What follows is our students’ response to three questions Patricia Johnston (the initiator of the whole e-pal project, since she introduced me to Aniella Lebeau, the teacher of the students in France) asked them regarding their correspondence with their French peers in order to include their answers in her next newsletter to subscribers to her site all over the world.
1) Is it exciting to meet other kids who are learning English like you?
B’ Junior (8 years old): We love sending emails to the French children because we learn things about them and they send us fantastic photos and podcasts!
A’ Class (9 years old- A1 level according to the CEF): Yes, it is very exciting because e write emails to the French children and, in this way, we practise English and we make new friends. We saw their photos, their town and their school and we loved them all!
B’ Class (10 years old- A1+ level according to the CEF): We are very excited about all the things we do on the Internet, especially about the emails to our French e-pals! We are also proud of ourselves and our teacher because we have all worked so hard to achieve this correspondence.
2) Do you speak English with your classmates?
B’ Junior: We usually talk in English, but we are still learning!
A’ Class: We speak English with our teachers and we write spelling tests of the new words! We write emails in English and we play amazing word games on the Internet!
B’ Class: In the lesson, we always speak in English unless we need explanations in Greek about difficult grammar rules or tasks.
3) What would you like to tell someone who has never been to your country?
B’ Junior: Greece is a beautiful country with a lot of beaches, trees, flowers, museums, galleries, shops, restaurants, parks, cafés, theatres, cinemas, libraries and toy shops!
A’ Class: Greece is the most interesting country in the world! It has got fantastic sights, but also traditions. For example, at Easter we dye the eggs red and then we break them! On Easter Sunday we eat roast lamb and we bake traditional sweets called ‘kalitsounia’!
B’ Class: You have to visit Greece, our beautiful country, and especially the island of Crete! If you come, please visit our English-language school to meet us!
