A Great Way to Learn English with Tandem

ABSTRACT

English has became one of the International Language. When you go abroad, study overseas, or attend an international conference, you use English as your medium. That is why many people in the world especially who is not native in English, try to learn English. Along with the advanced of technology, we can learn things virtually. Many founders has created applications to make us easier learning languages, especially English. Tandem is one of those app. Tandem is an app where can learn languages without worry, because the safety is guaranteed

 Keywords: Learning English, Tandem App

INTRODUCTION

        The advanced of technology is a proof about how human’s creativity has developed greatly. This has brought simplicity in many sectors of life. Economy, politics, publics, also education are helped with this advanced of technology. In education, for example, now we can learn English from the native speaker virtually. We don’t have to go abroad to learn English. As we all know that English is an International Language, the paradigm of it does not refer to any spesific English variety, rather it states about how English is implemented in intercultural communication accross the globe (Sharifian,2009,p.2). 

        Since we can learn English virtually, all we need to have is an app. An app to connect us with the native speakers that spread all over the world. There are so many good apps that I have tried by myself, and I have experienced between good and bad situation using those apps. But I have found one app that is really good also safe. The people in there are willing to learn languages, they will not do some stupid or dangerious things. The app is called Tandem. This article is about A Great Way to Learn English with Tandem. 

TANDEM APP

        Tandem is originally started in 2014, founded by Arn Aschentrup, Tobias Dickmeis, and Mathias Kleimann in Berlin. There is an amazing meaning with the Tandem name. The founders said, “Tandem is a bicycle designed for two riders both involved in getting forward. We have taken this word into our method of learning by exchanging languages with our motto: ‘In order to understand each other better I help you to learn and you help me to learn’ Tandem is therefore the bicycle among various language learning approaches. It is cheap, individual, and ecological”

        For Ios user, Tandem is available on App Store, and for Android user, its available on Play Store. Once you singed up to Tandem, you have to wait for about a day to get the verification. We can see how safe this app. The purpose on Tandem is basically not for dating, meanwhile Tandem is an application for people to learn languages directly with the native speakers. There are three main parts in Tandem:

• The Community, this part is for searching people.

• The Certificate, this part is to find books.

• The Chats, this part is where you can see all your conversations.

LEARNING ENGLISH ON TANDEM 

        The goal when you use this app is you can learn English as you wish with the native speaker. So the most important part is you have to find a partner for you to learn, brainstorm, and you can even tell about your culture. This is not easy, sometimes you have to chat with two or three people until you find the right one. After you find the one, you can ask the stranger about tenses, vocabulary, or pronounciation that you think it is hard to say. Not only chat, you can do voice call or video call, so these features will help you more. 

 For example, I am Indonesian. I am willing to learn about English, so I have to find a partner who is native in English. After I found a partner who is suitable with my qualifications, the first thing that I have to introduce myself, and so does the stanger. Then we can make an agreement, you can ask the stranger if she/he is willing to learn Indonesian you can help him/her. You also have to state your intention that you want to learn English, so he/she can understand, and help you with it. Usually, the stranger will ask you about, “Where do you want to start? Or What do you wanted to know about English?” something like that. You do not have to be worry, if the stranger will judge about grammar or your bad pronounciation, because they will understand that we are still learning. Meanwhile, they will apreciate your hard work in learning languages. Just be confident, and they will support you. 

REFERENCES

https://www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/blog/tandem-language-exchange-review 

lishteens.britishcouncil.org

http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolvdmis/issues/2016-07-26/4.html