On-line tutoring

[MichaelB]

Has anyone had success tutoring on-line? There seems to be lots of info on it. Even with all the technology working OK what problems have others experienced ? Just making and keeping contact with a student seems to be difficult. Thanks for any comments.

[english grammar man]

Teaching online is really quite a simple process, but you need to be sure it's run in the right manner.

Obviously both student and teacher need fast internet connection. Like classroom based learning, the teacher needs to be punctual and not be late to classes. Ensure that the agent or company providing this service will still pay you even if the student doesn't come online.

Don't expect the students to hang around for many months though. They may just build the confidence with you, and then decide to go to a public forum or make a cyberfriend for free. So you need to treat the lesson in a professional manner, with objectives and goals for each lesson. If you can do that, then the student will return.

I used to teach online via video link. It was a class of 4 students and it worked ok. We could all see each other. The biggest limitation was I couldn't get up so easy and write things on the whiteboard, move around the classroom or use body language so easy.

[StuckOnBandaid]

english grammar man, do you think that teaching online will be how many esl classes will be run in the near future? I think there are many people who want to teach esl, but are married or have children, so it prevents them from relocating.

[english grammar man]

Teaching online is only a last resort when all other means of bringing teachers and students together. The majority of students prefer to learn in a classroom, hence there is more demand for classroom based teaching.

With the increased use of the internet, fewer people have physical social interractions. The desire to seek group classes and make friendships is a big plus of classroom based learning. Learning a language is not only about the knowledge you acquire, but also the friendship too.

So in short, I don't forsee teaching online will become such a huge thing.

[MichaelB]

Thanks Grammar man. To read that the students may not be long term helps in any planning I need to do. I agree and hope that teaching on-line will never replace having a class in one place, which allows the students to interact and for a greater range of teaching methods to be used.

My interest in teaching on-line was more for the adult learners, who are working and need to keep up their English language practice and learning, when they don't have the opportunity to attend local classes. Has anyone had success tutoring through the Culture Link site ?

Michael

[rajat.pay]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Has anyone had success tutoring on-line? There seems to be lots of info on it. Even with all the technology working OK what problems have others experienced ? Just making and keeping contact with a student seems to be difficult. Thanks for any comments.

Michael the technology may be a barrier to students new to, or fearful of, computers. Development of a web-based tutorial is expensive, but this investment in the first tutorial should pay off in easier development of other tutorials, and better, more accessible training for students. Students do not have a print 'reference' to take away, although they can print out sections of the tutorial from the web. This at times makes them loose their interest in online tutoring.

[vare2]

I dont really like the idea of online tutoring, especially for the weaker students. Take for instance students from China, I find that their grammar and vocab is pretty okay for most of them but they just cant get pronounciation right, so I think face to face teaching is still more desirable.

[peeling]

There's a huge market for online tutoring. And where does it say that it has to be fully online? You can offer your students online classes, with face to face sessions on weekends. Works better than fulltime classes or fully online, because no one has to give up jobs or leave the comfort of your home late in the evening.

[rwall7943]

I love tutoring online, it is a great way to reach many students. The only thing is, is that you have to make sure that the student is able to learn in that way of tutoring. I have found that most students do well over all.

[10cents]

With the advancement in modern technology, there is no better time to get into online tutoring than now. I think it is also more flexible and effecient. Even so, I would like to oppurtuniry to meet my mentor in person once in a while.