How to teach English online?

Methods of distance teaching of English

The directions of learning a foreign language have remained the same, but the current situation implies a change in the presentation of the material. There are 6 main tasks that must be mastered when studying:

1. Grammar (Grammar);
2. Audio perception (Listening);
3. Reading and pronunciation (Reading and Pronunciation);
4. Letter (Writing);
5. Conversational speech (Speaking);
6. Live communication in real time (Communication).

Distance learning technologies for a foreign language

Education today is based on security, speed and quality of information transfer. The most popular technologies are recognized:

• Skype and Zoom conferences for training and improving communication skills. Also, this option is suitable for reading, but in this case it is worth reducing the number of participants to 5-8 people so that the teacher has time to listen to everyone and give feedback.
• General chat in Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp is a good solution for practicing grammar and pronunciation (if students respond in the format of audio messages). Correspondence on a specific topic, short essays, conversation between group members will help to practice writing.
• Video messages or live broadcast on Facebook, Instagram, Zoom will help you evaluate speaking and pronunciation.
• Grammar and translation can be checked by sending emails with misspelled words. After working on the document, the student sends back the correct version of the assignment and receives an assessment.
• Listening can be done through YouTube videos or interesting short films. The person listens to the passage on their own and then answers questions via Skype, Zoom or in writing.

Distance learning options also include watching video lectures and audio recordings on CDs, reading and working with downloaded materials, registering in electronic libraries, and preparing independent projects on a given topic.

How to teach English to children online?

Before choosing a methodology for teaching children, it is worth identifying the features of the age category. Children can be divided into three groups:

How to teach children 4-6 years old remotely?

The key task of a teacher with such young children is to make it interesting and show why the language needs to be learned. You can start with funny cartoons like Ladybug and Super Cat, talk about the fact that in English-speaking countries there are also a lot of small children with whom you can be friends if you understand them. You can talk about interesting games or house rules.

The first few lessons are worth looking at the child to find out:

• How is it easier for him to absorb information?
• What does he like, what is he passionate about?
• What does he dream of being when he grows up?
• Does he have a lot of workload?

The child should not be very difficult or incomprehensible. The best option would be to repeat the alphabet, basic vocabulary, elementary grammar, and only then you can focus on further learning the language.

Teachers may find the following resources helpful:

• Skyteach is an open community of English teachers where you can find a lot of useful information (lesson plans, teaching methods, exercises, etc.).
• PBS Kids is a cool site where you can learn with videos, games, pictures, puzzles. This resource is designed for English-speaking children, but this is also an advantage: you can adopt popular foreign teaching methods. Pay attention to the Vocabulary Games section, it will be of interest even to those who hardly know the language.
• LearnEnglish Kids is a resource created by the British Council for language learners. The site includes all the classic types of work: writing, speaking, listening, grammar. A special feature is that many materials can be downloaded and printed. You will definitely enjoy the Fun and Games section!
• The Super Simple Songs will appeal to kids for funny songs that are about everything: colors, the alphabet, body parts, animals, etc. You can also look at Bob the Tank Engine, Steve and Maggie, at the Mother Goose Club or on the learning channels Blippi, Dream English kids.
• Channels where presenters sing the so-called action songs - Jbrary, the presenters use certain gestures that help the baby remember the words.

You can send a link to the material so that the child can watch before class or watch with him during the lesson. If this causes difficulties, you can simply devote some time to different topics. For example, in a lesson on kitchen utensils, food, fruits, you can demonstrate objects, name them and describe their properties in English.

In a remote format, it is very convenient to teach young children through drawing, asking them to draw the words that you pronounce in English.

You can also use toys that will "speak" in English and have a conversation with the child.

Do not limit your imagination and remember that children of 4-6 years old do not need to be heaped with unnecessary information - the best option would be just a game format that will not tire the child.

Features of teaching English to children 7-10 years old

Children of this age, as a rule, already go to school, so they will be able to withstand half an hour of classes. But even here it is worth remembering that English is an additional burden, so if you present information dryly, uninterestingly, the child will not want to learn. With children of this age, you can apply the tactics of "pleasant and useful."

You can alternate lessons by type of training. For example, some lessons can be devoted to listening to fairy tales and stories on the channels Story Time for Children, StorylineOnline, under which the child can draw a story. Other classes can be devoted to the study of the world, they can watch videos about traveling to other countries, customs ( vagabrothers, kold, Alex Chacon ).

Some children still like cartoons, then you can watch a series of cartoons about a tiger cub ( Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood ), Trotro the donkey or Masha and the Bear in English. If the child has other preferences, for example, Transformers or short films, look for them in English or turn on subtitles.

You can play more difficult puzzles and puzzles at eslgamesplus.com.

An interesting option is to read bilingual books during an online lesson - this way you can correct pronunciation.

You can write emails to each other or to children from other countries, tell what you are doing in quarantine, how you fight boredom, how you study. The role of the "child from another country" can be played by the teacher himself for some time - even a serious schoolboy is funny to get an answer from another continent.

