Distance online courses for English teachers

In this article, we will look at the features, advantages and disadvantages of online learning for teachers and tell you how you can get the most out of this format.

The situation in the world associated with the pandemic has also affected education. Online lectures, emphasis on independent study of subjects, new educational technologies and requirements for teachers are the reality of our time. Teachers are forced to follow trends and undergo advanced training remotely.

In this article, we will look at the features, advantages and disadvantages of online learning for teachers and tell you how you can get the most out of this format.

Features of distance learning

When choosing courses, it is important to choose those that will bring practical knowledge and take teaching to a higher level. The following topics are considered popular at the moment:

• Media literacy of employees of the educational industry.
• Schoolchildren thinking design.
• Critical thinking of the teacher.
• Online language learning.
• Digital maturity of the teacher.
• Countering bullying in the classroom.
• Content-Language Integrated Learning.

Teaching methodology is important for each teacher, so you can pay attention to courses where the methodological base for teachers of elementary grades or teenagers is considered in more depth. Popular methods actively used in the world's leading universities are:

• Design, which uses modern topics on ecology, ethics, conflict resolution, etc.
• training approach.
• Methods of "Business game" and "Brainstorming".
• Communicative technique.

Learning sites for English teachers

• edx.org is a multidisciplinary resource where you can find really useful material. In particular, there are sections for teachers on methods of studying English literature, in-depth study of grammar, vocabulary, business style of communication, English for journalists, programmers, and businessmen. There are free versions, and there is an opportunity to take a course and get a certificate (the cost of certification starts from $50)
• coursera.org is one of the most popular platforms for those who want to gain new knowledge. There are paid and free courses. There is material about writing scientific texts, about improving communication skills in English, multi-level grammar courses, academic English, English punctuation rules, telephone communication features and much more.
• alison.com - many free courses on topics such as: language for tourism purposes, for business, basic and advanced learning. Along with English, a lot of data is also presented for other languages.
• uopeople.edu is a real online university where you can choose a specialty, study and get a diploma.
• futurelearn.com/courses is a site where you can choose from several options: short courses, a full-time course, and even a degree. A variety of information will be useful for any employee in the field of education.
• academicearth.org is an online academy where you can get a bachelor's degree, master's degree, as well as a certificate or diploma. You can just be a listener. There is a full section "Education and Teaching".
• openedu.ru is a Russian platform that collects courses from the most prestigious universities in the country. Here you can find interesting classes in psychology, ecology, history, theory of state and law, etc. The courses are constantly updated, so it’s worth browsing the resource from time to time in search of relevant ones.
• universarium.org - a large number of areas, including philology, self-development, history, literature, cultural studies and much more.

Video lectures for English teachers

In addition to long courses, you can pay attention to short videos that discuss interesting facts, techniques, and examples for teaching practice.

• ted.com - trends, news, discussions from prominent personalities are useful simply because of the correct pronunciation. If you want to know all the newest words, expressions and trendy topics for discussion, you should visit this resource.
• youtube.com/education - a channel dedicated to interesting facts in many industries. For example, how to lead a discussion, how to win an argument, international recipes, basic English training, and so on. Topics can be used for class discussion or for student projects.
• bigthink.com is a site where experts share their experience and knowledge in various fields. Short stories can be interesting for class discussion or private tutoring.
• videolectures.net - a huge amount of information on disciplines related to pedagogy. The "Browse Lectures" tab contains popular, fresh, most frequently opened lectures.
• univertv.ru - a resource with lectures on psychology, sociology, philosophy, etc.
• vnimanietv.ru - on this site you can watch videos about the Waldorf methodology, linguistic genetics, innovations in education and much more. Very entertaining project for teachers.
• intuit.ru is one of the highest quality resources that provides free distance learning programs. Here you can undergo retraining, improve your qualifications, study more than 200 lectures on pedagogy. Definitely worth visiting regularly.

