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With advancements in technology over the last few decades, societies across the globe have seen rapid changes in how we teach and learn information. Technology is playing a big role in the classroom, helping teachers create engaging learning environments for children using computers, tablets, and even interactive whiteboards. However, the changes aren’t just happening in the classroom. They are happening to the classroom. Classrooms are now becoming digital. With the aid of web and mobile applications, digital classrooms allow students to learn from the comfort and convenience of their homes. Teachers can teach from anywhere in the world (as long as they have an internet connection). This technology allows us to bridge both physical and cultural gaps to connect students and teachers across the globe. With these new digital learning environments come both advantages and disadvantages, especially when teaching children. Teaching in person allows the teacher to utilize their body language and position more effectively. Teachers can maneuver around the classroom, monitor students, and adjust their body language to maintain order and authority. When teaching online, this ability is not as effective. Students only see the teacher through a video camera. This can depersonalize the class, so the student feels the teacher’s presence less strongly. To personalize their lessons, teachers can and should take special care when interacting with their students. Positive reinforcement and using expressive language can go a long way to build greater connections in a digital learning environment. Many online English teaching platforms provide full lesson plans and wonderful tools to accelerate learning. Pre-made lessons make the learning process more efficient, and tools like AR (augmented reality) allow the teacher to add a new level of engagement to the lesson. For example, when teaching a child how to say the word “dog,” the teacher can use the AR function to place digital dog ears on their own face. Not only does this better describe the word for the student, it makes the teacher look silly and goofy. This helps to build rapport, to hold the child’s attention, and it helps the child have fun while learning the language. When teaching children English in a digital classroom, the computer or smart device can sometimes create a disconnect between the teacher and student that isn’t apparent in physical classrooms. This makes it even more important to build rapport early on. Teachers can do this by increasing their energy levels, being more expressive, and making use of the digital tools available. Teachers can become more effective online instructors by genuinely caring about their students, their lives, and their culture. This genuine caring will express itself through the interaction, and students will feel the intention behind the teacher’s words. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Another aspect of online teaching is the background teachers choose to have behind them as they give a lesson. As in a physical classroom, children are responsive to what they see. A dark and dingy environment will not help them learn. A safe and visually appealing environment will help them feel more comfortable, and the more comfortable they are, the better they will learn. Teachers should arrange their background to be child-friendly with colors and shapes children love. Patience is the name of the game when teaching children online. Students may feel uncomfortable with you in the beginning. Technical issues might come up. Parents might chime in and interrupt your lesson. These are normal aspects of digital teaching/learning teachers must be prepared for. Teachers must not lose their patience. They must stay calm and centered. The teacher’s primary focus is helping their students learn the language, so they should work with their students using a positive mental attitude. This attitude will rub off on their students and give them an uplifting experience as they absorb the information offered to them. Online English teachers have the ability to impact the lives of children all over the world by helping them learn an incredibly valuable language. Technology has provided the capability. Now it’s up to teachers to take advantage and use it in the most effective way possible.
