How to increase engagement in your online class, and how to make lessons engaging and fun
It’s not always easy to connect via webcam. Students need creativity in order to stimulate their brains!
Teaching online is a different experience than teaching in person.
Online teachers often face the greatest challenge of keeping students motivated and engaged in lessons, due to the distractions that can surround them at home.
Online teachers often ask themselves the same question: “How can my online classroom make it more fun for my students?”
There are many tips and tricks that can help increase student engagement in the classroom.
Let’s get started.
These are 8 top tips to help you make online classes more fun and engaging.
1. Present your best (online) self
Visuals
Your students will be able to see you through a webcam. Make sure you are presentable and the location you are in is also.
Tip: A simple background is the best way to remove distractions.
This is just the beginning!
Students will be more motivated if they can see you. ).
Your visual materials should also be of the highest quality.
You should ensure that your slides are clear and well-organized. Also, make sure any videos you use have good quality.
Audio
You can change the tone of the voice to introduce new activities and alter the pace of the class.
Praise your students and practice your storytelling skills. This will make a big difference in motivating your students.
Also, ensure that any audio clips that you intend to use are high quality.
This might seem obvious, but you need to make sure that your lessons can be taught online from an area with reliable internet access.
Students will not be distracted by a constant crackling connection.
2. Make the most of technology
While online teaching can present challenges, it also offers a wealth of great tools.
You can use any technology, including TutorShell, pointers, and virtual games, text editors or drawing tools, file editors (breakout rooms), screen-sharing tools, and screen editors to spice up your lessons.
To make sure that students feel comfortable using these virtual tools, you must first be familiar with how they work.
Next, think about how they might be used to spice up your lessons.
You could offer students fun rewards, for example.
No child is too excited to get 30 seconds of play with a drawing tool.
3. Find out what inspires you and your students
Real connections
Good news: Just like in a face-to-face classroom setting, online students can be inspired and given a reason for being engaged in class.
You can teach English online, or in a classroom setting. Use the same tools as you would in a classroom.
You can turn up the excitement by using music or simply go wild with the drawing tool.
You don’t have to be afraid of trying different things with students until you find the right one.
4. Help your students set goals and keep them on track
Online students can also be helped to stay on track and keep their sense of purpose.
Online learners should set goals
A simple way to bring short-term goals to your online classroom is by making sure that each lesson has an outline. This will help your student understand where they are in their learning process, and what the context is for any activity.
Next, think about what you could do to reward students who complete tasks or work hard during lessons.
Positive feedback, badges, and points could be offered. You can also play games, or do other learning activities that your students enjoy.
If you are looking for long-term goals, it is best to not look too far in the future. Instead, take the time to talk to your students now and then and establish goals together for the next month.
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Online learners can check their progress
You can check your short-term progress by reviewing or taking quizzes on past topics.
It’s a great way to remind students about their long-term progress. Students can create a portfolio of work together so that they can look back and see where they have come.
You can do this online by creating a page of accomplishments.
Teaching children can ask them to draw something every time they accomplish something. You might also want to create an achievement tree or trophy shelf. You might ask teens and adult learners to write something.
As your course progresses, you will see more and more of your students’ successes and proud moments.
5. Keep it interactive
Make use of technology
It is common for students to have some time alone to reflect or to read a text in a face-to-face class.
These activities are not compatible with online classes.
It can be difficult to read long, dense texts on a screen. It is much easier to break them down into smaller chunks.
Virtual classrooms are not the best place for silence because it allows students to lose their focus and make mistakes.
You want to keep your students engaged in the lesson by planning activities that encourage them to type, click and talk.
This can be done by asking lots of questions and including games.
You can also make sure that your student speaks every three minutes when planning lessons.
6. Make the lesson digestible
Online teaching is all about timing. You might need to break up online lessons in a different way than you would with face-to-face classes.
It’s best to work at a rapid pace and break down complex information into smaller, more digestible pieces.
This means that you should avoid lengthy explanations or slides with too many text.
Your students will love to mix up the pace of lessons by including a variety activities.
With free lesson planners such as Planboard, you can also create lesson plans online.
Online English teachers have plenty of resources to help them get started.
7. Your students should feel valued
Students who study in online classes can feel isolated and demotivated.
They may think no one notices or care if a class is missed, or they might find it tempting to log out if they feel tired.
Online teachers can make sure that their students feel valued and respected in the classroom.
You may be wondering how to do this.
Here are some ideas:
Learn the name of your student and use it throughout the lesson. Make sure you also learn theirs
Make sure you follow up on lessons you taught in the past so that your students are aware of what you’re doing.
Learn about the interests of your student and include them in the lesson whenever possible
Regularly give feedback to your students on their work
Be positive, encouraging, and present.
8. Be patient with students
It is not easy to keep students stimulated and engaged, as anyone will tell you. Keep in mind that children under the age of 10 often have a difficult time focusing and paying attention.
It’s perfectly normal!
It is important to allow them some time off and to be patient with them.
Students can pick up on their frustrations and anger easily when things aren’t working.
This makes things worse.
Allow them to take a break from time to time.
It will make a big difference!
Make your virtual classroom more interactive
Online teaching requires creativity.
Although online environments can seem difficult to understand at first, it is possible to make your students have the best experience.
They’ll also be thrilled to log in to your classroom.
