When Im travelling, I have a Ziploc bag for my laminated pictures. Read my disclaimer to learn more. Its simple and works for both adults and children. This can either be a clean blank wall or a wall with academic decorations on it. So many people are searching for ways to find happiness in this world of difficulties, relationship problems and emotional pain. Good room lighting ensures that youre visible to your students and improves the overall quality of the lesson. Goats on the Road Posts Teaching English 13 Essential Items & Equipment For Online Teaching. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This post is intended to give you the basics that youll need for any online teaching position, but remember to check with your specific company before getting started. A good quality headset doesnt have to be super fancy, but it should be comfortable with some degree of noise cancellation and clear audio quality. Its given me some great ideas and helped me focus on what I need to do to get started. Ill show you through two of my classroom setups over time to give you some ideas of what yours can look like. Most modern computers have a built-in HD camera that will work just fine for your online English classes. If your teaching area isnt well lit, you can also grab one of these awesome lighting kits to get studio-quality lighting anywhere! Finally, its a good idea to have some online teaching tools and props to supplement your lessons. An ample supply of pens and pencils are a must for any classroom. No matter what, you want your background to be clean and non-distracting. When that happens, youll be so thankful you have a backup internet source. I make sure to use a white shade on my lamp so the light doesnt have a colored tint. Heres a quick look at some of the equipment needed for online teaching. Lasting Impact. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and well send you our 101 Ways To Earn Money For Travel eBook for Free, plus well send you a series of emails to show you how to earn money and travel in a financially sustainable way. See Nic Wander contains affiliate links. It was simple, but it worked. Here are, A pair of headphones with good sound quality, An HD webcam so students can see you clearly, Ample room lighting, including a selfie ring light, Teaching space with a classroom background, Online teaching props and activities, especially if teaching young learners. Im thinking of giving Skype a try, whats your taught on that? These items will help ensure your classroom is a safe, inviting space for your studentsand yourself, By SEE ALSO: 15 Pros and Cons Of Being an Online English Teacher. While you dont need a lot of bulky teaching items, you should plan to have a few 3D props in your bag for teaching online. A desk and quality desk chair will save your back and shoulders during long teaching stints. Most companies recommend internet speeds of around 20-25mbps, but its possible to successfully teach on less. Hit up your local hardware store for shower board, perfect for creating personalized white boards for your classroom. If youre working with children, classroom rewards can be a fun way to keep kids interested in the lesson. When you use the speed test website, look at the download speed section. Redefine the future for students at Teach For America. Let's chat about remote work and ways to incorporate more travel into your life. Whenever you teach a concept and think hmm, Id like to have a picture of that make a note on the notepad. With these helpful teaching tools, youll have everything you need to impress your students and keep your classes running smoothly. It also eliminates annoying background noises and echoes. Looking for other popular webcams for teaching online? To get good lighting, you have a few options: Overhead Lights And A Desk Lamp: One easy option is using the overhead room lights as well as a desk lamp for teaching. other more specific topics in psychology and spirituality. Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1979, Dr. Howell has treated children, For all other countries, check out our article: Teach English Online Get Paid With These Top 7 Companies. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Still, I have used some more stable elements when I teach English from home in the USA, so Ill show you both. If youre using an older computer or a desktop without a built-in camera, youll need to buy an HD External camera so your students can see your face and teaching resources in focus. Dr. Howell combines in his treatment Nic is a fulltime writer for Goats On The Road. She got TEFL certified, packed up her classroom and decided to take her job on the road to combine her two passions teaching English and traveling! I will love to ask which media is the best for teaching students online. to get my laptop high enough to teach comfortably. Its also a good idea to have a world map and some pictures from your life to spark conversations. While its possible to teach on just WiFi, its preferable to use a wired internet connection for your lessons. Just type YouTube lighting into Amazon and youll see plenty of kits that are more than enough for your online teaching needs. Headsets with microphone attachments are required for most online teaching positions because they ensure that the teacher and student can hear each other clearly. I use a lamp and a selfie ring light for lighting. Then go to the internet icon on your computer and click it so you see the different options. Also, a low ping score is a good thing! Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy | Contact Information | Home, Becoming Conscious: The Enneagram's Forgotten Passageway, Meditation for Healing and Relaxation Compact Disc. Curious about the best equipment for teaching online? Setting a timer will make it easy to stick to schedules during special projects or activity time. To determine exactly which 2D props you should make, keep a notepad next to your computer while you teach for a few days. An ethernet cord will allow you to connect directly to your router and reduces the risk of internet connectivity issues. SEE ALSO: 10 Things To Know Before Becoming an Online English Teacher. I'm Nic and I write about teaching English online, house sitting, and ways to incorporate more travel into your life! Smartphones: While its possible to use Zoom from your smartphone, I wouldnt recommend this for teaching since the screen size is so small. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. At Teach For America, we know lasting change can happen: All children will get the excellent education they deserve. When I first started teaching English online in 2017, it took me a while to figure out what gear I needed. See Nic Wander is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Keep a mirror inside your desk drawer. A wired connection just means that youve connected your computer directly to your router using an ethernet cable. Required fields are marked *. I wanted my classroom to be comfortable and uncluttered, but also effective. Before you fill your shopping cart on Amazon, take a look around your house and see if you can find things that will work in your classroom. Related Post: Best Lighting For Online Teaching. This handy tool can be used with adults and children to illustrate concepts, spell out words, and much more.This Dry Erase Board Set comes with colorful markers too! As an online English teacher, you have the unique challenge of making your lessons interesting and engaging through a tiny screen. Its important to note that some online ESL teaching platforms will have specific tech and gear requirements for their teachers. If youd like to incorporate rewards into your classroom, start with something simple like sticky notes or little erasers or stickers. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Hi there! Lets take look at some of the best equipment for teaching online! Your headset is going to be one of your most important pieces of equipment for teaching English online. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I started using rewards with my youngest learners. This is especially helpful for finding props and teaching materials. When youre a new teacher, your classroom is a blank slate. Its harder to have a conversation with a student when there is a delay, and you could get in trouble with your teaching company if the delays are significant. Youre probably daydreaming right now about all the wonderful things youll do to create a comfortable and inviting environment for your students. For the most part, all newer laptops will work just fine for online teachers. adults and families for a wide variety of problems of living. I usually use finger puppets, small stuffed animals, household trinkets, flashcards, and other 2D printed out images. Proper posture is the key to feeling good during your lessons. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Thank you for your Blog, Im considering signing up with VipKid, but just read all the new China laws being forced on foreign teachers. I didnt think about setting up a classroom a head of time to be interviewed, and having a travel classroom is definitely the way to go! He Using a variety of 2D and 3D props like the ones pictured keeps my students engaged. Teach For America logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Teach For America, Inc. You'll find great content in your inbox soon. Magnets and clips can always be put to good use in a classroom. This means better posture and more comfort during longer teaching sessions. When Im not travelling, I try to always use an ethernet cord. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Yep, Ive tried teaching standing up before and its fun! Share in the comments below! You can also find her at See Nic Wander. Finally, props and visual teaching tools can help engage your students during class. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Here are the full, VIPKID recommends at least 25 Mbps for teaching. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Howell has lived and worked in Anniston since 1979. I have been using WhatsApp to renter video classes to my students and now i encounter some difficulties using it and I will love to switch to a more prefer and recommended one. Most companies are looking to see that you meet their requirements from the get-go. Click here to compare costs and brands of ethernet cable adapters on Amazon. While its usually acceptable to teach on strong WiFi, many teachers prefer to use a wired connection for a more reliable internet connection. is also a regionally known expert on the Enneagram, a method Since I was staying in a hotel room, I didnt have a proper desk and chair to teach from. You can check your internet speeds on websites like speedtest.net. I totally understand not wanting to go out and buy a ton of gear just for a job interview, but you have the best chance of getting hired if you have all your equipment ready in advance. SEE ALSO: Teaching English in Japan A Guide To Finding Jobs. After lunch you can check to make sure theres no food stuck between your teeth! Related Post: Best Headset For Online Teaching. Over time, this evolved into more complex English games and more exciting rewards, but the concept stayed the same: give students something external to look forward to during class and use this as a way to reinforce good behavior and progress. Fulfilling Job. 437 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[423 29]/Info 422 0 R/Length 82/Prev 119584/Root 424 0 R/Size 452/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Heres a list of the equipment for online teaching when it comes to tech: For most online ESL companies, having a relatively new desktop or laptop computer will be sufficient for online teaching. Having received his Keep these handy in your desk to place on tests or homework, or to give directly to students for a job well done. All of these can be hung with command strips and poster putty. Either draw or find pictures of images youd like to use in your classroom, print them out, and laminate them so theyre durable. Use museum putty to adhere posters and other items to the walls of your classroom. To check your internet speeds, you can use SpeedTest.net or check with your internet service provider. 