Modern technology connecting people in uplifting ways

This is really wonderful: young Brazilians who want to learn English chat online to elderly Americans in retirement homes.

 

There’s more about this here: Perfect Match: Brazilian Kids Learn English by Video Chatting With Lonely Elderly Americans


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10 responses to “Modern technology connecting people in uplifting ways”

    1. Rachel M Avatar

      It really is. It seems so simple too.

  1. belsbror Avatar

    That’s what I call Positive Technology.

  2. Sherri Avatar

    What a truly wonderful thing this is, made me cry…loneliness is a killer and bringing young people together with lonely elderly folk like this is just marvellous. What they can give each other is priceless. Wow, thanks for sharing this Rachel…

    1. Rachel M Avatar

      It brought tears to my eyes too, Sherri. Glad you liked it.

  3. grahamatlinc Avatar

    Thats a wonderful thing. 🙂

    Unfortunately sometimes it g. . ho.r..b.. .r.on a.’ m’.es m. w.n. to %$!*?#@ it :-*)

  4. Joshua Avatar
    Joshua

    Hi Rachel –

    I once coordinated a group of urban high school students from Philly who were helping elderly immigrants from China to improve their English and learn enough civics to pass the citizenship examination.

    It was an amazing experience. Sometimes I would just look around the room and see the kids and the elders just enjoying the hell out of each other, struggling to communicate, sharing stories, and exploring worlds so different vastly from what they had known previously, and have a similar feeling to the feelings that video evokes.

    1. Rachel M Avatar

      That sounds wonderful, Joshua. Thanks for sharing! I wonder whether they’re still running this program at the Philly high school?

  5. Joshua Avatar
    Joshua

    It was part of a larger program called SHINE – where college students are trained to help elder immigrants get citizenship. I”m pretty sure that SHINE is still around, but the program for high school students, unfortunately in not being part of the larger mission, didn’t get sustained funding and it folded shortly after I left the program.

    Thanks for linking that video – it brought back some really beautiful memories for me.

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