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Successfully organise and implement the school exchange

A school exchange is a great opportunity to get to know another country, a new language and an exciting culture. For many schools, a one-week visit to the exchange class is just as much a part of the foreign language lessons as the return visit to the partner school. In order for the exchange to be a success, a number of things need to be planned and implemented. In the following blog post, you can find out how Sdui supports you before, during and after the exchange with the organisation and communication between the partner schools and the pupils:

1. What are the advantages of a school exchange?

«Bonjour, ça va?» – «Ça va bien, merci!»: This, or something similar, could be how your pupils’ conversations with their exchange partners begin when they meet for the first time. The following week should now give your pupils the opportunity to improve their foreign language skills, but also to make new friends – perhaps even friends for life.

In addition to the practical practice of a foreign language previously only learnt in the classroom, a school exchange naturally offers many other advantages. Give your pupils the opportunity to show a foreign person their life, country and culture and, of course, to gain new experiences during the return visit. A week abroad gives you an insight into the everyday (school) life of your exchange partners and their customs. Excursions, joint activities and sightseeing can create unique memories. It is often the first time that some pupils have travelled away from their families and gain valuable experience in developing their independence. Conversations with the exchange pupils – including language barriers and sometimes communication with hands and feet – are good for the personality and strengthen intercultural competence; a key qualification for the rest of their lives. It is not unusual for the contacts made with the exchange partners during the school years to last for a long time.

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In our concept for the simpler organisation and implementation of a school exchange with the support of Sdui, all the information outlined here is expanded upon and practical ideas and examples of use are presented.

2. How to make the school exchange work

There is a lot to organise before and during the school exchange and this means a lot of extra work, especially for teachers. If you use a digital communication and organisation solution such as Sdui, the planning, organisation and implementation of the exchange will be easier and quicker – also for the teachers at your partner school. Stay in touch digitally even after the exchange has ended and offer your pupils the opportunity to benefit from the school exchange in the long term.

Before the exchange

Easily integrate the pupils and teachers of the partner school into Sdui and communicate with them just as easily as you already do within your own school. In our concept, we explain step by step how the Sdui admin can carry out the integration with just a few clicks.
Reach both classes centrally, directly and quickly in one app. If you have sent important information via a news item, it can be translated individually into the language of the exchange class and thus really understood without you having to formulate every message in two languages.
Sdui makes communication with the teachers at the partner school much easier. Communicate via (group) chat and exchange details about the organisation easily and at short notice instead of waiting forever for answers by email.
The excitement before a school exchange is often great for pupils. Give your classes and their partners the opportunity to get to know each other beforehand via chat or video conference, exchange ideas and clarify important questions.

During the exchange

If the partner class is then visiting (or vice versa), there are plenty of excursions on the programme: share details such as meeting point and time using the news function. That way, everyone is informed immediately.
Give the pupils a say in the programme. Simply use the news function to vote on whether the final picnic should take place at the school or in the park, or whether a farewell party is preferred.
Even with a well-prepared school exchange, things sometimes go wrong. Be available for your pupils at all times if you have any questions or problems.
You and your pupils will gain great experiences for life during the exchange. Capture memories in the form of photos and videos securely in the cloud and share them with everyone involved.

After the exchange

A week of school exchange goes by far too quickly. Your pupils and you can easily stay in touch with your new friends via Sdui.
You can also benefit sustainably from the school exchange in the classroom: integrate language tandems with the partner class into your lessons and make learning the foreign language even more varied and authentic.
The next exchange is already coming up: use the existing connections to plan next year’s exchange just as easily digitally.

Receive the free concept “Successfully organise & carry out a school exchange” now

In our concept for the simpler organisation and implementation of a school exchange with the support of Sdui, all the information outlined here is deepened once again and practical ideas and application examples are presented.

3. Conclusion

A school exchange is a great opportunity to get to know new languages, cultures and people. Participating pupils make friends for life and gain valuable experience for their independence and intercultural competence. School exchanges are also a great way for teachers to put their foreign language teaching into practice and benefit from the connections they make with their pupils in the long term. A digital solution such as Sdui can support you in the planning and implementation. Digital communication and coordination makes it easy to get to know each other and stay in touch, making the school exchange a complete success – with great experiences and memories.

If you would like to find out more about “Successfully organising & running a school exchange”, please download our free concept.

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Concept: “Successfully organising & carrying out the school exchange“