Chat has enormous potential to link students around the world, in real time. It is technology that many learners will often be familiar with and will use in their social life.

Text chat

Communication between chat users takes place via typed text.

Audio or voice chat

Communication between chat users takes place via audio, much like a phone conversation, but is conducted on the Internet.

Public chat

There are innumerable public chat rooms on the Internet, on a huge variety of topics which any user can join.

Private chat

Also know as instant messaging. Many of instant messaging programs offer not only text chat, but voice chat, and also video and web conferencing facilities.

(i.e. Yahoo! Message, MSN Message)

Types of educational chat

1. Free topic chats

2. Collaborative, task-oriented chats

3. Informative or academic chats

4. Practice chats

The sample of chatting program － Skype

A teacher deciding whether to use chat with learners who meet face-to-face on a regular basis will probably want to ask the following questions:

1. Does using text or voice chat with learners improve their English?

2. What kind of English should learners use in chat?a. Common abbreviations used in text chat. Such as btw for by the

way, brb for be right back, cu for see you, and so on.

b. Some basis rules of netiquette.

c. Introducing learners to some basic conversations.

d. Using “…” to show that you have not finished your turn and typing “?” to ask for the floor.

3. What technical skills do teachers and learners need to be able to use chat?

4. What benefit does the use of chat bring to the classroom? Using chat in the classroom can be hugely motivating

to learners.

5. Is it better to use text or voice chat with learners?

5. Is it better to use text or voice chat with learners?

Step 1 － Install and learn to use the software

Step 2 － A practice chat class

Step 3 － Contact with another class

Chat lesson needs a clear structure and aims. There are several benefit for learners:

1. Contact with other learners/cultures, and the motivation that this brings.

2. “real” communication with real purpose.

3. Use of a new medium in the classroom.

4. A chance to practice written and/ or spoken English.

Any chat lesson should include the following broad stage:

1. An introductory/ warmer phase• Include detail introductions and an exchange of personal

information.

2. The main content of the chat• (see the sample chat lesson below.)

3. A closing stage• Learners should summarize what they have covered or

achieved in the chat.

Before the class

The teacher needs to first make contact with the teacher of similar class of level, class size and access to technology. Learners also need to be confident about how to use the chat program.

Classroom management issues

During the chatMake notes on worksheets.

After the chat

Each learner now has information about an individual in the other class, and can draw up a profile of that individual. These profile can be displayed in the classroom.

A summary of issues on using text and/or voice chat with learnersTry the software out

Make contact

Set a clear task

Ensure what the purpose of using chat is.

The ideal group size for a text or voice chat is small.

Record the chat.

Have a contingency plan.