Remote Teaching - Engaging students when teaching onlineGraham Stanley
Webinar given for the IATEFL LTSIG Fridays event on 10th April 2020. After a brief introduction to teaching online (remote teaching), the presentation looks at the challenges for keeping students engaged; what CPD is necessary for remote teachers (based on observations/surveys); what makes a good remote teacher; and it ends with a look at using virtual backgrounds in Zoom.
10 tips to know about virtual teachingMaryamMiahan
AppSquadz introducing the advanced Tips and tricks to use your Virtual Teaching Software in a smarter way and get more advantage from it in teaching & learning. Visit: https://www.appsquadz.com/virtual-classroom-software
Remote Teaching - Engaging students when teaching onlineGraham Stanley
Webinar given for the IATEFL LTSIG Fridays event on 10th April 2020. After a brief introduction to teaching online (remote teaching), the presentation looks at the challenges for keeping students engaged; what CPD is necessary for remote teachers (based on observations/surveys); what makes a good remote teacher; and it ends with a look at using virtual backgrounds in Zoom.
10 tips to know about virtual teachingMaryamMiahan
AppSquadz introducing the advanced Tips and tricks to use your Virtual Teaching Software in a smarter way and get more advantage from it in teaching & learning. Visit: https://www.appsquadz.com/virtual-classroom-software
In a recent online presentation Charles M. Reigeluth, he said that the future of Ed Tech would require a change of paradigm of pedagogy. Gamification is one such new pedagogy that can be implemented without the need for institutional systemic change.
‘Gamification’ is the use of game elements in non-game contexts and since the term’s first appearance in 2006, it has become a trending topic on many education forums. This presentation reports on the gamification of 2 university courses: one a grad-level education course and the other a freshman computer course.
While many aspects of gamification are *not* new, some are, and when taken together create a pedagogy that could be one of Reigeluth’s different paradigms. His requirements for a new paradigm includes a requirement for attainment-based, continuous student progress that is learner-centered, personalized, and self-directed. Gamification, done right, is all those things.
The Gamification Paradigm includes:
Strict cumulative grading.
More tasks to choose from than needed for a perfect score.
Flexible path through content to demonstrate objectives.
Attainment-base student progress.
Criterion-referenced assessment.
The presentation will explain the structure of the courses that were taught, highlight successes and failures, and conclude with strategies that can be used to incorporate meaningful gamification into existing courses.
Regelmatig geef ik de workshop Blending your education. Dit slidepack gebruik ik om het concept van blended learning uit te leggen en docenten een start te geven met het ontwikkelen van blended onderiwjs.
6 blended learning models for 21st century studentsRonySneijder
The main concept of blended learning is to make better use of the new-age technology to bolster a student’s exposure. Educational organizations all over the globe are realizing the inherent advantages of adopting a robust blended learning approach.
How AR Can Help You Harness the Academic Mindset?XR Guru
XR Guru is an immersive learning hub catering to the intuitive learning needs of individuals and institutions alike. We pride ourselves as a group of innovators, developers, and creatives determined to make the learning spectrum active via engaging, intuitive, and fun-filled content.
In this presentation I was addressing the issue of on-line courses and the misuse of technology. I gave an example of one of my courses to show how the students are engaged and how they are learning very important skills that will help them in the future. I am teaching them to learn how to learn.
Students’ satisfaction with a blended instructional design: The potential of ...Nuria Hernandez Nanclares
Teaching in bilingual curricula under a CLIL approach poses a challenge to instructional design, as it is necessary to integrate content learning with instructional language practice. To implement this design it is essential that students come to class with due preparation (linguistic micro-skills, specific terminology, familiarity with concepts, etc.) through a previous first contact to assign self-study material and activities. This allows different ways to interact with contents, instruction language, peers and instructor during Face2Face periods. An instructional technique that fits well to these requirements is the so-called “Flipped” (or inverted) “Classroom”. Students watch videos outside the classroom to have their first contact with course materials, and then answer on-line questionnaires related to the content and procedures in order to aid in-class performance and detect major comprehension problems. Face2Face time can then be devoted to active and collaborative learning, thus creating for students learning experiences where they use academic and subject-specific language. Recent evidence-based research (Deslauriers, Schelew & Wieman, 2011;Bates & Galloway, 2012 and Bishop& Verleger, 2013) back the use of this educational design in Higher Education.
