomorrow than "waste" time teaching. Writing is fine, I write when I can and I'm not asked to always check everything that people ask on this subforum (thank god) but speaking suggests similar availability (hai timezones, good thing we're almost all GMT or GMT+1) of both the learner and the teacher.

Then again, I've been told I was being overly negative during the last two days. What I think is serveraly lacking anyway is: fluent people/natives, availability of the members. The ideal case would be that couples emerge: ie if one is to be taught French by a French person, they should return the favour by teaching English or whatever language they're fluent in. So we have a real interaction and both get something out of it.

It's more for practice really but I do see where you're coming from - you make a lot of good points! I made the thread because I find it difficult to practice speaking on my own which is inevitable when you only have a certain amount of time with language teachers and language teaching assistants (natives) and I wondered if other people had the same problem. It's more to help with that rather than teach other people etc. I was also thinking about the main issues for exams which tend to be about fluency and reaction which are hard to develop/improve whilst speaking to a tape recorder or mirror hahah!

P.s. Good luck with your Japanese exam! ^_^ All the best and thanks for the feedback!

[Xurvi]

(Original post by emzaz)
It's more for practice really but I do see where you're coming from - you make a lot of good points! I made the thread because I find it difficult to practice speaking on my own which is inevitable when you only have a certain amount of time with language teachers and language teaching assistants (natives) and I wondered if other people had the same problem. It's more to help with that rather than teach other people etc. I was also thinking about the main issues for exams which tend to be about fluency and reaction which are hard to develop/improve whilst speaking to a tape recorder or mirror hahah!

P.s. Good luck with your Japanese exam! ^_^ All the best and thanks for the feedback!

Yeah, I know, and I guess good on you for making this step as it shows your motivation to work.

It's true the spontaneity is something to strive for. I sometimes start the conversation in Japanese with classmates though we never speak much. But since we're learning we don't catch each other's errors and it's a vicious circle which ends in us having sort of developed our own dialect, like how siblings whose parents speak two languages often create a mix of these languages.

Anyway, your idea is nice and as a matter of fact exists elsewhere. For instance, livemocha.com and lang-8 have this system, sort of. You contact people in the language you want to speak in who want to speak the language you do and this way you have a win/win situation and eventually exchange skype names. Have a look.
If you find natives willing to help, good on you but I don't think you will so instead I guess you could share with the others the nicknames of the people you've met on the websites I mentioned, for instance, who are nice, who speaks French, who speaks Italian etc.

Ha, thanks, I'll need it. Speaking exam I haven't even started preparing so I guess I'll just improvise!

[sunfowers01]

Is the anyone would would like to practice French and Spanish at university level?

[emzaz]

(Original post by sunfowers01)
Is the anyone would would like to practice French and Spanish at university level?

Tom_Sg (on the list on the first page) is french so if you PM then they might practice with you

[SharkofMirkwood]

Hmm you can add me to the list for Spanish if you want.
I'm studying it at A2 level at the moment but am pretty fluent (used to live there)... Could probably still do with some practice for the exam though

Am sometimes kinda busy though, so would mostly only be up for text chatting or whatever. But yeah, should be available to say hi sometimes.

[Sem193]

I'd be up for too. I'm learning Spanish AS now. I just need to sort a few things out with Skype.

[ChrisRawlings]

Spanish and German A2 level!
Also Italian GCSE and British Sign Language level 1

[Le Récamier]

English and French Fluent (both mother tongues.)
Chinese upper intermediate (currently living in Beijing.)
Spanish intermediate.
Japanese intermediate.
Korean elementary.

PS: Willing to chat to anyone, but preferably people interested in the last 4 languages. Ideally a spanish speaker cause that's the language I don't get to practice here.

[littlepotatoe]

I'm French if anybody wants some help it'd be with pleasure

[SiaSiaSia]

French, got an A* in a-level last year but now am a lot better than that as I've been living and studying in France for two months. Not sure where that classes me! I'm between B1-B2 standard according to the european framework

[SiaSiaSia]

(Original post by littlepotatoe)
I'm French if anybody wants some help it'd be with pleasure

YEAAAAAAAAHZ PLEZZZE, i am only here one more week and my speaking really is bad

what's yo skype name?

hit me up: siashandslipped

[Instincts_2012]

My French Oral exam is on Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!! (I will require help tomorrow - on monday)

Thanks

Sign me up - I need help asap =/ lol

Edit: GCSE level

[emzaz]

Hello all, don't forget that if you're really in need of help then it may be quicker to try to contact those already on the list rather than getting yourself added to the list and sitting hoping someone will PM or skype you :P

Also, if anyone can think of a good way of categorising people's abilities or a way of me doing a link to people's usernames or something then that would be good!

I'm really hoping if enough people join this would get stickied hahah! I can dream

[ChrisRawlings]

(Original post by emzaz)
Hello all, don't forget that if you're really in need of help then it may be quicker to try to contact those already on the list rather than getting yourself added to the list and sitting hoping someone will PM or skype you :P

Also, if anyone can think of a good way of categorising people's abilities or a way of me doing a link to people's usernames or something then that would be good!

