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Home / Teaching / How to Teach Online / Teaching English Online / Introduction to the course and welcome to week 1
Introduction to the course and welcome to week 1
Welcome to our course and to week 1.
Hello, and a warm welcome to our course, Teaching English Online. My name’s Lindsay Warwick. I’m Marie Therese Swabey. Hello. We’re going to take you through the course over the next four weeks. So in week one, then, we’re going to look at the context of teaching English online. We’re going to think about the technology you need and look at platforms and also think about the key skills an online teacher needs. That’s right. In week two, we’re going to look at our receptive skills. So we’re going to talk about reading and listening and how it’s different teaching online to teaching face-to-face or how it’s the same. And in week three, we’re talking about productive skills, so that’s speaking and writing. Week four?
In week four, we’re going to think about language teaching online and also how you can start and run your own business as an online teacher and also how you can continue to develop professionally. Yep. And in every week, in every step, there are activities for you to do. There are some recordings of lessons online with real students. And we also have a couple of assignments. But I think the most important part really is the comments box. So at the end of every step, there’ll be comments where we ask you to exchange ideas, say what you feel about things you’re learning on the course, and that sort of thing.
And don’t forget that when you complete a step, make sure you do click on the pink button at the bottom of the page because then it registers on the website that you’ve completed it. Absolutely. So let’s get started. The first task this week is, as usual, a getting to know you activity. So please tell us something about yourself in the comments box, where you’re from, why you’re doing the course, what are your experiences of teaching, that sort of thing. Good luck, everyone. Yeah, good luck. Have a great week.
Welcome to our Teaching English Online course. This course will help you transfer your teaching skills from the face-to-face classroom to a digital environment so that you can deliver effective lessons to your learners. In the first week of the course, we’ll look at the online teaching context, examining who learners might be, why you might want to become an online tutor, and the pros and cons of working for an employer or working for yourself. We’ll also help you to understand what you need to get started with technology, tools and resources, and key skills.In week 2 of the course, we’ll focus on planning and delivering effective online receptive skills lessons. We’ll give you practical ideas and suggestions for tools, resources and activities that will help learners to develop reading and listening sub-skills.In week 3 of the course, we’ll focus on planning and delivering productive skills lessons. We’ll give you practical ideas and suggestions for adapting speaking and writing lessons for an online context. We’ll also suggest ways to help learners with pronunciation and recommend some useful resources for developing pronunciation.In week 4 of the course, we’ll focus on planning and delivering language lessons online with useful tools for setting context and practising using language. You’ll also have some practical ideas and advice on how to set up and run your business. Finally, we’ll consider ways that an online teacher can continue their professional development.
Outline of week 1
This week we’ll start with some introductions and then we’ll answer these questions:- What do we mean by teaching English online?
- Who might the learners in an online lesson be?
- Why become an online teacher?
- Is it better to work for a company or for yourself?
- What equipment, tools and resources do you need to get started?
- What key skills do you need as an online teacher?
Before you continue
If this is your first FutureLearn course, you may find it helpful to browse the Using FutureLearn and FAQ pages before moving on.Get extra benefits, upgrade your course
You can now get extra benefits by upgrading this course, including:Unlimited access to the course: Go at your own pace with unlimited access to the course for as long as it exists on FutureLearn.Access to tests: Ensure you’ve mastered the material with access to tests on the course.A Certificate of Achievement: To help you demonstrate your learning we’ll send you a Certificate of Achievement when you become eligible. Find out more.Reflect and share
In the next step you’ll find out more about your lead tutors but, before you go there, take a minute to introduce yourself to us and other course participants in the comments section below. Tell us who you are, and where and who you currently teach. Read other participants’ introductions and respond to at least three of them.When you’ve finished this step click on the pink button to mark this step as complete.
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