At the end of the last academic year I was looking for a way to engage my students and to let them feel more close to the Spanish language and culture.

The pen-pal idea came out while talking with Georgie, our SENDCo, and I started my research of a Spanish school interested in an epistolary exchange.

Some Spanish friends put me in contact with a school in Alcalá de Henares, a town very close to Madrid.

The English teacher of the Colegio Alborada replied with enthusiasm to my proposal. Together we decided a few rules our students would respect such as writing only in the target language, no sending personal information or photos.

Since October 2022 our students are enjoying writing in the foreign languages they are learning while they are also getting to know someone from a different country. By communicating with a pen-pal, they are improving their grammar, vocabulary and comprehension skills in a fun way.

Pen-Pal Letter examples

Pen-pal exchange also offers the opportunity for our students to learn about different cultures as they can share information about their customs, traditions and daily lives with their pen-pal. The students have been doing the following activities:

Yr 8 and Yr9 students have been practising introducing themselves, asking questions and expressing their opinions.
Yr10 students learned more about the place where the school is located. Searching about the location they also learned that Alcalá de Henares is famous for being the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, author of the world-famous ‘Don Quijote’.
Yr11 students have had the opportunity to receive more information about Spanish customs and traditions at Christmas and Carnival and they have appreciated the similarities and differences between their cultures.

Most of our students also learnt how to write a letter, which is a valuable skill in itself. Some students did not know where to write the addressee on an envelope as they are so used to typing on computers, they had not previously had the chance to write on a proper letter.

In conclusion, pen-pal exchange has proven to be an enriching experience: from improving language skills to developing social skills and it is a great way for students to broaden their horizons and learn about a different country. A special thanks goes to Mrs María Luján Torres, ESO English teacher, from Colegio Alborada whose engagement was key to the success of this initiative and whom I had the pleasure to meet in person in Madrid.

Mrs R. Silvestro