Say what? 

HOW TO HELP YOUR ONLINE STUDENTS UNDERSTAND YOU ON ZOOM

“What did you say?”
“Teacher, I can’t understand you.”
“You’re on mute.”

If you have ever heard your students say something like that, you know how frustrating online teaching (and learning) can be. We are all online teachers now, whether that’s what we asked for. For some, it’s an exciting opportunity to master new technology. For others, it’s a fear-inducing nightmare that turns a passion into a terror.

Whether you are new to online teaching, or a seasoned veteran like me, there are some skills all of us could employ to speak more clearly to our online English learners.

Those with limited English proficiency face many challenges when looking to study in a synchronous classroom on Zoom, Adobe Connect, or Webex Training Center. Not only are they learning new technology, but the audio can make it even more difficult to understand what’s going on.

When we are face-to-face, it’s easier for English learners to understand us, but when we are in a virtual meeting, there are some things we need to do to make sure those learners can understand us, and we can understand them.

Here are my top 5 tips to help English teachers and learners understand each other in the online classroom:

#1 – Use a good microphone.

Your headphones will not work in this scenario. If you want to give your students the best opportunity to understand what you’re saying, use a professional microphone, like the Yeti Blue. Using a good microphone will make a huge difference in your students’ ability to hear and understand you.

#2 – Talk a little slower than you normally would in a face-to-face classroom.

We want to sound natural so that students can understand us, but really focus on our enunciation and our speed. You also want to encourage your language learners to speak clearer and a little slower than normal. One big mistake that a lot of second language learners make is to speak too quickly. They hear native speakers speaking quickly, and so they think they will be understood better if they speak quickly too. In fact, it’s actually more challenging for native speakers to understand what they’re saying when they speak too quickly. We have to help our students slow down or speed up, depending on whatever their weakness is. It’s counter-intuitive – not what you would think – to speak more slowly when English is not your primary language, but slowing yourself down helps others understand you better, especially in the virtual environment.

However, that does NOT mean that you as a teacher should dramatically speak too slowly or yell into the microphone. We want to talk at a normal speed – not too fast, and not too slow.

#3 – Project your voice

When you’re in a 1-on-1 tutoring environment, you may not need to worry about projecting (raising the volume of) your voice. However, if you are in a group classroom, projection is necessary. This is especially true if your microphone is down on the table. Always know where the microphone is. If you have control over where the microphone is, make sure it’s close to your mouth, but not too close to your mouth.

#4 – Turn the camera on

Most of us don’t enjoy being on camera. We are self-conscious of the way we look in our webcam, and we would rather share a set of slides for students to look at, rather than our faces. However, in the language classroom, body language is a requirement. Our students need to see our facial expressions, and the way our mouths form the “sh” sound. Turn your camera on, and make sure all students have their cameras on as well.

When Possible, depending on the platform, you are able to see all of the participants at the same time. This is important, because you may see that someone wants to say something before you hear them. This will help you avoid talking over others. You also may hear people breathe in, which is a cue that they want to speak. Consider the “raise hand” icons in those situations, if it’s a larger classroom.

#5 – Use the mute button

Use your mute button so that background noise doesn’t interrupt the classroom when your students are talking or working. Make sure you teach your students how to use their mute buttons as well. If only one microphone is on at a time, it vastly improves audio quality.

Need to charge your students? 

If you’re looking for a simple and easy way to charge your students to access to your courses and handle tutoring sessions, here are a tools I recommend.

If you need to sell 1-on-1 sessions, I recommend Teachable

As one of the biggest tools to support online teachers, Teachable provides a simple way to sell access to your previously recorded lessons/courses AND you can also sell access to your tutoring. Teachable is easy to use and they have a free version of their tool, so it’s low cost to get started.

If you need to make a community for your students, I recommend LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds provides two features that set them apart and make your life as an online teacher much easier. First is their video editing feature. All you need to do is upload a video and LearnWorlds lets you edit the videos, add quiz questions over the top, or add text over the video while you speak. This is extremely helpful if you need don’t already know how to edit videos.

The second unique feature of LearnWorlds is their learning community for your students. They essentially provide a small social network among your students so they can interact with each other, chat with each other and more.

Some other tools

In addition to Teachable, and LearnWorlds, you may want to consider Podia or Thinkific. Although these tools are not a perfect fit for selling 1-on-1 teaching, Podia does allow you to charge for Zoom calls/webinars.  

Remember that virtual teaching takes some time to get used to, so have patience with yourself and prepare, prepare, prepare. Those virtual classes will start to feel more normal, just like in-person meetings.

Until next time, Happy teaching!
Andrea