Tips for Teaching English as a Second Language Online

English is a popular language to learn on the Internet as it become a more widely-used language. Teachers around the world can use the Internet, whiteboard technology, headphones with a microphone, and a web cam to teach students English. It is convenient for students as well as for teachers. When managing an online classroom, teachers may find that it is quite different in certain respects to teaching in a traditional classroom.

Tips for Managing an Online ESL Classroom

1.) Get started quickly. In an online ESL session, students do not know one another as they might in a traditional class setting. Introductions can take up precious time in a timed session, so keep them short and to the point. This depersonalizes the teaching process, but it is necessary. Make the introductions light-hearted by saying, "Amy, say 'hi' to Sam. Sam, say 'hi' to Amy." Tell your name, ask how everybody is, and move on.

2.) Alternate how reading material is taught. For instance, as one student to read the reading material out loud, and another to summarize it. Another variation is having students read it silently for about 1 to 2 minutes and then have each student tell one thing they learned from it, or have one student summarize it.

3.) Stay on topic when you have discussion time as much as possible. You do not have to stick with the discussion questions exactly as they are on the lesson plan, but try to stay at least mostly on topic. This keeps the students thinking about and using the new lesson vocabulary and grammar. However, keep a conversational tone to the lesson by talking about something that is not directly printed on the lesson plan.

4.) Ask thoughtful questions. Ask students their opinions about the topic you are learning about. Some might include, "Tell me more about that," "Why do you think that?" "How would you do it?" These get students to practice their communication and oral fluency skills.

5.) Allow students to finish reading or saying what they are saying before you correct grammar or pronunciation. The point of speaking is to be understood. Let the student accomplish that main goal, and then proceed to help him with the finer points of English.

6.) Type the incorrect sentences students say exactly as they say them during the lesson. Then ask the student to correct the sentence herself, pointing to the section of the sentence that needs some work as a hint. Self-correction allows students to discover their own mistakes, and they are more in control of their learning when they can fix their own errors.