Conversation Practice Group

Ciao a tutti.

I'm not sure how many people read the forum conversations or how many read English.

I am 9 months into my learning experience (loving the majority of it!!) and feel I would really benefit more real ‘live’ conversation practice, before I travel to Italy (whenever that may be) and put what I know into reality.

I am trying to gauge if there is any interest in creating a conversation group online, either through Whatsap or Zoom, and speak as much Italian as we can. We could have a two hour slot when people can join at any point and spend what ever time participating they have available.

Even if you don't feel confident to speak the listening experience could be useful (maybe!!).

I understand we are all at different levels (I'm still only learnt present tense) and we probably all live in different time zones, but I am just trying to find out if there is any interest?

Any comments would be great whether you think it would be beneficial or not.

OR…… would a written conversation group be better. Like pen pals all over again!!!

Thanks

Gary

Hi Gary.  All of those suggestions work for me.  I especially like the idea of a time slot I can join for part or all of it, depending on how things are on the day.

Chris

Hi Gary

Not sure how much I could actually say, other than the very basics. You and I are on the same level, I was thinking of getting a pen pal, but again am wondering how much I would be able to say. Other than the conversations Maria and Alessandro have, I think my skill would just about stretch to a very basic one, but could be fun. Oggi e solegiatto e freddo. Now I am wondering what I could say and frankly has made me laugh.

Arriverderci.

Sebongela

Sebongela

 Ciao Gary,

That does sound like a great idea, Zoom would be a great Medium. It would very much depend on the different time zones though. I am in Melbourne, Australia. 

Hi Edm

Time zones are going to be challenging. I am on the west coast of Canada and Australia is 17 hours ahead of us. We periodically phone family in Brisbane, get up to phone at five in the morning. There it is closer to midnight. So will take some juggling. Any suggestions Gary or Chris. I think you are both in the UK

Ciao a tutti

Sebongela

The group sounds like a wonderful idea. If you're figuring out time zones, I'm in the US, central standard time.

In response to time zones: some IT platforms allow recordings, and closed user groups can be formed just for members.  I'm thinking of Hello Talk, but there may well be others.  We could record our messages in Italian, and members reply in kind.  For those in similar time zones, there's plenty of scope for real time chats, e.g. Zoom, Skype.  I think visual clues are essential to communication (some experts say it is 70% of effective communication).  I'm in the UK.

A presto

Chris

Hi Gary,

I love this idea. I would be happy to join in a conversation. I think it is so important to practice what we have learned. I am in the Eastern time zone of Canada. (same as New York time).

Hi Cathy643

We on are on Vancouver Island. Same country just a slightly different time zone. That would work.

Hi all,

I just joined 2 months ago but would definitely enjoy the opportunity to practice with others. I'm in the US central time zone.

Hi Gary

A Duolingo Italian discussion board is successfully run on the Proboards platform:  https://www.proboards.com and write mainly in Italian - useful practice.  Various members of a Rocket Italian board could share the role of admins/moderators, to share the workload.  Just a thought.  Of course, this website is already up and running, so might make more sense!  Live chat is another thing altogether, and iTalki, Conversation Excchange and others could be used to coordinate things, using our Rocket user names for ID.

Chris