Resource 1: Pen-pals

 Background information / subject knowledge for teacher

If you wish to be put in touch with a school in your own country or

another country that is also making use of these materials, please contact the Univesity of Cape Coast and/or the University of Education, Winneba, at:

You can then set up a link between your class and a class of similar age at the other school, and arrange for every one of your pupils to have a pen- pal. This will give your pupils the advantage of having a friend to write to, and receive responses from, about matters of interest, using a common additional language or lingua franca. They will gain practice in reading

and writing for a real purpose, and learn a lot about the other person, their family, school, country and lifestyle.

Before you introduce your pupils to the scheme, make sure that you have sorted out issues such as the provision of, and payment for, envelopes and stamps. You may be able to put all the letters in a large envelope and post this to the teacher.