Unit 9: Telephone Skills

Lesson 4: Making Long-Distance Phone Calls

OBJECTIVE

1. Identify different ways to make a long-distance phone call.

MATERIALS NEEDED
calling card

INSTRUCTIONAL FORMAT
This lesson will provide information on making long-distance phone calls. Because of the expense, it is not suggested that students practice making long-distance phone calls. It is a good idea to have a phone card available to show to the students and point out the instructions on the back of the card.

1. Discuss making a long-distance phone calls. Remind students that this costs money. Along with local phone service, people have a choice of using different long-distance companies such as AT&T, Sprint, and MCI. Companies have their own calling plans that they offer to customers at different times. Ask the students if they can repeat any plans that they have heard on television. When you have long-distance service and are making calls from home, all you have to do is call the number of the person or place you are calling. Discuss other ways to call someone long-distance.
   
   

   • Collect Calls – If a person does not have money to pay for long-distance service and needs to make a long-distance call, she can hope that the person she is calling will pay for the call. This can be done by calling the operator and telling him or her that you would like to make a collect call. When the operator tries to connect you, he or she will ask the person if they would like to receive a collect call from you. Keep in mind that collect calls cost a fair amount more than if that person were to call you long distance, so that person may not want to accept the call.
     
     

   • Long-distance Access Numbers – This service has been available for only a few years, but it may be the best known due to the frequent advertisements on television. These numbers include 1-800-COLLECT, 1-800-CALL-ATT, and 10-321. Students should be reminded that while these numbers offer the convenience of making long-distance phone calls from home or away from home, it will still cost more than using a regular long-distance service.   However, using a service like 1-800-COLLECT is supposedly cheaper than calling collect as described above. It is suggested that students call these numbers to find out how the services work before using the service.
     
     

   • Calling Cards – Two types of calling cards are available. The first type is issued by the local and/or long-distance phone companies. These cards allow a person to make a call away from home and the charges are added to his monthly phone bill statement. This convenience will cost a person more than making the same call from home. A second type of card is a pre-paid calling card. These cards are being sold in many places for $5, $10, and higher. The more money a person pays the more minutes he gets to talk during the long-distance call. Show the students a calling card to indicate that the instructions for using the card are on the back of the card.

SIGNS OF GENERALIZATION
Students understand that long-distance phone calls cost money. Furthermore, they understand that making collect calls and using calling cards cost more money than making the long-distance calls from home.

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