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What do you need?
- A smart phone, any brand will do.
- Lights or lamps, lighting is key.
1. Smart Phone
Smart phone cameras are normally better than those on a computer.
Use your smartphone as your video camera for online teaching.
Smart phone cameras generally have better focus, picture quality and resolution. Unless you have a specialized streaming cam use your smart phone as your camera for online teaching.
2. Lighting
Lighting is really important. The best way to get a clear, high-quality image is to manage your lighting. Good lighting gives the impression of a clean, professional, bright and happy learning environment – this is what you want.
A well-lit teaching space means better the students can see you clearly, feel positive about the lesson and engage with you more. This makes for better lessons.
When you teach, make sure you are under and just behind ceiling light. This helps you be well lit for the camera. Test the lighting by reviewing the video. Too dark or hard too see? Try investing in a brighter blub, a small change can make a huge difference and lead to much better teaching outcomes.
If you can, place yourself under or between two lights. One slightly in front of you and the other above you. The two lighting angles will really make a difference. If you can teach near a window (covered by a curtain) to provide soft light to balance out the brighter artificial lights.
Always do a test video and watch for shadows, brightness, glare etc. as you move around. Make changes to the placement of your teaching space and lighting until you find the best position. Your goal is to find spot where the lighting give a clear, fresh, clean, and bright image.
3. Online Teaching Platforms
Online TEFL teaching uses a range of platforms. Some online schools will provide you with logins to their own platforms. Other companies and schools use popular video platforms, such as:
– Zoom
– YouTube
– Facetime
All you have to do is register on these platforms and start teaching – easy.
It really can be as simple as that!
A smart phone, some attention to lighting and a teaching platform and you’re away!
Once you have been teaching for a few weeks, and begun to earn and income, you can start thinking about upgrading your online teaching classroom set up with better lighting, equipment, and backgrounds.
Before you start setting up – A Tip
The best teachers want to teach, love to teach and want help students learn. Make sure you have the motivation, confidence, and necessary skills, to get the most out of the experience.
The true joy a teacher receives is to see students learn, experience new ideas, and challenge themselves with the knowledge you, as a teacher, have given to them.
Keep an eye out for our next article
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