If a diploma or certificate is important to you, then you can pay attention to professional courses for teachers of English . Due to quarantine, many face-to-face processes have switched to online mode, so if you have long wanted to get a certificate, for example, TKT, CELTA, TEFL / TESOL, then you should ask about the current format. It is likely that even the exam can be taken remotely. Some courses, such as ICELT and Train the Trainer, are exclusively face-to-face, but there are also completely remote courses, including TEFL / TESOL.

On them, you can significantly improve your knowledge in teaching methods by choosing an in-depth study of English for academic purposes or an extended course in teaching children. In addition, you can understand the main aspects of distance education, as well as pass the "Teaching in a college or institute" unit.

TEFL/TESOL courses, thanks to a completely remote learning option, allow you to choose the right time, speed and intensity of classes.

Free distance courses for teachers

Price is often the deciding factor when choosing a course. People prefer to choose courses cheaper or completely free. If the material is purchased for money, a person, as a rule, has a motivation to complete the course to the end, to try and gain new knowledge. While free resources are often "abandoned". But if you have a high level of self-discipline and are ready to study without tutors, reminders and deadlines, then check out a selection of online resources for teachers for free:

• stepik.org - in the "Learning languages" section, you can find many courses dedicated to different languages ​​and areas of linguistics.
• vse-kursy.com is an interesting resource that can be useful with webinars, courses and marathons on such topics: “How to remember 1000 words a week”, “How to learn English in 3 months”, “How to learn a language from scratch in six months”.
• en.duolingo.com - all you need to do to learn a language is to create an account. The course is based on short lessons and rewards in the form of points for completed assignments. It is also possible to pass a test to confirm knowledge of the language.
• The course " Polyglot " with Dmitry Petrov is suitable for those who love videos and intensive training. Those who know English can get new teaching methods from it that can be used in their work.
• engvid.com is an entertaining resource with a huge amount of information from Canadian teachers: you can improve grammar, prepare for IELTS, TOEFL, learn English slang, improve pronunciation. Definitely useful for practicing teachers.
• learnenglish.de - here you can get ideas for lessons: study examples of tests, games and various activities in the lessons, get acquainted with the culture of England.
• lingualeo.com/ru - the free version includes over 250,000 texts, videos and audios. You can also use word sets and online trainers.
• onlinenglish.ru - a site where you can find free audiobooks, songs, videos, movies, tests, dialogue options and tutorials.
• manythings.org - get new knowledge with Jennifer. A simple and understandable resource that hosts 65 free lessons. The information will be useful for both beginners and experienced teachers for practical application.
• theoryandpractice.ru is an interesting site where you can get certificates after completing the course. Suitable for those who want to learn how to communicate fluently in English at the native level. In addition to the main course, various seminars and grants are offered, in which you can participate if you wish.

Free English courses can be useful for teachers as a source of ideas. By studying such resources, you can diversify the lessons, come up with new types of activities, and study modern teaching exercises.

How to get the most out of online learning?

We have highlighted some important tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of any distance learning activity.

• Before paying for a course or registering, it is worth evaluating the duration, usefulness and value for money. The information you need in the future may not be enough motivation for extra screen time. Therefore, choose a course that will definitely come in handy in the near future and will bring you not only benefits, but also bonuses at work.
• In order for the course not to be too stressful, it must be applied so that you can use the acquired knowledge and practice new techniques in the classroom. Choose learning materials authored by practicing educators.
• Train yourself to organize information. It is very important to note how many hours a week you spent on studying, on homework, on mastering the material. At the end, you will not only have a general idea of ​​the amount of knowledge gained, but also data to mark in your individual self-development plan.
• Rejoice in your success. Additional lectures, homework, tests can be labor intensive, especially if you work in parallel. Therefore, after each successfully passed test, you can reward yourself with something pleasant.
• For the most comfortable acquisition of additional knowledge, we advise you to choose courses where you will be provided with an assistant for passing.