This paper aims to discuss the impact on promoting student satisfaction and improving their involvement in their own learning when applying a “Flipped classroom” design in a first-year bilingual, English-taught module in a non-English-speaking country. “World Economy” is taught in the Faculty of Business and Economics at a traditional, F2F Spanish publicly-funded institution, the University of Oviedo (Spain). It is a bilingual module, where English is the medium of instruction and evaluation to a cohort of Spanish-speaking freshers. The design targets module contents, skills practice and improvement of students' linguistic skills. During 2013-14, the instructional designers implemented a “Flipped Classroom” design for this module: content delivery through videos in English of the different module topics, pre-class questionnaires answered through the University VLE, instructor mediation between students and content through mini-lectures and Just-in-Time Teaching, student-centered active learning approach for in-class sessions, and individual practice combined with peer-instruction mediated by the instructor.
In a recent online presentation Charles M. Reigeluth, he said that the future of Ed Tech would require a change of paradigm of pedagogy. Gamification is one such new pedagogy that can be implemented without the need for institutional systemic change.
‘Gamification’ is the use of game elements in non-game contexts and since the term’s first appearance in 2006, it has become a trending topic on many education forums. This presentation reports on the gamification of 2 university courses: one a grad-level education course and the other a freshman computer course.
While many aspects of gamification are *not* new, some are, and when taken together create a pedagogy that could be one of Reigeluth’s different paradigms. His requirements for a new paradigm includes a requirement for attainment-based, continuous student progress that is learner-centered, personalized, and self-directed. Gamification, done right, is all those things.
The Gamification Paradigm includes:
Strict cumulative grading.
More tasks to choose from than needed for a perfect score.
Flexible path through content to demonstrate objectives.
Attainment-base student progress.
Criterion-referenced assessment.
The presentation will explain the structure of the courses that were taught, highlight successes and failures, and conclude with strategies that can be used to incorporate meaningful gamification into existing courses.
Regelmatig geef ik de workshop Blending your education. Dit slidepack gebruik ik om het concept van blended learning uit te leggen en docenten een start te geven met het ontwikkelen van blended onderiwjs.
6 blended learning models for 21st century studentsRonySneijder
The main concept of blended learning is to make better use of the new-age technology to bolster a student’s exposure. Educational organizations all over the globe are realizing the inherent advantages of adopting a robust blended learning approach.
How AR Can Help You Harness the Academic Mindset?XR Guru
XR Guru is an immersive learning hub catering to the intuitive learning needs of individuals and institutions alike. We pride ourselves as a group of innovators, developers, and creatives determined to make the learning spectrum active via engaging, intuitive, and fun-filled content.
In this presentation I was addressing the issue of on-line courses and the misuse of technology. I gave an example of one of my courses to show how the students are engaged and how they are learning very important skills that will help them in the future. I am teaching them to learn how to learn.
Students’ satisfaction with a blended instructional design: The potential of ...Nuria Hernandez Nanclares
Teaching in bilingual curricula under a CLIL approach poses a challenge to instructional design, as it is necessary to integrate content learning with instructional language practice. To implement this design it is essential that students come to class with due preparation (linguistic micro-skills, specific terminology, familiarity with concepts, etc.) through a previous first contact to assign self-study material and activities. This allows different ways to interact with contents, instruction language, peers and instructor during Face2Face periods. An instructional technique that fits well to these requirements is the so-called “Flipped” (or inverted) “Classroom”. Students watch videos outside the classroom to have their first contact with course materials, and then answer on-line questionnaires related to the content and procedures in order to aid in-class performance and detect major comprehension problems. Face2Face time can then be devoted to active and collaborative learning, thus creating for students learning experiences where they use academic and subject-specific language. Recent evidence-based research (Deslauriers, Schelew & Wieman, 2011;Bates & Galloway, 2012 and Bishop& Verleger, 2013) back the use of this educational design in Higher Education.
