Tandem card index
It works better if there are two of you!
Learning languages in a tandem
Language and cultural exchange through a language partnership.
The tandem card index in the language laboratory is there to help you. Further information to be found in the Autonomous Learning Unit SL3 (KG1, room 1030)
- With our language laboratory user card you can register yourself in our tandem card index or respectively have a look for a tandem partner
- Our tandem card index is ordered according to the language you are looking for
- At the beginning of each semester the tandem card index is completely renewed and reorganized; this enables us to keep the card index up to date, which also means that any existing requests will need to be renewed
- The head of the language laboratory department offers counselling in how to gain maximum benefit from a tandem
- What is meant by a “tandem” in language learning?
- What can a tandem arrangement look like?
- The advantages of learning a language through a tandem
What is meant by a “tandem” in language learning?
Language tandem: it works better if there are two of you!
The aim of a tandem is to exchange language and culture by means of a language partnership. In language learning in a tandem two people with different native languages work together to systematically learn from one another and with one another. If for example you wish to improve your knowledge of English, then you can work together with a person who is an English native speaker and wants to learn your native language. This can be carried out as a supplement to language courses or can be entirely independent of a course.
What can a tandem arrangement look like?
For example you meet 2 hours per week and work 1 hour in each respective language. With regard to the foreign language you want to learn, you are the one to determine the work covered and the method used. In the other language you then make yourself available to your partner as a helper.
The advantages of learning a language through a tandem
Learning a language through a tandem...
- is free of charge and usually highly effective: students who want to learn one another’s respective native language work regularly together as tandem partners – generally 2 hours a week with one hour for each language
- combines learning with true communication: whatever the partners choose to speak about and in whatever language they speak in – at least one of them is always learning
- is learning in partnership: both partners profit and give to the same extent (the principle of mutuality)
- is autonomous learning: each of the partners decides individually what, how much and through which method the learning takes place (the principle of learning autonomy) – the help of the partner is always at the student’s disposal
- is intercultural learning: as a rule you not only learn the language, but also find out a great deal about your partner and his or her life circumstances and culture
- is an optimal supplement to any language course – course work can be prepared or practised together with the tandem partner.
Tandem counselling:
Head of Department
Roland Billian M.A.
Sprachlabor@sli.uni-freiburg.de
last updated: 12.10.2005