(I'm assuming it's OK to post general Chinese-learning stuff in the forum..)

I've been using Skype for oral practice but I find it tends to be quite unfocused and directionless, so I've tried to write up a little plan for it in Chinese. If anyone could take a look at what I've written and point out mistakes and incomprehensible bits I'd be really grateful:

Skype的语言交流计划

我想用Skype把我的汉语水平提高。我也会帮你把你的英语水平提高。为了用最有效的学习方法，我创造了下面的计划。如果你觉得这项计划是太有条理的，我们可以用Skype聊天。但是，我的看法是用一项具体的计划让语言交流更有效。

*我们选择每个星期一个日子和时间。
*我们说二十分钟英语，然后说二十分钟汉语。
*每次用Skype说话以前，你找到一篇对你水平合适的课文。这篇课文可能是课本里的还是网上的 － 都可以。
*你用Skype 还是电邮给我寄来一个复制品。
*先，你用Skype大声地读那篇课文。我会帮你纠正你的发音。
*然后我会想起来几个关于课文的问题。你回答的时候，我会帮你纠正你的语法和发音。
*最后我们用我选择的汉语课文再做一边。

I can't comment on the Chinese, but it sounds like a good plan. Over the years I've found a couple of people on Skype who are good teachers, but they're the exception rather than the rule.

Another suggestion is to find an attractive language partner. That'll give you an incentive to come back week after week. ;)

James

"Another suggestion is to find an attractive language partner. That'll give you an incentive to come back week after week. ;) "

This is basically the key.

Ha, I suppose so! I would quite like to find a male language-exchange partner though, as I feel like I only ever hear the ChinesePod / Skritter female voice saying things (is it Jenny Zhu's voice, does anyone know?)

I just spotted the 还是s that should've been 或者s in the text. 糟糕！

Skype的语言交流计划
Skype语言交流计划

我想用Skype把我的汉语水平提高。我也会帮你把你的英语水平提高。为了用最有效的学习方法，我创造了下面的计划。如果你觉得这项计划是太有条 理的，我们可以用Skype聊天。但是，我的看法是用一项具体的计划让语言交流更有效。

我想利用Skype 来提高我的汉语水平，也同时提高你的英语水平。为了达到最有效的学习效果，我提出了下面的计划。我希望通过明确的目标和方向来提高学习效果。当然，如果你觉得那是太理性的话，我们只是利用Skype来聊聊天也没问题。

*我们选择每个星期一个日子和时间。
-我们选定每个星期的一天和时间。

*我们说二十分钟英语，然后说二十分钟汉语。

*每次用Skype说话以前，你找到一篇对你水平合适的课文。这篇课文可能是课本里的还是网上的 － 都可以。
-每次用Skype交谈之前，你先找一篇合适你水平的课文。课本里的还是网上的都可以。

*你用Skype 还是电邮给我寄来一个复制品。
-然后你用Skype 或是电邮给我寄一份副本。

*先，你用Skype大声地读那篇课文。我会帮你纠正你的发音。
-首先，你用Skype大声地读那篇课文。我会帮你纠正发音。

*然后我会想起来几个关于课文的问题。你回答的时候，我会帮你纠正你的语法和发音。
- 然后我会给你发问几个关于课文的问题。你回答的时候，我就帮你纠正语法和发音。

*最后我们用我选择的汉语课文再做一边。
-最后我们用我选择的汉语课文再来一次。

This modification will better reflect your original meaning:
我想利用Skype 来提高我的汉语水平，也同时提高你的英语水平。为了使学习进行得最有效率，我提出了下面的计划。

pts, I can't thank you enough! That's great

You are welcomed. Actually, I should thank you for giving me the chance to do the writing practice. I’m looking for short passages that I can finish within 30 mins, and this one, which is already in Chinese, is excellent as it gives me a lot of hints and also tested my comprehension.

Now, look at what I’ve written yesterday, I don’t think I’ve represented you original meaning well. But that’s what I can achieve within 30 mins. Sorry for that.

BTW, the last line:
*最后我们用我选择的汉语课文再做一边。
should be
-最后我们用我选择的汉语课文再来一遍。
but I forgot how to write the ‘遍’ yesterday, and so replaced it with 次.

In this line:
-每次用Skype交谈之前，你先找一篇合适你水平的课文。课本里的还是网上的都可以。

I thought 合适 was the adjective "suitable; fitting" and 适合 was the verb "to suit; to fit", so why isn't it 适合 in this context?

Yes, it should be “适合你水平的课文” or “合适的课文”. Thank you, Nick, for pointing it out. This proves that it is very helpful to have the chance of posting one’s exercise on line. Just hope that there will be more such chances in the future.

@pts I assume you know that there are quite a few web sites that let you get feedback on writing exercises (in Chinese and other languages). However, in my experience the quality of the feedback is highly variable. I have seen people giving absurdly-wrong feedback on people's English submissions, for example, and getting high "teacher points" for such erroneous "help".

James

aeriph：
“修远”同学，我一读你的汉语就感觉你在我身边，因为你跟我的学生有一样的问题。但是我觉得你说得真的很不错，没有大的问题，而且我完全明白你的意思。所以我把你的写的改了一下，希望对你有帮助。这是职业病{occupational disease）。
=======================================

Skype的语言交流计划

我想用Skype把我的汉语水平提高【一下】。我也会帮你把你的英语水平提高【一下】。为了【能使】用最有效的学习方法，我创造【用“制定”更合适，可能神会创造】了下面的计划。如果你觉得这项计划是太【用“比较”更合适】有条理的，我们可以用Skype聊天。但是，我的看法是【使】用一项具体的计划【会】让语言交流更有效。

*我们选择每个星期一个日子和时间【的一天和一段时间】。
*我们【先】说二十分钟英语，然后【再】说二十分钟汉语。
*每次用Skype说话以前，你【先】找到一篇对你水平合适【一篇适合你水平的】的课文。这篇课文可能是课本里的还是【或者】网上的 － 都可以。
*你用Skype 还是【或者】电邮给我寄来【发】一个复制品【份附fu4件】。
*先【首先】，你用Skype大声地【朗】读那篇课文。我会帮你纠正你的发音。
*然后我会想起来【不用“起来”，用“想”或者“提”】几个关于课文的问题。你回答的时候，我会帮你纠正你的语法和发音。

*最后我们用我选择的汉语课文再【同样】做一边【遍】。

I think your skype language plan is very reasonable.I want to have a go.I am a student in Beijing.I get tired of the inefficient way of learning language with other people.my skype:kevinzhou515

Anyone tried Lang-8? I had good results with it. You essentially write journal entries which are corrected by native speakers. In return you correct other folks English entries etc.

@Lurks - Thanks for the tip! This looks like a great way to practice writing, just what I need!