This paper aims to discuss the impact on promoting student satisfaction and improving their involvement in their own learning when applying a “Flipped classroom” design in a first-year bilingual, English-taught module in a non-English-speaking country. “World Economy” is taught in the Faculty of Business and Economics at a traditional, F2F Spanish publicly-funded institution, the University of Oviedo (Spain). It is a bilingual module, where English is the medium of instruction and evaluation to a cohort of Spanish-speaking freshers. The design targets module contents, skills practice and improvement of students' linguistic skills. During 2013-14, the instructional designers implemented a “Flipped Classroom” design for this module: content delivery through videos in English of the different module topics, pre-class questionnaires answered through the University VLE, instructor mediation between students and content through mini-lectures and Just-in-Time Teaching, student-centered active learning approach for in-class sessions, and individual practice combined with peer-instruction mediated by the instructor.
E-LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES AND HUMAN LEARNING PROCESSijejournal
Learning has been a recurrent and inseparable activity of human being since ever. People have been
inventing and discovering various methods and techniques to improve its acquisition process and ways.
One’s progress and development has always been evolutionary as regards to learning versatility. One has
come to know various tactics, techniques and technologies according to the developing circumstances. But
now, in the 21st century, it may be said that this process cannot be termed as evolutionary as it was in its
place a revolutionary phenomenon. Science and technology changes the whole internal mindset as well as
external perspective. Computer changes the whole scenario. With its introduction, the conception of
electronic era emerged. Electronic learning opened a new chapter in the history of human education and
knowledge. Virtual classroom concept came into being. Interactive means changed altogether. All these
means prove to be effective in the human learning process.
Among educational buzzwords this is for sure the one with the highest pitches nowadays. The flooding of classrooms with new technologies has led to new approaches to classic lectures and traditional educational strategies, and Flipped Classes can be a good one if applied with common sense.
Esto es un trabajo realizado para mi clase de Topics in Linguistics de la carrera de Lingüística Aplicada. Se trata de un portafolio donde yo y mi grupo respondemos preguntas sacadas de un libro sobre la enseñanza de lenguas y la tecnología.
E-Learning and Digital Education,Hyderabad | Digital TeacherDigital Teacher
We at Digital Teacher provide new product & service development and innovation process consulting focused on creating disruptive breakthrough in end-to-end Software development & E-Learning solutions. For more info take a glance at About Us page
Effective and Engaging Learning Environments Chantel Dunn
Scenario - You have recently joined the staff of a school that is about to undergo major renovations. The principal of the school not only wants to redevelop the school physically, but also wants to ensure that the new learning spaces are able to provide pedagogically sound environments for both students and staff. You have been given the task to research the five key learning spaces and to create a presentation for your colleagues about these spaces prior to the start of the renovations.
Quote before the presentation begins:
“Hello everyone, Today I will be discussing how to effectively re-develop our schools learning spaces addressing both the physical and pedagogical aspects. I am from the drama department and I will be speaking about how to effectively design our new drama classrooms to engage and teach our high schools drama students. I will also be talking about 5 different learning spaces that we need to consider as a school to benefit our students”.
Traditionally, learning has been a part of teaching in the classroom, but internet has changed all that. Our pupils learn 24 hours a day. This is a reality teachers are facing when they meet students today. Many teachers use flipped classrooms to enhance pupil’s learning. It is a challenge for some of us. How can we provide excellent quality in our flipped education? It is a technical issue as well as a methodological challenge. This interactive workshop will explore this topic. I will give examples from Swedish schools and provide the audience with tools for teaching in a modern classroom.
Webinar given to launch the IATEFL LTSIG Monthly series on 25th July 2020. Storytelling ideas for language teaching online. The pre-task for the webinar is in the notes and here: https://ltsig.iatefl.org/ltsig-monthly
Interactive storytelling games (July 2020)Graham Stanley
Presentation about interactive storytelling games to promote speaking by language learners. Workshop given at the Trendy English games fest on 5th July 20020 - https://trendyenglish.ru/gamefest
Workshop about using Escae Rooms in the ELT classroom given at IATEFL Liverpool conference 2019 - presentation includes sample escape room activity - the link to the blog leads to a pgae where the handouts are so they can be used in class.
