Module 7: Lesson 4 - The internet as a resource Flashcards
Why learn online?
- It’s extremely accessible and flexible.
- It can be more affordable.
- It provides learners with access to teachers and other classmates from around the world.
- It can be a solution in times of emergencies.
- Learners can easily access a greater range of services, such as languages, that aren’t taught near their location or different teaching methods.
Why teach online?
- It can offer flexibility in terms of working hours and access to learners.
- Teachers can work for various employers from home.
- Teachers can have access to a wide range of teaching experiences and contexts, e.g. one-to-one classes, younger learners, groups, business English, etc.
- Teachers can work independently more easily.
What are the 5 principles of teaching online?
Maximize opportunities for communication: forming a community.
Get learners to speak regularly: involve learners in the lesson as much as possible.
Good teacher presence is key: physically visible, emotionally present in the class - motivated and energetic.
Use appropriate materials and activities: if done right, there are several opportunities to liven up a lesson (realia, YouTube, etc.). Fully utilize technology.
Be prepared: technical issues, ensure back ups in tech.
How to find suitable online resources:
Use a well-known site that has been recommended to you.
Make a note of any good sites you come across for future use, or bookmark them in your browser.
Look at the reviews, if there are any.
Use top publishers’ sites.
There is a difference between American and British lessons.
Review of One Stop English.
Resources for lesson plans
https://www.onestopenglish.com/
Strengths: The site has thousands of ready-to-go lesson plans and ideas covering a range of topics. It is very easy to navigate as you can search for resources based on age, topic, level, etc. It can significantly reduce the teacher’s planning time as the lesson plans are detailed and of good quality.
Weaknesses: Although there are some free resources, the site does have a yearly subscription fee to access all the lesson plans.
Review of British Council.
TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC
Strengths: This British Council site has a lot of free lesson plans which cover a wide range of topics and levels. There are also different skills-based lesson plans. The resources are downloadable so you can download the worksheets separately if you wish to just focus on one part of the plan. This site is also great from a teacher development perspective as there are a lot of articles and resources on how to learn more and develop as a teacher - great for new teachers.
Weaknesses: There is a lot of content to navigate through and if you are searching for something in particular, the search tool isn’t very efficient. It can take time to find exactly what you are looking for.
Review of Tim’s Free English Lesson Plans.
Free English Lesson Plans
https://freeenglishlessonplans.com/category/conversation-classes/
Strengths: Tim’s free English plans cover a range of levels and topics and are very communicative which is great for speaking practice. As the creator is a teacher himself, there is a more personal and more practical approach to the lessons. The site is updated regularly providing fresh content for teachers to use.
Weaknesses: As the site takes a more personal approach, sometimes the lesson plans are catered to the creator’s own classes and students. You might find that there are a lot of references to Barcelona which are not as relevant to your learners.
Review of Ted Talks.
TED
https://www.ted.com/talks
Strengths: TED Talks are hugely popular with native English speakers so this resource is great for higher-level students who want to listen to some authentic language. The content is updated regularly and the videos contain a lot of interesting topics.
Weaknesses: TED Talks might not be suitable for lower-level learners as they may struggle to understand. Also, the topics covered are quite complex and often controversial, meaning the vocabulary can be more difficult for these learners.
Review of Film English.
Film English – by Kieran Donaghy (film-english.com)
Strengths: This resource provides lesson plans based on films and TV series. It is great to engage the students and expose them to the film culture of the English-speaking world.
Weaknesses: There is a subscription for full access to this resource. Individual lesson plans can be bought but this can get expensive if used on a regular basis.
Review of Breaking News English.
Breaking News English
Strengths: Breaking News English provides reading and listening practice of news stories followed by exercises (matching synonyms, true or false questions, etc.). It is great for students to get extra practice at home. There are also different levels for each story so any level student can use it and complete the exercises confidently.
Weaknesses: The layout is a bit messy on this site and some of the exercises are not useful. There are also no answers to a lot of the exercises so a student might need to check the work with the teacher which can be time-consuming.
Review of Teach This.
https://www.teach-this.com/
Strengths: Teach This is a great resource for grammar games and activities in particular, although, it also includes vocabulary and functional language practice. It provides the teacher with communicative activities for different levels which can accompany a more traditional coursebook. There are many free options and even interactive, online versions to use in the online classroom.
Weaknesses: Although the site does have a lot of free resources, a paid subscription is needed to access all the resources.
