ePals is a website that connects classrooms around the world. It is an online program that provides classrooms with email accounts and blogs and can match up classrooms to be “key pals.” Key pals are basically pen pals, but with ePals, students can communicate with their key pals much more quickly and easily. Once a teacher has found his or her classroom a partner classroom, students get individual email accounts on the ePals website, and can log in online to view their messages, reply to their ePal, and even translate emails from other students into their language using the translation tool. Teachers can review the messages being received and sent, control when students can access their accounts, and preview any messages being sent to his or her students. ePals has been used in classrooms to promote cross-cultural experiences, foreign language learning, and work together on projects such as culture comparisons, global warming discussions, habitats, geography, weather, water cycle and conservation, and human rights.
Check out the ePals website at: http://www.epals.com/
What do you think of this website? What benefits might students gain from participating in a program like this? Would you consider using this in your classroom? If so, how could you use this service effectively?
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I love this idea Krista! It sounds like an excellent way to effectively use technology in the classroom get students involved in their own education. Students will love having a key pal from a different country and the classroom applications sound amazing. I checked out the section under focus areas/human rights and found some really creative poems written by students about current issues. I think this would be a great way to connect children both across disciplines and across continents. I would definitely utilize this program or a similar to teach many subjects, as well as use it as a base for beginning research projects or country reports. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! Gosh, I would have loved doing this in school. Like Natalie said, it's a great way to incorporate technology into the classroom. I think this is a great way to expose students to diversity and culture. I would definitely use this in my classroom as a way to promote writing and foreign language learning.I would also use it as a great way to start conversations based on diversity, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe website is very well organized. Before even logging in their are project ideas, current issues, book lists, and so much more. A program likes this offers learning that can not be gained in the classroom. Not only are they learning about other cultures, but they are learning great social skills, typing skills, and communication skills. I would have loved to do this in school. My class setting wouldn't allow for this opportunity, but I would recommend it to my colleagues. I remember having a pen pal that i wrote letters to but it took so long in between letters that we only really got to chat a few times. This allows for pictures, quick comments, birthday and holiday wishes, and so much more!!
ReplyDeleteI think that this website would be a great resource for your classroom. It allows a teacher to provide and promote alternate learning. You are not only practicing your writing skills, but as well as addressing letter writing, and you can also incorporate other subject areas that the children can speak to one another about. I would use this in my own classroom as one of my language arts centers. Students would benefit greatly from this not only through cross curriculum purposes, however they would be learning networking skills as well as communication skills and possibly new languages.
ReplyDeleteI really like the safety aspect of this program, simply because the teacher can review all that is being said and done, so ensure a safe environment for the students. I think it's a great way to integrate technology into the classroom as well, as the students will also get to work on writing skills, creative skills, as well as social skills. Having classroom pen pals was really fun when I was younger, and with the speed or ePals, hopefully that can make a lasting impression on the students using it.
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