How to teach English to children from 10 to 15 years old?

This age group is already more accustomed to gadgets and online events, so they can try a wide variety of options. You can watch excerpts from TV shows to listen to speech and write out modern phrases and expressions, listen to English songs and translate them, you can even read articles and posts by foreign bloggers and celebrities.

An equally exciting option is to translate your favorite Russian-language songs into English - on the one hand, this is a creative and interesting task, and on the other hand, the child learns to determine the tenses of verbs and use articles correctly.

The most important results of teaching children of this age can be considered a vocabulary sufficient for communication and the ability to correctly use basic tenses.

Fortunately, almost all popular books such as Real Life, English Grammar in Use, Speakout Macmillan Publishers reading books can be found in electronic form, so classical education will not suffer.

Useful resources for teens:

• JamesESL English Lessons: grammar, pronunciation, hacks and tips.
• TED ED: short and clear on "The Lost Treasures of Timbuktu," "The Dark Tale of the Banana," "12 Questions Nobody Knows the Answers to." Interesting? Yes, teenagers really like this channel.
• Jamie Oliver: Everyone loves treats. On this channel they tell and show such videos from which saliva will flow.
• The Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon: celebrity guests, English chatter and funny jokes. You can also try.
• Minute Physics: short and really entertaining videos about various scientific facts.
• Human: Celebrities answer the question "What makes us human?" Original presentation and excellent pronunciation.
• Business English Pod: a serious resource for those who have already decided on their future profession. It contains fresh vocabulary from marketing, business, management. Among other things, there are videos "How to talk on the phone correctly", "How to give instructions", "How to clarify details" and much more.
• Real English: Real People, Real Situations is a very useful resource.
• BBC Learn English: Learn the language the way the British Broadcasting Corporation teaches you.
• English with Jennifer: Jennifer is an educator, so her teaching methods can be trusted.
• English as if by notes: a channel that you will definitely like. Learn the language with songs with pleasure.

There are a lot of educational channels, but the most important success factor in working with them is whether the content will arouse genuine interest in the child. Therefore, only testing different materials, techniques and formats will help you choose individual tactics with a teenager.

How to start teaching English online?

If you are a practicing teacher, you can invite your students to try out remotely, or advertise that you are recruiting people for online teaching.

If you are a private tutor, then you can try with a combination of lessons, and if there is no decrease in efficiency, then you can switch to 100% distance learning.

If you are a beginner teacher, student, or just planning to teach others the language, then you should pay attention to the TEFL/TESOL. These are special teacher certification courses that give you the right to teach English to other people.

They will be useful for those who want to have documentary evidence of a high level of language, understand pedagogical techniques and methods (including the basics of online teaching), and also have the opportunity to move to another country to work in educational institutions.

The certificate gives the right to teach English to people of any age and profession, in any country in the world, and is the basis for obtaining a work visa to many countries.

Where can I find online jobs for English teachers?

The job search includes the following options:

• Vacancies on the sites of English courses. If there is no vacancies section on the website of a course or private language school, you can write them a personal letter and attach your resume.
• On popular sites: avito.ru. hh.ru, trud.com, trudvsem.ru, jooble, rabota.ru, superjob with "remote", "online", "remote" filters.
• In social networks, by hashtags: #vacancyEnglishteacheronline , #remotevacancyEnglish teacher, #remoteworkteacher, #onlinetutor - there can be many options.
• Subscribe to thematic groups for teachers, English tutors in Telegram, Facebook, Vkontakte - perhaps there you can ask a question or get a selection of current vacancies.
• Create your professional profile on LinkedIn, fill it out and indicate in your status that you are looking for a job or students.
• Make a list of private schools and kindergartens in your city - send out letters offering your services for the period of quarantine as a remote teacher. As a rule, private educational institutions strive for the quality of education, so it is unacceptable for them to have one teacher for a class of 20 people, so the demand for teachers during the quarantine is growing.
• Complete TEFL / TESOL certification courses and get lifetime access to a database of verified employers and jobs around the world and online.

Recommendations for teachers for distance teaching

First of all, do not worry about the possible decline in student performance. If you choose the right format for training, then there will be no problems. We have selected a few tips that are actively used in Western schools:

• Allow yourself to experiment. You can allow students to maintain social networks in English and post on given topics. This approach supports interdisciplinarity - it teaches network security, computer literacy rules, and skills in using graphic editors.
• Expand and replenish vocabulary. Teach lessons entirely in English, including using phrases such as scroll down the text, download the file, check out your wi-fi, you should enter your login and username, follow the link, share me access to documents and so on. These words and expressions are sure to be useful to everyone.
• Give children freedom of choice. If a child wants to shoot a series of Stories on the topic “My Pet” or “How I Celebrate Autumn” as a home project, send you a presentation with answers to a question, or edit a clip with learned verses, then this deserves approval.
• Democratic Approach. You and your students are now one - you should unite together against complex digital technologies. Ask for help if something is not clear, learn about trends among young people, be interested in what your students are interested in and actively implement it in the learning process.