Conversation Exchange

Conversation Exchange is a website aimed at those who want to learn another language but also make new friends. It's mostly a networking site because once you have signed up you can search the websites database for people who live in your town and speak the language you want to learn. Conversation Exchange offers three ways of meeting people and learning languages. The first is a face to face meeting. The website uses an example of two men getting together. One wants to learn english the other wants to learn spanish. At their meeting they decide to speak in english for a half an hour and then spanish for another half an hour. The benefits of a face to face meeting is you really get to hear how the language is spoken, you can observe the other persons dialect. You also have the opportunity to learn slang which is something that is rarely ever taught in textbooks.

The second tool they use to help users learn a new language is they allow you to become pen pals with someone else. This allows the user to focus more on perfecting their writing and reading skills of the language. Plus it gives an alternative to those who are not comfortable meeting up with strangers in person. Using the pen pal option also doesn't haven't the limitation of only socializing with those that live in the same city as you. You can connect with anyone around the world.

The third option they give users is to use multiple CMC tools to get in contact with other users. On the website it lists that users can use skype, windows live messenger, google talk and others. The benefits mirror some of the benefits of having a pen pal. It allows the user to hear and learn the language without having to meet a stranger in public.

There is also a resource page that anyone can access and learn from. It provides tips on what to write with a pen pal,survival phrases in spanish,french and italian in case you just need to know a few things for a personal or business trip to another country.

This website was very appealing because as a user it allows you to learn a new language which is nothing but a benefit in today's world,network and make connections with someone in another country,state or your own city and use CMC tools such as skype or different types of instant messaging.