"With our eTandem programme, we would like to offer our students another opportunity to learn new foreign languages or expand their existing knowledge in a self-directed and interactive method. Especially for students who do not have a foreign language in their curriculum, this is a great way to learn a new foreign language or to expand their personal language portfolio," say the two project leaders.
Learning languages in tandem
In the tandem programme, two students of different mother tongues come together. Through cooperative and autonomous learning, they help each other to expand their competences (based on the 4 basic skills of the CEFR) in the respective mother tongue of the tandem partner.
The advantages of tandem:
- Improved language skills with a native speaker(s).
- High level of linguistic interaction
- Self-directed and individualised learning
- Flexible time management
- Promotion of intercultural understanding
Individual learning & flexibility
At IMC FH Krems, a so-called self-directed eTandem is offered, which means that in the tandem programme itself, however, the tandem pairs decide themselves what, how, how much and when they want to learn.
However, the tandem pairs have access to a learning platform with tips on how to conduct the tandem, tandem logbooks, learning materials and various documents. As a general rule, each tandem partner is allocated half of the tandem working time. During this time, the focus is on the target language.