An escape room is an adventure game set within a confined space in which players solve puzzles to unlock the door, which originally started as a computer game During this workshop, we will look at how you can motivate your students, be they children, teenagers, or adults, by turning your classroom into an escape room with a focus on language skills practice in a fun way. You will be shown some ready-made practical examples you can use in their own teaching contexts, as well as ideas of how they can design their own escape room puzzles for learners.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
3. Remote Teaching is teaching live online
Remote teaching (synchronous) is
usually combined (blended) with
asynchronous computer-mediated-
communication (CMC), most typically
through the use of a Learning
Management System (LMS).
The objective of remote teaching is to
achieve normalisation (Bax, 2003*), i.e.
the technology should as far as possible
disappear, to become invisible.
* http://www.tesl-ej.org/ej36/f1.pdf
Remote teaching is the practice of
teaching live online through
videoconferencing (VC)
4. www.britishcouncil.org 4
• Start small / with what you know
• Establish a routine / timetable
• Familiarise yourself with the tools
• Be flexible / prepared to change
• Get feedback from learners
• Experiment / be creative
• Use it as an opportunity
• Have fun / make the learning fun
5. www.britishcouncil.org 5
• Test the audio – allow for technical issues
• Students should mute when not speaking
• Use cameras unless low connectivity
• Have a back channel available
• Think about flipping the classroom
• Have a plan B ready
• Set rules for behavior (child protection)
7. Use of the c______. Use
realia; zoom in and out; show
something other than
yourself.
Be f____ with the t_______.
Keeping the attention of
students online can be a
challenge.
Have a plan B up your
sleeve.
B____ l______. Exaggerate
gestures and face
expressions. Gesticulate, use
mannerisms, posture and
stance to convey emotion.
U__ of V____. Vary the
Volume; change the tone;
vary the pace.
M_____ d________. Keeping
the attention of students
online can be a challenge.
E__ contact and s_____
presence. How can you best
establish eye contact with
students when teaching
remotely?
Don’t be just a t____ h_____.
If you want your lesson to be
memorable, don’t just present
yourself as a talking head.
8. Use of the camera. Use
realia; zoom in and out; show
something other than
yourself.
Be familiar with the
technology. Keeping the
attention of students online
can be a challenge.
Troubleshooting.
Body language. Exaggerate
gestures and face
expressions. Gesticulate, use
mannerisms, posture and
stance to convey emotion.
Use of Voice. Vary the
Volume; change the tone;
vary the pace.
Minimise distractions.
Keeping the attention of
students online can be a
challenge.
Eye contact and screen
presence. How can you best
establish eye contact with
students when teaching
remotely?
Don’t be just a talking head. If
you want your lesson to be
memorable, don’t just present
yourself as a talking head.
9. Eye contact and screen presence. How
can you best establish eye contact with
students when teaching remotely?
10. Don’t be just a talking head. If you want
your lesson to be memorable, don’t just
present yourself as a talking head.
11. Body language. Exaggerate gestures
and face expressions. Gesticulate, use
mannerisms, posture and stance to
convey emotion.
12. Use of Voice. Vary the volume; change
the tone; use a low or high pitch of
voice; vary the pace.
18. ...adapts the objectives of the lesson to the characteristics of the
class, culture, age, needs and interests
...anticipates problems of teaching remotely and thinks of
solutions with the classroom teacher
...deals with the unexpected together with the classroom teacher
...personalises and shares cultural differences
...shows ownership of the class
...gets her teaching point ready before starting the class
...gets involved in the organisation of the brick-and-mortar
classroom
...finds ways of communicating effectively with the classroom
teacher
...demonstrates tasks and checks understanding
...trains the students to use the LMS (learning management
system) so they become independent learners
...promotes collaborative work in the LMS
...has online and offline resources ready before starting the lesson
...is camera-aware
https://ltsig.iatefl.org/new-research-book/
19. ...uses the remote control to ha good view of the students without
intimidating them
...uses gestures, smiles, stands-up (i.e. does not sit all the time)
...uses props, toys, posters, puppets, etc.
