Online English Study versus Traditional Study
In the last few months, online English language study has become incredibly popular. As a result, LSI/IH Portsmouth has launched its own online English language courses which are receiving great reviews! The lessons are not only fun and engaging, but educational and practical too.
Are you thinking of studying on one of LSI/IH Portsmouth’s online English language courses? Or would you like to know more about how the online classes work?
Summary of the differences between online English learning and traditional study
How does LSI/IH Portsmouth ensure high-quality online English language courses?
- The online courses use exactly the same teachers who deliver the face-to-face lessons.
- All the teachers are well-trained to deliver online classes.
- The techniques applied in the face to face courses are the same as the online ones.
- Directors can observe and drop into lessons to check quality
- Lessons can be recorded
- teachers get together for regular workshops on online teaching.
- Recordings and slides can be sent out to students after the lesson has fnished.
How does online study compare with physical face-to-face study?
LSI/IH Portsmouth aims to create lessons which are virtually the same online as face-to-face. The classes still consist of students from all over the world, therefore there are the same intercultural exchanges happening in the online classes as happen at LSI/IH Portsmouth.The online lessons have the same LSI/IH Portsmouth principles: They are as communicative as possible. The lessons are organised to maximize interaction between students and each other and the students and their teacher. Zoom’s breakout rooms are used for pair-work and group work. WHen we monitor our students in breakout rooms, we always find that our students are focused on the task at hand.
Some of our teachers have said that they actually prefer teaching online.
How is online teaching better than face-to-face teaching?
One of our teachers discovered that monitoring for errors and upgrades is easier done online by dropping into breakout rooms and listening to the students speaking. In a classroom there could be 10 voices in your ears at the same time which can be distracting.
On the topic of error correction and upgrading language, we aim to makey the most of the digital environment by using WordPad to note down student errors in real-time, then share his screen with students to give them feedback. Our teachers also e-mail students a copy of this work after class so that they also have a record.
What are the downsides of online lessons?
It can be difficult to answer this question as our classes are working well! Perhaps students coming late can be difficult, but that this also happens in face-to-face classes, furthermore, with online Zoom classes, teachers can keep student in a waiting room so they join at an appropriate moment for the class.
We understand that the technology side of online lessons can be a bit scary for students, especially students who are not technologically minded. However, we think that the teaching side of the lesson is so much more important that the technology side of things. We tell our students that all they need for their online lesson is a piece of paper and a pen because the lesson will not be too technologically challenging, the teaching is more important.
We are able to guide our students through any technical issues they may be experiencing.
Did you know we have an online social programme?
We are currently offering a free online social programme for LSI/IH Portsmouth students old and new! This last week it has included a virtual safari, pub quiz, and salsa class! Join us on social media and join the fun!
Example of our online social programme:
Next step…
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Thanks a lot for sharing your experience of on line teaching students these days. We are doing almost the same things. And I am really happy to see familiar faces because I have been to LSI/IH Portsmouth 3 times. It’s nice you are finding new ways of giving knowledge to your students. Coronas come and go but knowledge is for all our life. We should equip our students with new tools of learning English. As it’s said in the Chinese proverb, “Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.” We shouldn’t let down our students, we should encourage them for further English language study.
My best regards to my teachers and colleagues.
Irina Ermakova
Russia
So lovely to hear from you, Irina. I hope you are well. Very best wishes to you, your family and colleagues.