Language learning in Tandem Information about the Tandem Programme

Tandem learning provides an excellent opportunity to develop your communicative competence, which is a key basis for communication in a foreign language. To this end, you can discuss topics of your choice and make targeted use of your tandem partner’s knowledge.

You can develop your communicative skills, for example, by first working on topic-specific vocabulary and then applying it in a second step, for instance:

• by answering questions about a text,
• by giving an oral summary and/or
• by discussing cultural and regional aspects of the topic.

Tandem learning is also very suitable as a platform for preparing oral presentations, such as seminar presentations or oral exams. You can present what you have prepared or ask your tandem partner to quiz you. Depending on the feedback you receive, you can then work more specifically on particular areas of your spoken language skills.

During the introductory session, you will receive a link to a range of learning materials that you can use. Of course, you are also welcome to bring your own materials, such as seminar handouts, to your tandem meeting and work on them in more detail with your tandem partner.

Requirements for earning credits

1. 12 meetings with your tandem partner, documented in a learning journal submitted at the end of the semester
2. Participation in the two joint information sessions:
   a) “Principles of Tandem Learning” and
   b) “Final Session”
3. 4 credits / ECTS for:

• German Studies in Cultural Comparison (B.A.): interdisciplinary skills credits (ÜK)
• short-term study programme

Tandem learning, as understood at the IDF, is primarily a working relationship. Tandem partners meet with the aim of developing their language skills and cultural knowledge. Two principles in particular should be taken into account:

• Tandem learning is based on the principle of reciprocity: The meeting time (2 hours per meeting) is divided so that half of the time is available for each language. This ensures that both tandem partners can benefit equally from the exchange.
• Principle of learner autonomy: Each participant is responsible for their own learning and determines the learning goals and methods for their part of the tandem session. Before each meeting, both partners consider how they would like to structure their own part of the session (topic, learning materials, what should be corrected and how). Each person acts as an expert in their own language and culture and shares their knowledge, but does not need to be a foreign-language teacher.

Tandem learning therefore differs from teacher-centred instruction in that students independently manage and organise their learning without instructions from a teacher. This type of learning may be new to some students from other countries or cultural backgrounds, but it is an important part of modern education and provides valuable skills for many professional contexts, for example by encouraging cooperation and thereby strengthening social skills.

If conflicts arise, they should be discussed openly and resolved as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that many problems may result from cultural differences in behaviour and expectations and should not be attributed too quickly to your tandem partner.

Tandem learning provides a good opportunity to further develop your ability to express yourself in the target language, as it allows you to communicate with a native speaker while at the same time reflecting on the form of your utterances. Unlike in other communicative situations, you can (and should) always devote part of your attention to linguistic expression. Your partner’s corrections are particularly helpful for identifying errors and recurring problem areas and for developing a realistic assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses. How corrections are made should be part of the arrangements agreed upon between the tandem partners. Experience shows that there is usually too little rather than too much correction. Here are some suggestions for giving corrections:

• Corrections should be adapted to the learner’s language level; only at an advanced level does it make sense to correct as many errors as possible.
• In many cases, it is useful to correct selectively, i.e. to focus corrections on a specific type of error. You cannot learn everything at once, so you should agree on which area should be given priority (e.g. pronunciation, word order, inflection, word choice, etc.).
• Correction can be adapted to the topic or situation. For example, when discussing an interesting topic and focusing primarily on content, you can limit corrections to major errors or comprehension problems. In tasks or situations where the form of the utterance is more important, more intensive correction may be useful. You can also agree to correct very intensively for a short period of time and then return to more selective correction.
• A correction should primarily consist of providing the correct formulation of the utterance rather than giving lengthy grammatical explanations.

You can increase the benefits of tandem learning by making notes of important words and expressions. To really benefit from these notes, you should not write down words in isolation, but rather in a typical context that makes grammatical and lexical connections clear. For example, write down:

not auffordern, but j-n zur Teilnahme an etw. (Dat.) auffordern

not Anforderung, but das stellt hohe Anforderungen an den Studenten

Since language acquisition is supported by practice, you should use your notes to review what you have worked on. This can be done, for example, after completing a particular task or at the beginning of the following meeting.