...uses music, games, acting, etc. to engage students
...keeps the students active during the lesson
...includes a variety of tasks and routines to provide a dynamic and
safe environment
...agrees with the classroom teacher on how to organise pair and
group work
...uses the students’ laptops in the remote language lesson
...likes trying something new with the class
...enjoys the lesson along with the students
...uses only English to deliver the lesson
...uses a variety of visuals to convey meaning
...makes use of a whiteboard to share new vocabulary and
meaning, etc.
...tries out new ways of transcending the screen.
https://ltsig.iatefl.org/new-research-book/
21. UNESCO have produced a blog post with lots
of advice for schools and are also monitoring
the school closures worldwide and the
response to this.
They have set up an Education Response
Task Force, with examples of remote learning
solutions.
www.britishcouncil.org
https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/unescos-response-to-the-coronavirus-crisis-offers-multilateral-solutions/
22. The social networks are now full of advice and
resources for schools and other orgnisations who
have to move their teaching / learning online.
One of the best resources I have seen for
language teaching is a dynamic document
curated by Joe Dale, a language consultant in the
UK.
In the document, Joe provides links to everything
from guides to different synchronous /
asynchronous tools, to other resources for
independent study, etc.
www.britishcouncil.org
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CyCAO4T03ScPYzrsuyMOFktdodZ-a3h650oTT7Wm4qk/edit
23. FutureLearn have just launched an online course
for educators as a reponse to the COVID-19
pandemic.
It is free to join and not only provides a thorough
grounding in the basics of online teaching, but
brings together educators from around the world
who are sharing their ideas and solutions.
www.britishcouncil.org
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/teach-online
24. The British Council’s TeachingEnglish website has
launched a series of webinars to help language
teachers in particular, support their students.
You can register to join the
Se live or watch the recordings afterwards.
Macmillan is also providing webinars:
https://www.macmillanenglish.com/us/training-
events/events-webinars
English UK has webinars directed at organisations:
https://www.englishuk.com/coronavirus
www.britishcouncil.org
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/training
25. If the situation in your country is such that you
cannot rely on videoconferencing or other regular
online options to Support learners, don’t worry.
This article has ideas that do not require high
bandwidth and some that require no connectivity at
all.
www.britishcouncil.org
https://www.iddblog.org/videoconferencing-alternatives-how-low-bandwidth-teaching-will-save-us-all/
26. For those of you teaching STEM
subjects, the current crisis has seen
Twig Education offer their platform
and STEM resources for free
www.britishcouncil.org https://twigeducation.com/
Remote teaching
Remote teaching is the practice of teaching live online through videoconferencing. In Uruguay, the British Council has been working in partnership with Plan Ceibal to cater for the lack of trained and qualified English language teachers in the country, project managing the remote teaching of 80,000 primary schoolchildren aged 8- 11. During the last 5 years, we have learned a lot about what makes a good remote teacher, and in this presentation, I will share some findings that are also supported by the publication Remote Language Teaching (British Council, 2019), a book of research and case studies.
Graham Stanley the British Council’s English for Education Systems Lead for the Americas and was previously responsible for managing the Ceibal en Ingles programme in Uruguay in partnership with Plan Ceibal. This programme uses videoconferencing to teach 80,000+ primary students English. He is editor of Remote Teaching (British Council, 2019), author of ´Language learning and Technology' (CUP, 2013) and co-author of 'Digital Play' (Delta, 2013).
Remote teaching (i.e. teaching live online) can be challenging for teachers, mainly because of the distance between you and your learners, which can make it difficult to engage them. However, there are a number of ways you can help stack the odds in your favour.
These are some ways of keeping the learners’ attention that I wrote about in an article last year
Eye contact and screen presence
How can you best establish eye contact with students when teaching remotely? If you look directly into the camera lens rather than at the screen, then students will feel you are looking them in the eye. This is particularly important if you have an external camera plugged into your computer that is some distance away from the screen. It isn’t so much of a problem with a fixed webcam on a laptop as the camera is placed just above the screen, but even here, if you focus on the lens it will make a difference and students will improve your online presence. Be aware of how you are presenting yourself on the screen too – make sure you are not showing half your head or presenting a weird angle, and take care to illuminate yourself well so you can be seen and are not in the shadows or too dark to the students. If you can face a window or point a light source at you rather than positioning it behind you will help.
