Creative uses of Skype in teaching English to students with cochlear implant for international communication

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The objective of this research was to teach English to cochlear implant (CI) students, via Skype, for the purpose of international communication. Four phases were designed in order for CI students to 1) experience using Skype to learn English and 2) develop their communicative skills via Skype. The first phase focused on preparing students for a home stay program via Skype. The second phase was an actual home stay experience in Sydney. In the third phase, a Japanese CI teacher in Sydney taught English via Skype to a CI Japanese student in Japan. In the fourth phase, the CI student communicated via Skype with a CI high school student in Sydney. With good Skype experience and intense training, it is very possible to conduct skype talks between two CI recipients even if one of them uses English as a second language. Reciprocity and sharing common themes helped produce autonomous speech in Skype talks and led to the realization of international communication.