0 Final Thoughts on Equipment Needed to Teach English Online. This way youll always be able to keep track of the time no matter where you are in the classroom. For lighting, I used a lamp I found in the room set up behind my laptop. When the WiFi isnt strong enough, or the power is cut, go to the settings on your phone and turn on your hot spot. As a general rule, if your device can handle a video Skype or FaceTime call, it should be able to handle online classes. Related Post: My online English teacher classroom props list. With VIPKID, Ive used Apple earbuds and a regular headset from time to time. Here are some examples of what different companies require: My adjustable laptop stand is one of my favorite gadgets for online teaching! The power goes out. Having good lighting is an important part of online teaching. of personality typing and dynamics, which he has studied and taught for twenty years. However, Ive had no problems teaching with WiFi, assuming the WiFi is quick. Just like wipes, tissues are a must-have, no matter the season. endstream endobj 424 0 obj <>/Metadata 9 0 R/Pages 421 0 R/StructTreeRoot 16 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 439 0 R>> endobj 425 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 421 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 426 0 obj <>stream As you can see, I prefer to use 2D printable props while travelling so they dont take up so much space in my bag. If the name didnt give it away, your new job as an online English teacher will involve a bit of technology. Rugs, lamps, and other housewares can make your classroom more inviting and comfortable for your students. This is recommended by most online teaching companies. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. He is the author of Physician Stress: A Handbook for Coping. Very helpful, informative article! Check out these 17 classroom must-haves, and before you know it, your classroom will be ready to welcome your students! I also use this handy selfie ring light to get extra light in any situation. Over years of research and practice, Dr. Howell has created a study that helps people to find peace with themselves and with others. Depending on the age of your students, an external reward system could help keep everyone motivated and on track. If this is the case for your laptop, youll need to purchase an adapter to plug in your ethernet cord. Other common online classroom backgrounds are ABC charts, welcome banners, posters, and kid-friendly artwork. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I use a colorful world map as my background. f` Q ` But you should make an effort to show that youre ready to teach as soon as possible. Some of the images in this article are courtesy of Shutterstock a top website for finding royalty-free photos and videos. Make sure you have a good office chair that is comfortable for long hours and enough desk space to have your teaching materials and lesson plans within reach. Most companies will allow you to use earbuds as long as they have a microphone attached, but some teachers prefer to use an over-ear headset because theyre more comfortable during long teaching sessions and are better at blocking out background noise. When is the Best Time to Visit Atlanta, Georgia? Well were here to tell you that youre making an excellent decisi Wouldnt it be great if you could travel the world while doing exciting, meaningful work? By labeling each drawer, I can quickly grab the props I need during a lesson without disrupting the flow of the conversation. Though there is some variation between companies, youll definitely need a teaching device such as a laptop or tablet, a headset with a microphone attachment, and a strong internet connection. Teaching at slower speeds can be stressful, so aim to teach with 20 Mbps of internet speed if possible. Compare brands and costs on Amazon here. A laptop will likely be your primary teaching device. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Ive had totally smooth classes on around 10mbps but I personally wouldnt go much lower than that. Your router just stops working for no apparent reason. The skys the limit. There are many ways you can support our mission like donating to our cause or partnering with us to do research. This is critical to language acquisition. Do you have any favorite online teaching equipment youd recommend for new teachers? concentrated his studies in psychology and religion. How has this affected your teaching and salary? Stick around and Wander with me! Whether you're here to find an online job or need some tips for planning your next trip, I've got you covered! He is married to Lark Dill Howell and they are the parents of Benton and Lauren. Dr. Howell also received in 1974, a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School, where he You should see one called [Your Name] iPhone or something similar. Thank you! Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. %%EOF Look around your house, take a field trip to the Dollar Store, or break out the markers and draw some teaching visuals. I use a 2015 MacBook Pro with a 13-inch screen size and its held up great! Stock up on these, as they can easily get lost or quickly dry up. This is because teaching without one can cause a weird echo sound for you or your students. