Understanding your students' needs and personalities is the first step to creating a successful language lesson course. First, take some time to think about what you want them to learn during their dedicated language learning time. When you know this, read these other eight tips on how to structure the best online language lesson (we suppose it´s 60-minute lesson, but you can arrange it to a shorter time)
1. Ask a personal question (5 minutes)
This is a great way to start the lesson by getting to know your students. You could ask them a question about their weekend, their interests, or something related to the lesson's topic. My tip is to always write down some interesting moments students tell you, for instance, the student tells you, “I´m going to buy a new sofa this weekend.” So then, you can ask how it was, what did they buy, etc.
2. Prepare a quick online exercise for the topic from previous lessons (10 minutes)
This is a good way to warm up students' minds and review what they have learned in previous lessons. You could use a quiz, a game, or a matching exercise. It should be something online, not much reading. You can use programs like Quizlet or Wordwall.
3. Talk about the plan for the lesson (3 minutes)
This is a good way to set expectations for the lesson and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Briefly explain what you will be covering in the lesson and why it is important. Then, ask students if they have any questions or if there is anything specific they would like to learn more about. This seems not that important part but actually, it is essential because you let students participate in the creation of the lesson plan.
4. Start with a vocabulary activity and examples of grammatical structure (10 minutes)
This is where you will introduce the new vocabulary and grammar that you will be teaching in the lesson. You could use a variety of activities, such as flashcards, pictures, or real-world examples. In this part, you do not explain the rules yet.
5. Explain the grammar (10 minutes)
Once you have introduced the new grammar, you need to explain it in a clear and concise way. Be sure to use examples to help students understand how the grammar is used in context. You could also ask students to repeat it in their own words.
6. Practice the grammar and vocabulary (15 minutes)
This is where students will have the opportunity to practice using the new grammar and vocabulary. You could use a variety of exercises, such as gap-filling exercises, sentence completion exercises, or role-playing activities. Each activity should not be longer than 5 minutes.
7. Ask for feedback (4 minutes)
It is important to check for understanding at the end of each lesson. You could ask students to summarize the key points of the lesson or to complete a short quiz. You could also ask students what they found easy and difficult about the lesson and how you could improve it.
8. Give homework and schedule the next lesson (3 minutes)
Give students a short homework assignment to help them solidify their understanding of the new grammar and vocabulary. Be sure to make the assignment clear and concise, and give students enough time to complete it. Then, schedule the next lesson and let students know what they will be covering.
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8 Tips for Structuring the Best Online Language Lesson
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Understanding your students' needs and personalities is the first step to creating a successful language lesson course. First, take some time to think about what you want them to learn during their dedicated language learning time. When you know this, read these other eight tips on how to structure the best online language lesson (we suppose it´s 60-minute lesson, but you can arrange it to a shorter time)
1. Ask a personal question (5 minutes)
This is a great way to start the lesson by getting to know your students. You could ask them a question about their weekend, their interests, or something related to the lesson's topic. My tip is to always write down some interesting moments students tell you, for instance, the student tells you, “I´m going to buy a new sofa this weekend.” So then, you can ask how it was, what did they buy, etc.
2. Prepare a quick online exercise for the topic from previous lessons (10 minutes)
This is a good way to warm up students' minds and review what they have learned in previous lessons. You could use a quiz, a game, or a matching exercise. It should be something online, not much reading. You can use programs like Quizlet or Wordwall.
3. Talk about the plan for the lesson (3 minutes)
This is a good way to set expectations for the lesson and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Briefly explain what you will be covering in the lesson and why it is important. Then, ask students if they have any questions or if there is anything specific they would like to learn more about. This seems not that important part but actually, it is essential because you let students participate in the creation of the lesson plan.
4. Start with a vocabulary activity and examples of grammatical structure (10 minutes)
This is where you will introduce the new vocabulary and grammar that you will be teaching in the lesson. You could use a variety of activities, such as flashcards, pictures, or real-world examples. In this part, you do not explain the rules yet.
5. Explain the grammar (10 minutes)
Once you have introduced the new grammar, you need to explain it in a clear and concise way. Be sure to use examples to help students understand how the grammar is used in context. You could also ask students to repeat it in their own words.
6. Practice the grammar and vocabulary (15 minutes)
This is where students will have the opportunity to practice using the new grammar and vocabulary. You could use a variety of exercises, such as gap-filling exercises, sentence completion exercises, or role-playing activities. Each activity should not be longer than 5 minutes.
7. Ask for feedback (4 minutes)
It is important to check for understanding at the end of each lesson. You could ask students to summarize the key points of the lesson or to complete a short quiz. You could also ask students what they found easy and difficult about the lesson and how you could improve it.
8. Give homework and schedule the next lesson (3 minutes)
Give students a short homework assignment to help them solidify their understanding of the new grammar and vocabulary. Be sure to make the assignment clear and concise, and give students enough time to complete it. Then, schedule the next lesson and let students know what they will be covering.
I hope this helps!