A Teacher’s Guide to Preparing for Skype English Lessons
Teaching online using Skype is becoming very popular as it enables teachers to teach English to students living anywhere in the world. Once the time difference is taken into account both the teacher and student arrange to have lessons together at mutually convenient time. Here are the suggestions as to how a teacher should prepare for Skype English lessons:
Make sure you have a good Internet connection
Ensure that the teacher has a good Wi-Fi connection. The student will also need to ensure that he or she has a good WI-FI connection.
Use a headset
Firstly, check that the one’s headset is working properly. A good headset will ensure that the student can hear the teacher properly and learn the correct listening and pronunciation skills of what the teacher is teaching. The student also needs to ensure that he or she has a good headset.
Keep the video camera on
Then check the video camera is working correctly. This ensures that the student can see the teacher clearly. When the camera works for both the student and teacher, the teacher can see the facial expressions of his or her student and ensure that the student understands what is being discussed. The camera on the student’s laptop also needs to be working.
Be punctual
The teacher must be on time for the lessons for the start of the lessons and a few minutes early would be an advantage in case the student arrives early. The teacher must look the part – dress correctly and be seated in a room which is tidy and looks like a ‘proper learning environment’.
Turn off any distractions
Close all apps on the teacher’s laptops so there will be no distractions and no interruptions. The teacher must turn off her mobile phone during the Skype English lessons or put them on silent.
Be prepared
The teacher must come to Skype English lessons prepared. During the first lesson with a student it is important that the teacher explains how to use Skype if the student is either a child or if the student has never used Skype before. This will also include explaining how the chat/message box works. Clear instructions need to be given.
Be friendly and polite. Speak slowly.
Come to the first lesson with a new student knowing a little about whether they are a child or adult and where they live. The first lesson will be more of an introductory lesson to assess how well the student can speak English, their interests and why they want to improve their English. For future lessons, the teacher also needs to come prepared either with general questions or with conversation topics chosen by the student. Lesson topics can cover technology, travel, recycling, global warming, environment, business, interview practice and history together with many more topics. The teacher and students can agree topics in advance so both can prepare for the lessons.
Remember, the student needs speaking practice, not you!
Ensure that the student speaks for the majority of the lesson, correcting at certain points in the conversation rather than not all the time. Some students might like correcting more regularly but the teacher can ask this in the first or second session.
Skype English lessons can happen from anywhere!
These Skype English lessons can take place anywhere in the world as long as both the teacher and student have laptops, good audio, a camera that works and a good WI-FI connection. The lessons can be very satisfying for both the teacher and the student as the teacher can see and hear the student improving in confidence and fluency.
Skype is a very good platform to use in teaching English online as a teacher can teach on a one-to-one basis.
