When it comes to new technology, I have to admit I operate more in the “old school” camp of educators. For years, I focused solely on traditional face-to-face language instruction at my tutoring business, Explore! Spanish Language Tutors. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person teaching, I realized I needed to adapt my methods to continue serving students.
Though initially skeptical of online learning, I kept an open mind and was pleasantly surprised by the engaging platforms and interactive tools available. After some trial and error, we established an effective blended model combining video lessons, independent study activities, and live conversation practice. It’s not for for everyone, and it took a while to master, but my Spanish students have provided positive feedback on the flexibility and personalized support of our new online program.
In this article, I share what we’ve learned to help other schools and tutors set up successful online teaching.
The Flexibility of Online Learning
When we first transitioned our tutoring services online, one thing that jumped out at me was how much the parent appreciated the flexibility it provided our students. No longer confined to a set class schedule or commuting to lessons, learners can now access materials anytime, anywhere there is an internet connection. This has been a game-changer, especially for busy professionals juggling work and family obligations.
Parents also let me know they appreciate being able to fit Spanish practice into their kids’ routines, even if it’s just 20 minutes during quiet time before bed.
While flexibility is a major advantage, online learning also presents new challenges compared to the traditional classroom. Here are some tips for language schools and tutors offering online lessons to help ensure their programs are engaging and effective:
- Opt for video over audio-only lessons whenever possible. Seeing facial expressions, body language, and visual aids helps keep students engaged and make lessons interactive.
- Keep lessons short, around 30 minutes or less, to maintain attention spans over technology. Back-to-back sessions with breaks in between can prevent fatigue.
- Incorporate varied activities to avoid passivity. Taking turns speaking, simulated conversations, collaborative projects, and gamified elements break up direct instruction.
- Record lessons for students to review later. Having access to recordings allows students to revisit lessons and practice difficult sections again independently.
- Provide clear instructions and organization. Online students need well-structured, easy-to-follow lesson plans and accessible course materials to stay on track independently.
- Offer opportunities for individualized feedback. Online tools like recorded practice assignments or live small group tutoring allow instructors to target feedback to student needs.
- Establish an engaging social community. Discussion boards, group messaging, and occasional social events help combat isolation and motivate continued study.
- Be flexible and accommodating. Online learners have busy lives. Allowing makeup sessions or independent study helps commitment when schedules conflict unexpectedly.
- Continually evaluate effectiveness and make improvements. Student feedback and analytics on course usage and assessments help identify engagement issues and areas for enhancement over time.
Don’t Take My Word For It
This qualitative study explored how award-winning online instructors effectively blended asynchronous and synchronous learning in their bichronous courses, similar to the approach my tutoring service Explore! Spanish adopted during the pandemic.
During our transition to online learning, Explore! established a blended model with weekly video lessons, daily independent study, and bi-weekly conversation practice. This particular study from 2023 interviewed 12 instructors who had also won teaching awards for their innovative blending of modalities.
Their courses shared similarities with Explore!’s approach, commonly featuring a complement blending model with sequenced asynchronous and synchronous activities. Just as maintaining interaction, feedback and clear organization proved effective in engaging students at Explore!, the award-winning instructors emphasized these elements for blended courses. The findings provide evidence to support Explore!’s own experience that intentional blending can optimize flexibility and learning when designing bichronous online experiences.
Martin, F., Kumar, S., Ritzhaupt, A.D. and Polly, D., 2023. Bichronous online learning: Award-winning online instructor practices of blending asynchronous and synchronous online modalities. The Internet and Higher Education, 56, p.100879.
Maintaining Interactivity Online
A big part of achieving equivalence to in-person lessons, in my view, is maintaining interaction. While audio calls are better than nothing, video really helps bring lessons to life by allowing students to see expressions and visual cues. It also facilitates pair work and discussions that keep them engaged, versus passive listening alone.
When students at Explore! give feedback, they emphasize how much they value personalized guidance and feedback from their instructors through our online tools.
Striking the Right Balance
From an educator’s perspective, the right balance of flexibility and interactivity seems most fruitful. Our blended model combines weekly individual or small-group video lessons with daily independent study, practice recordings, and conversation sessions every other week.
Recordings allow learners to review material until it sticks, while feedback and assessments keep instructors tailored to student progress. The goal here is to make online study both accessible and effective for all schedules, by providing clear organization and a social learning community too. So far that approach seems to really resonate with our remote learners.
An Effective Spanish Tutoring Program Example
To effectively implement these best practices, Explore! Spanish Language Tutors transitioned much of our one-on-one and small group tutoring online in 2020. Our tailored program includes:
- Weekly 30-minute video lessons using a learning management system for organization.
- Daily assignments like written exercises, listening practice, oral self-recordings through our online portal.
- Live conversation practice sessions with 2-3 students and instructor every other week.
- Recordings of all lessons and materials accessible for review anytime.
- Instructors provide prompt individualized audio/written feedback through the online system.
- Monthly assessments to track progress and adapt approaches as needed.
- A private Facebook group and messaging for students to interact socially.
- Flexible scheduling through our online booking tool to accommodate changing availability.
Looking Toward What’s Next With Optimism
In closing, I have been pleased with how our transition to online learning has worked out. While change is never easy, the flexibility and opportunities we can now provide students are really making language acquisition more accessible. As an educator, seeing learners engaged in our blended model and continuing to progress despite life’s challenges renews my faith in technology’s role to come. Going forward, I believe strategic combinations of online and offline elements will be key.
With practice, instructors can master the interactive tools to replicate that richness of in-person teaching remotely. And as platforms continue evolving, the future of language education remains bright. Most importantly, adhering to best practices around structure, feedback, and community-building will help ensure online tutoring options remain as meaningful for language development as traditional classrooms.