I'm really hoping if enough people join this would get stickied hahah! I can dream

Spanish and German A2 level! You put me down for AS

[muffingg]

(Original post by emzaz)
A List of people you can skype! It's for practice speaking a language!

[COLOR="Red"]Keep Signing Up! And don't forget to look at the list from time to time to find other people to practice with ^_^ [/COLOR]

I was thinking how important it is to actually practice speaking rather than just write out notes etc and how boring/slightly unstable it is to sit all day talking to yourself so I thought I would create a thread where members of TSR who want to practice for their speaking exams can talk on skype!

Note - you don't have to go on webcam or anything- Just normal speaking will do ^_^
Be brave! Sign up! Practice! Get better marks! (hopefully!)

To Sign Up:
Post the language/languages you want to practice, your level e.g. AS level and I'll add you to the list!
Then -
Simply PM those on the list for their skype name. (I thought this would be a bit safer rather than broadcasting the skype names to the whole of the internet) If you're seeking help then it may be quicker for you to PM those already on the list as well as adding yourself to it and hoping to be contacted! ^_^


The List

French:
emzaz - current level A2
liviluck - Current level AS
SpiritedAway - gcse
Habaz - gcse
Tom_Sg - is french.
Le Récamier - fluent/mother tongue
littlepotatoe - is french
SiaSiaSia - got an A* at A level and has been living in france for 2 months.
Instincts_2012 - wants help for his GCSE french speaking.
knit-knots - A2 level.
sunfowers01 - wants to practice at university level

German:
SpiritedAway - undergrad/university
ChrisRawlings - AS level
come on german learners! we need more of you! ^_^

Spanish:
liviluck
ssss - AS level
Tom_Sg
SharkOfMirkwood - A2/basically fluent as used to live there.
Sem193 - AS level.
ChrisRawlings - AS level
knit-knots - A2 level.
stevop21 - AS level
sunfowers01 - wants to practice at university level.

Other languages (added as needed):

Italian
ChrisRawlings - GCSE

British Sign Language
ChrisRawlings : level 1
Sign up!! We need lots of people!

Chinese
Le Récamier - Upper intermediate/living in Beijing.
caiitlinz - mandarin chinese - equivalent to A2.

Japanese
Le Récamier - intermediate level

Korean
Le Récamier - elementary level

Thank you for that. I think this is an astonishing thing and if a lot of people use this, I'm pretty sure people will improve their grades in foreign languages. I actually never had a skype account but since you are actually asking for more German speakers, I thought why not? It's not gonna harm me and it will benefit a lot of people.

So I'm now signing up for Skype and looking forward to helping out people with their German. Please add me to the list as well. I was born in Germany and grew up there. Came to the UK at the age of 14. I achieved an A* in both GCSEs and A Levels.

My Skype name is also muffingg.

[emzaz]

(Original post by ChrisRawlings)
Spanish and German A2 level! You put me down for AS

Ooops! My mistake hahah! >_< Thanks for the correction!

(Original post by muffingg)
Thank you for that. I think this is an astonishing thing and if a lot of people use this, I'm pretty sure people will improve their grades in foreign languages. I actually never had a skype account but since you are actually asking for more German speakers, I thought why not? It's not gonna harm me and it will benefit a lot of people.

So I'm now signing up for Skype and looking forward to helping out people with their German. Please add me to the list as well. I was born in Germany and grew up there. Came to the UK at the age of 14. I achieved an A* in both GCSEs and A Levels.

Yayyy! That's brilliant! I'm really pleased you think it's such a good idea! Thanks for signing up! ^_^
_____
Also, thanks to everyone who has signed up and particularly those who are natives/mother tongue speakers as you guys will probably get skyped the most I'm guessing hahah! ^_^ I'm so happy this idea is working - I was worried it would be a total fail and that no one would even have a skype account! So yayyy!

Keep signing up and skyping!

[fortunecookie]

I'm doing German at A2 level and would definitely be interested

[muffingg]

(Original post by emzaz)
Ooops! My mistake hahah! &gt;_&lt; Thanks for the correction!



Yayyy! That's brilliant! I'm really pleased you think it's such a good idea! Thanks for signing up! ^_^
_____
[COLOR=&quot;Indigo&quot;]Also, thanks to everyone who has signed up and particularly those who are natives/mother tongue speakers as you guys will probably get skyped the most I'm guessing hahah! ^_^ I'm so happy this idea is working - I was worried it would be a total fail and that no one would even have a skype account! So yayyy!

Keep signing up and skyping![/COLOR]

Okay, you have loads of names, but can you like somehow make them add people on skype or tell them about any other next steps ? I mean there is no point just having a list of people, if nobody is actually going to use this brilliant service if you know what I mean.

[mrs_bellamy]

I'm a beginner in Czech and would love to Skype someone to practice Czech (and their English if they wish). I'm going on an exchange there in a few months, so any Czech speakers who are interested please PM!!

[Xurvi]

(Original post by muffingg)
Okay, you have loads of names, but can you like somehow make them add people on skype or tell them about any other next steps ? I mean there is no point just having a list of people, if nobody is actually going to use this brilliant service if you know what I mean.

Well, how about PMing people you want to speak to for starters? Don't expect the OP to do all the work...