Connecting via webcam isn’t always straightforward, and keeping pupils’ attention active requires innovation! In addition, you need whole different skill sets to teach via online classes than teaching in a traditional classroom! With so many possible distractions in the home setting, keeping students engaged, motivated, and interested in their classes can be one of the most challenging tasks for online teachers. “How can I teach online classes better and make them fascinating for my students?” is a question most online teachers ask themselves at least once. Fortunately, there are numerous strategies for increasing classroom participation.
- Ensure great visuals
If your students can see you via webcam, make sure that you and the environment you’re in is presentable. If pupils can see your face, it will motivate them 100 times more if you appear engaged and interested in what they’re saying. Your visual assets must also be up to par when you teach via online classes.
- Even the audio should be excellent.
To introduce new activities or change the tempo of your class, try adjusting your voice tone! Exercising your narrative abilities and publicly praising others. This can go a long way toward motivating your students.
- Make the most of technology.
Teaching online has its drawbacks, but it also provides access to valuable resources. You can use the technology to bring diversity to your classes and keep students on their toes, whether you employ whiteboards, pointers, virtual games, text editors, drawing tools, file editors, breakout rooms, or screen-sharing applications.
- Find out what most interests your students.
The good news is that, just like in a traditional classroom, the key to engaging your online students is to discover what motivates them and provide them with a reason to participate.
- Set objectives for your students and assist them in achieving them.
Setting goals and reminding online students of their progress is another approach to help them stay on track with their studies (and maintain a feeling of purpose). Make sure each lesson has a clear outline that you share with your students to know where they are in the learning process and the context for any activity they are doing.
- Keep quizzes and games for community growth.
Even online learning requires a special bond between students to make it fun. Therefore, you should organize group tasks, quizzes, puzzles and such activities to bond them together and make your classes fun.
- Reward your pupils.
Consider how you might motivate pupils to complete assignments (or, even better, work hard) during a lesson. For example, you might use positive reinforcement, badges, points, games, or other enjoyable learning activities to engage your students.
- Make the lesson consumable by breaking it down.
In online teaching, timing is critical, and you may need to break up your online courses differently than you would face-to-face classes. Generally, keeping a quick pace and breaking down material into minor, easily digestible bits is good. This means avoiding long explanations and PowerPoint slides with too much text!
- Be flexible with your subject.
Today’s students don’t like being rushed. And online classes are no different. So, please don’t force your subject over the students and be flexible in teaching those lessons to them.
- Monitor The Chat
Solicit appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation from your kids. Make it clear that any provocative or disrespectful language will not be accepted. Check the ‘Chat’ area frequently while keeping these principles in mind. It’s a terrific way to keep track of the room’s temperature, ask your audience questions, and assess their understanding.
- Check-in Periodically
Like you would in a physical classroom, you should check in with your pupils frequently. Make sure your audience understands what you’ve said thus far. Pose some problematic questions. Solicit additional inquiries from them.
- Establish Ground Rules
A teaching strategy is required for successful online classes. This necessitates a defined structure, which requires rules. Setting clear ground rules for your students establishes expectations and motivates them to take your classroom events seriously and attend them regularly.
- Other Free Tools to Explore
While your video conferencing solution will aid in the facilitation of your online classroom sessions, increasing engagement and making your online classes more enjoyable may necessitate further assistance. Fortunately, numerous resources are available to assist you in your search for online learning mastery.