Don’t just be a talking head
If you want your online lesson to be memorable, then don’t just present yourself as a talking head (i.e. show just your head and shoulders when teaching). Stand up and move occasionally when appropriate. Use the space you have in front of the camera better, for instance, to show a close-up of your mouth when teaching pronunciation. If you are teaching more than one student, then make sure you give them plenty of time to speak and try building in pair and groupwork to your lesson. Remember, just because you are teaching online doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give the students as much time to speak as you would if you were sitting in the same physical space.
Body language
You can’t move around the classroom as a remote teacher, but you can use body language in different ways. Exaggerate gestures and face expressions or they will be lost on students looking at small screens. You can also gesticulate, use mannerisms, posture and your stance to convey confidence or shyness when needed.
Gestures in particular should be confident and clear when teaching live online. Students won’t capture small or subtle gestures. Think about your posture (don’t slump) and make sure you smile. A simple smile will tell your students you are happy to be there with them. Be natural, however, as a forced or constant smile will give quite the wrong impression indeed! Vary your facial expressions and you will better capture your students’ attention.
Use of voice How you use your voice when teaching live online is very important. Your voice is a valuable asset that will help you create mood, atmosphere and transmit emotions. You may not be aware that how you speak and what your voice sounds like can have an impact on learning outcomes, but if your students feel the teacher’s voice is patronising, loud, or monotonous, then they may respond negatively. On the other hand, if your voice is expressive and lively, then you will draw their attention and it is more likely your students will be engaged and motivated with what you have to say.
What aspects of your voice should you be concerned with in order to encourage students to participate and learn?
Varying the volume and speaking softer or louder depending on what you are doing will help you control the class.
Changing the tone of your voice is the best way to convey a mood or emotion.
How low or high the pitch of your voice is important. Try to vary the pitch and you will seem more interesting to your students.
Varying the pace of your voice, when and for how long you pause and how quickly or slowly you speak will have a result on how students react to you.
Minimise distractions
Keeping the attention of your students when teaching online can sometimes be a challenge. You can help by minimising the opportunity for distraction. For instance, make sure the background (i.e. what is behind you on screen) isn’t too busy, or your students will be trying to read the titles of the books on the shelves behind you, for instance, rather than concentrating on what you have to say.
Use of the camera
There are lots of ways you can use your webcam that may not be obvious. You can introduce realia through the camera, for example, showing real life objects to illustrate vocabulary, etc. For this, it helps to have an external webcam that you can move easily. However, even with a fixed webcam, you can move your body backwards and forwards to simulate zooming in and out. Remember, you can also move yourself out of the view of the camera and show something else. A small portable whiteboard, for example, or puppets (particularly if you are teaching young learners online.
Be familiar with the technology
Don’t use a platform you are unfamiliar with and know how to adjust the settings before you start teaching. There’s nothing worse for students than hanging around twiddling their thumbs while waiting for their teacher to adjust the technology. Avoid faffing around and unnecessary waiting by having websites and links to other digital resources open before the class and switching windows. If you do need time to do something, then plan your lesson so students are doing pair or groupwork while you deal with the technology.
Troubleshooting and the importance of a plan B
Sooner or later if you are a remote teacher, you will face technical difficulties. When this happens, it’s important you know basic troubleshooting and to have a plan B. What this is will depend very much on context and what the technical problem is. It could be anything from asking a student to check their microphone settings or rebooting their computer (turning it off and on again often works wonders!) to rescheduling the lesson if you find it impossible to carry out the lesson because of, for example, connectivity problems. Experience will help here, but it is helpful to have thought things through so you appear calm and decisive if you need to. A useful tip is to always have an alternative platform available to use if you have problems with one in particular, for example, as changing the tool you use often does the trick.
Remote teaching (i.e. teaching live online) can be challenging for teachers, mainly because of the distance between you and your learners, which can make it difficult to engage them. However, there are a number of ways you can help stack the odds in your favour.
These are some ways of keeping the learners’ attention that I wrote about in an article last year