Teacher Discussion Forums

Dear Friends,
First I must say that this site is exactly what I am looking for. I am very pleased to find it. I am an ESL teacher at a high school in Turkey. We are studying on a project in our school in order to give our students the opportunity of cultural exchange. We are looking for penpals for our students aged 15-17 in order to make them learn the new cultures of the different foreign countries and have new friends from all over the world. Our goal is to teach them that the people from all over the world love each other and everybody wants to live in peace. I think we made a good start. I am sure you understand what I mean. May be it seems that it is very small step but a big thing for people and humanity.It is a very big pleasure if we can make our students learn to live with peace and love each other. If you are interested in having pen-pals for your students from TURKEY, we will be very happy. My students are not great in English but they can manage it. They are very eager to have foreign friends and improve their language as second language learners. If it draws your attention please turn me back. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Yavuz

Dear Yavuz,

I have read your mail with great interest. I am a private English teacher in Japan and looking for a penpal for my 14 year old male student. I have been teaching him English since he was 11 years old, and he is now in the 2nd grade of junior high school. I want him to exchange his thoughts about learning and using English as L2 with someone of his generation live in a culture different from ours. He speaks and writes fairly good English and most importantly, likes English. Do you think you can find one student of yours who can be his penpal? I understood from your mail you would not mind if the future penpals of your students were not speakers of English as L1, am I correct? If I were not wrong and you could find a friend in your class, could you reply to me?

Sincerely,

Yuko.