Introduction to the course and welcome to week 1

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?

The tasks this week will take you three to four hours to complete.

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.