Tips For Online Lessons For Your Children

With the ongoing circuit breaker, face-to-face tuition is not available anymore. However, many parents would still want to continue with tuition sessions as there is this constant worry that their children will be unable to keep up with their school work, especially since the national examinations like the June O-level Mother Tongue examination will still proceed. As such, online tuition with their tutors will be the next viable option. Here are some tips to better prepare and utilise the online lessons:

#1 – Communicate with the tutor at least 1 day before online lesson starts

It is vital to communicate with the tutor prior to the commencement of the lesson. This is to check with the tutor for a few things:

• The topic(s) to be covered during the lesson so that both parties can prepare the materials required for the lesson.
• The software used for the online lesson (e.g. Zoom Meeting, Google Hangouts, Skype, WhatsApp call), as parents/tutors may need to download the app before usage.
• Lesson time, and how to access the online class – this is to ensure that there is no miscommunication and the lesson can start punctually without any issue.
• If possible, try out the software and do a mock meeting with the tutor to test out the software at least the day before and see if it is suitable for both parties. In the case the software is not suitable, you have time for alternatives.

#2 – Prepare soft copies of materials and homework

As lessons are conducted online, it is very difficult and often time consuming to take a picture of the homework/materials on the spot and send to either party. So prepare the soft copies in advance and less time wasted!

#3 – Use phone as a second camera to support your lessons

This is more efficient for online lessons as you use your phone as a video camera to capture your working concurrently for tutor to see. If you are using apps like Zoom, you can actually connect your mobile phone to your laptop/computer (via bluetooth or cable) and stable it so that it is positioned over your writing pad. Then you can go to the option ‘Share Screen' during the lesson and select to connect from the second camera. In this way, you can explain concurrently while showing your workings on the writing pad.

#4 – Discussions after the lessons or after lesson summary points

This is to improve on any problems encountered during the lesson and also to discuss the preparations for the next lesson, especially if the student requires assistance from the parents.

With these tips, parents and students should be able to go through the online lessons more efficiently and get through this difficult period with greater reassurance and ease!

Related to: For Parents  For Students  Study Tips