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. With children come germs, so youll want to have wipes handy to keep you and your students healthy, especially during cold and flu season. v0[c,+hx&ShLT K~Sbg%/0. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". hmk#7^&xmJ^l=g#vPM)f=h4~#`FLLj )tR1%$$t If you need props for your classroom, you can grab the ones I use in my Etsy Shop, Teach and Wander! At the end of class, we would count up how many sticky notes they earned. Many online teaching companies require some kind of classroom background. But having a laptop stand makes it easy. Dr. Howell was a Fellow in clinical psychology, A storm comes through and rattles the internet connection. When starting any new job, its normal to worry about what supplies youll need in order to successfully do your job. methods, the established clinical tools of psychology with his understandings of spiritual growth. hb``` ,r aB[lR`bM\=y ^7YK*230p)wnj Youll also need to make sure youre running the latest version of Flash. In this section, Ill talk about the equipment needed to teach English online to make your classroom comfortable and professional-looking. Check your inbox for a welcome email and make sure to confirm your subscription. SEE ALSO: Working As A VIPKID Teacher: An Insiders Review. Thank you very much for your advises, Your email address will not be published. healing, and combating mental illness are sought after by many groups. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. So quality lighting is worth investing in! Using a headset with a microphone attachment makes it easier for you and your students to hear each other. Making them is simple. If youre using an older computer or a computer without a built-in webcam, youll need to buy an external webcam for teaching. You can also use a green screen background with software like ManyCam for more variety. My Apple earbuds worked great for travelling since they packed down small. His lectures on stress reduction, Even if youve set up your technology perfectly and have the fastest internet money can buy, sometimes things happen that are beyond our control especially when youre travelling and teaching abroad. However, if youre teaching with an online ESL platform, many dont support teaching on Chromebooks, so make sure to double-check with your company first. Ive also included recommendations for the gadgets I use in my own online English classroom! For classroom background ideas, here are a few of my favorites that Ive used over the years. But if you dont like the way your webcam looks or youre using a device without an HD Camera, you might need a webcam for teaching online. But its still important to check the technical requirements for the company youre planning to teach with before making a purchase. A laptop stand is also an awesome resource if you plan to teach and travel as it allows you to put your computer at the proper height no matter what your desk situation is. I took this picture while travelling and teaching online. Some companies are particular about their teachers using overhead headsets, but other companies are more flexible. On a laptop or desktop, youll need to use at least Windows 7 or Mac OS 10.x. A dry-erase board is a teacher staple! Which props do you use? Click here to compare costs and brands of headsets on Amazon. When you have amazing online classroom lighting, your students can see you clearly and the video quality looks better. Your email address will not be published. Sign up for our emails to learn how you can get involved. Selfie Ring Light: If thats not enough, you can use a selfie ring light that can clip onto your laptop for additional lighting. Now that you have the technical basics down, its time to get creative! TFA is committed to expanding opportunity for all children. Behind me, I used a piece of felt that I decorated with felt letters and ribbons. Place an extra clock opposite the one already in your room. Disclaimer:Goats On The Road is an Amazon Associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. Leave a comment below! Id recommend a laptop stand for anyone who works on a computer because it reduces the need to hunch over. If your space has natural light, even better! Other popular laptops for online teaching: Read the full guide: Best Laptops For Online Teaching. My most useful 3D props are: While relying on too many 3D props will clutter your classroom fast (and are more difficult to travel with), 2D props are another story. Luckily, the equipment for online teaching is pretty straightforward and you wont need a lot of specialized tools or resources. Thats normal. The easiest way to get connected in a pinch is to use a hotspot from your mobile phone. Youll want to start with the essentialsthose items every classroom needs to make it safe, clean, and student-friendly. Youll see halos with different color filters, photoshoot-ready soft lightboxes, and bright white lights with umbrellas to soften the glare. Good lighting makes your classroom looks more professional. You have the technical gear, but how do you put it together into something that resembles a classroom? After talking through all the best equipment for online teaching, lets see how this looks when put together. If your laptop has a built-in HD quality webcam, this will usually work just fine. You can choose to go more minimalist with a plain wall and simple dry erase board as your prop, or unleash your inner artist and create your own classroom masterpiece. You may update your preferences by clicking the "Cookie Settings" button. Ideally, you should have your classroom set up before your first interview with a prospective online teaching company.

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