This is the blog post to read if you are a school manager, coordinator, or freelance teacher looking to build stronger relationships with parents and caregivers. Read on to learn practical ways to build trust, confidence, and establish a genuine partnership between home and school. Introduction We have long known
Exploiting video for authentic English
So far in this series of articles on using video in the classroom, I’ve focused on ways to plan a video lesson and how to make the activities more collaborative. In this post, I’d like to look at the impact authentic video can have on a lesson when we teach
A 7-Step Framework for Vocabulary Study while Reading
Research suggests that reading can be one of the best tools to boost a language learner’s vocabulary. The following 7-step guide provides some tips to help students maximize their vocabulary gains while reading independently. 1. Read something interesting and at the right level. The first step is to make sure
Connecting your Online Classroom to the Real World
In this blog post, Caroline McKinnon, a teacher in the United States, describes how she connects her online classroom to the real world. Let us know how you are connecting your online classroom to the real world in the comments section below. — Last week, I took my class on
Vox Pops Videos
The term ‘Vox Pops’ comes from the Latin meaning ‘voice of the people’ but in modern day English we use it to refer to videos made from short clips of everyday people being interviewed. It’s one of my favorite type of videos to include with course books because I like
Teaching Very Young Learners: the more you know, the more you can help!
You walk into class and your students are already there waiting for you. There are happy yells of “Teacher!” when you walk in, but Jo is crying because someone moved her school bag and Rae and Kim are pushing each other to be at the front of the line you
Ten Tips to Create a Comfortable Online Learning Environment for your Young Learners
1. Don’t panic if you have tech problems. No sound, webcam issues, slow internet – we’ve all encountered problems with technology in our day-to-day lives, and teaching online is no different. If you (or a student) have tech problems, remember not to panic! If you’re teaching a group and find
Teaching Speaking Online
This blog post features some personal reflections on teaching English online from Outcomes author, Hugh Dellar. Like many of you out there, I’ve found myself doing a fair bit of online teaching recently and I won’t lie – I much prefer face-to-face. I miss the way I can read a room full
10 Tips for Successful Online Lessons
10 Tips for Successful Online Lessons Teaching online for the first time might seem a bit intimidating, much like the first time we do anything. Remember the first time you had to teach your own class? How did you feel then? Excited and a bit anxious, I suspect. But guess
Building a Supportive Online Community
Breaking Through the Screen: A Dozen Tips for Engaging Students in Online English Language Learning Tips #10-13 Learning online can leave your students feeling isolated and unsupported. While you and your students can’t be in the same room, you can still foster a supportive learning community with and between students.