Learning with Skype

One of the classes that can possibly benefit from incorporating Skype is classes that teach speaking strategies and skills or that help student prepare for getting jobs, especially with practicing interviews. This type of class do not necessarily require other supplemental materials such as audio, video or overhead projectors, but are rather based heavily on building up experiences and practicing and improving from feedback. It is not compulsory for students to attend a classroom to practice speaking; Skype will be especially beneficial if a student were to practice one-to-one interview with an instructor. With webcam, the student and the instructor can face each other and practice interviewing without having to travel to classes. Because Skype can be used anywhere with a laptop or a computer; the internet access; and a microphone, students can have “lessons” anywhere they prefer to be, even at home, and save the time travelling from and to classrooms.

Despite these benefits, there is a limitation to using Skype for speaking /interview practicing classes. Via Skype, students do not really practice public speaking; they will only be able to practice speaking one-to-one. In real-life situations, facial expression, stance, gestures, and even appropriate clothing all count towards giving a positive impression to the public audience, or to the interviewers. It is not very easy to practice all of the above via webcam, especially when students have a lesson in the environment they are familiar with and feel very comfortable to be in. With the pressure of standing in front of a large audience or in an interview room with one or more interviewers, students are likely to fail even after many times of practicing answering difficult questions and speaking confidently in front of a laptop screen.