In general, I think the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) can offer fruitful opportunities for learners to communicate with speakers from other cultural backgrounds.
Naturally our English teaching needs to prepare our learners to communicate with speakers of different varieties of English, and this can be best achieved, I think, if we adopt a WE-based approach to our teacher training.
I involuntarily reveal my American roots when communicating with native speakers.
When communicating with hearing English speakers, ASL-speakers often use what is commonly called Pidgin Signed English (PSE) or 'contact signing', a blend of English structure with ASL.
Of these 7,000 languages, about 80 are "vehicular" languages, such as Chinese, Hindi, Spanish and Arabic languages learned by non- native speakers in order to communicate with native speakers of a third tongue.
It could also help in avoiding embarrassing moments experienced by many older migrants when they faced difficulty communicating with native language speakers.
While communicating with actual Spanish speakers is generally the best way to learn the language, for some skills (like verb agreement and conjugation), it can be useful to take a more formalized approach to studying so that you can get the foundational knowledge necessary to carry on an actual conversation.
Many people now live/work/study in countries other than their own, where they use English to communicate with other speakers who are not traditionally classed as "native speakers" either (think about Iranian students studying in Malaysia, for example).
You may be wondering whether by learning Latin American Spanish you will be able to communicate with Spanish speakers in Spain.
Basic grammar and vocabulary will suffice to communicate with native speakers of the foreign language and let them know you are making an effort to approach and understand their culture.
