Pen pals have almost become a thing of the past due to the introduction of emails, Facebook, Skype and so on.  Teenagers want that immediacy they are used to, that instant gratification – that instant reply. However, watching their faces light up when I show them the big yellow envelope full of pen pal letters that has just arrived by ‘snail mail’, is magical. Receiving a letter in the mail – especially from someone far away – is special and the students love it.  For students, writing to an authentic audience and for a clear purpose, I believe, is important in their learning.

So once again, I am in the process of organising pen pals for students in Years 8 and 9.  This year one class will write to students from the town of Ketrzyn in Poland and the other will correspond  with a class in Italy.

The Pen Pal Program I run in class is through an educational site.  It is safe and secure. The letters are sent to the students in one large envelope addressed to the teacher and then dispersed.  Students are not allowed to put personal information such as their address or phone number on their letters.  I discourage the students from becoming “friends” with their pen pals on Facebook but this is really outwith my control.

I have also been in touch with an English teacher in Morocco who would like his students to interact with ours. As with the other students, English is their second language and we will be exchanging brief messages on a variety of topics to help them learn our language. This is a great opportunity for our students to learn about how teenagers in other parts of the world live – as well as ensuring their own spelling and punctuation is up to scratch!

If you do have any concerns with your child being involved in these programs, please do not hesitate to contact me.