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Teaching Corner

Teacher Stories

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Power Skills

Teacher Life

At EF Teach Online, we provide the technology to connect teachers and students worldwide. Here you'll find tools, tips and teacher stories to power your online classes.

John Wallen ‹ EF Teach Online

Have you heard about the online classroom of the future? Designed to make learning more personal, immersive, and memorable, Hyper Class creates dynamic learning environments by combining learning materials, interactive tools, a greenscreen, and live webcams.  
Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Lona, an online English teacher from our centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In January 2023, she won the prestigious Global Top Contributor award for her amazing work with Hyper Class. For this reason, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to speak with Lona and learn about her experience with this innovative way of teaching.  
So, let’s not waste any more time, and let’s see what she has to share! 
 
Could you tell us about your experience with Hyper Class? 
“So far I love it! I actually prefer Hyper Class over the old platform. There’s a lot you can do with it, so it’s important to multitask, but it’s still easy to remain focused and get the job done. I have probably had, like, one incident where my student couldn’t hear me or couldn’t see me and throughout my whole journey it’s been smooth, so that’s been great.” 
 
What makes Hyper Class different from other kinds of online platforms that you’ve used? 
“For me, it’s definitely the activities, for example, when you have to drag answers on the screen. It’s so interactive. Also, the videos are really amazing because sometimes my students don’t understand something, but once they see the video, they’re like, ‘Oh okay, I understand what you’re talking about now!’  
I also love the ‘celebration’ tool that shows balloons popping and confetti. Hyper Class is more colorful and livelier. Even though it’s for adults, it doesn’t just have notes and pictures. Let’s make learning fun!” 
 
What do your students enjoy about Hyper Class? 
“Some of my students don’t want to give just one–word answers, so they like the open-ended questions on Hyper Class, especially when we have discussions. I often tell them there are no right or wrong answers and that I just want to hear their opinion, and that makes them feel very comfortable. So, my students seem to prefer the Hyper Class content.” 
 
Can you tell us about a memorable moment you’ve had as a teacher with Hyper Class? 
“Oh, yes, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment! I taught a lesson about music and my student asked me to sing for them. We ended up taking turns singing, then talking about it. I loved this because although I might be behind the screen, I want my students to feel like I’m there in front of them. It felt like we were really communicating.” 
 
What skills do you think you’ve learned through Hyper Class? 
“I definitely learned how to multitask. So, for example, I have to listen to my student, type, make corrections, make eye contact, and also give feedback all at the same time. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes when I teach, and multitasking is a really important skill to have! And it’s weird because that was the one thing that I was anxious about going into Hyper Class. So, it was amazing to find out that it’s actually something that I’m good at.” 
 
<img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-19911" height="211" sizes="(max-width: 211px) 100vw, 211px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lonas-photo-circle-copy-300x300.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lonas-photo-circle-copy-300x300.jpg 300w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lonas-photo-circle-copy-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lonas-photo-circle-copy.jpg 568w" width="211">
Lona is an online English teacher at EF Teach Online Johannesburg Centre, based in South Africa. Her background includes teaching English online and compiling the weekly digest, she is the DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) representative and is also part of the Employment Equity (EE) Forum. In her free time, she likes to swim, take walks to clear her mind, and do yoga. 
 
Learn more about EF Teach Online <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/teachonline/">here</a>.

Have you heard about the online classroom of the future? Designed to make learning more personal, immersive, and memorable, Hyper Class creates dynamic learning environments by combining learning materials, interactive tools, a greenscreen, and live webcams.   Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Lona, an online English teacher from our centre in Johannesburg, …

Transforming Learning with Hyper Class: Lona’s Story - EF Teach Online

Transforming Learning with Hyper Class: Lona’s Story ‹ EF Teach Online

Transforming Learning with Hyper Class: Lona’s Story

Transforming learning with hyper class lonas story

Whether you have 10 years of experience under your belt or you’re just starting out on your TESOL career, taking control of your professional development can feel like a daunting task. This article takes a look at some tips to help you set your own development goals. 
1. Identify the goals 
A useful first step can be to do some research to find out where you could focus your energy.  
<ul>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="12">Reach out to your supervisor for feedback. They may have suggestions in mind, and they’ll be thrilled that you’re taking the initiative. </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="12">If you work independently or would prefer to tackle your goals without your supervisor, try talking to your colleagues and peers instead. This is a great way to get different perspectives on areas where you could level up. </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="12">It can be helpful to check job descriptions for roles that you might wish to apply for in the future, for example on LinkedIn.  </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="12">Check out blogs such as <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/ef-teach-online/exploring-ways-to-develop-and-grow-as-a-teacher-continuously/">this one</a> for tips on how to develop and grow! </li>
</ul>
2. Be specific, measurable and achievable 
The next step is to write your goals down. Making sure these are specific, achievable and measurable is important for staying on track.  
Be Specific 
<ul>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Avoid vague statements and ensure your goals are precise.  </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">For example, an idea like ‘I will become a better online teacher’ could be made more specific by stating exactly what you want to achieve: ‘I will create more opportunities for speaking production in my classes’ is much more actionable!</li>
</ul>
Be Measurable 
<ul>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">It’s good practice to think about how you’ll measure your progress. Personally, I like to write numerical or time values into my goals to make this clearer. </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">For example, we could rewrite the goal above as ‘By the end of July, each student will have two more opportunities to speak in each of my lessons.’ </li>
</ul>
Be Achievable 
<ul>
<li data-aria-level="2" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Courier New" data-leveltext="o" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":1440,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Courier New","469769242":[9675],"469777803":"left","469777804":"o","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Thinking big is wonderful, but setting unrealistic goals can lead to frustration.  </li>
<li data-aria-level="2" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Courier New" data-leveltext="o" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":1440,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Courier New","469769242":[9675],"469777803":"left","469777804":"o","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Breaking your goals down into ‘bitesized’ stages can help. For example, the first three stages of the above goal might be: </li>
<li data-aria-level="2" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Courier New" data-leveltext="o" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":1440,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Courier New","469769242":[9675],"469777803":"left","469777804":"o","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">‘By the end of next week, I will have done one hour of research on how to add more opportunities for speaking to my lessons.’ </li>
<li data-aria-level="2" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Courier New" data-leveltext="o" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":1440,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Courier New","469769242":[9675],"469777803":"left","469777804":"o","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">‘At the end of two weeks, I will have tried three different ways to give my students more opportunities to speak in my lessons.’ </li>
<li data-aria-level="2" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Courier New" data-leveltext="o" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":1440,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Courier New","469769242":[9675],"469777803":"left","469777804":"o","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">‘During May, I will add one more opportunity for students to speak to each of my lessons.</li>
<li data-aria-level="2" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Courier New" data-leveltext="o" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":1440,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Courier New","469769242":[9675],"469777803":"left","469777804":"o","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Being specific, measurable and achievable are the first three aspects of the SMART approach to goal setting. For a more in-depth look at SMART goals, Forbes has a great article <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/smart-goals/">here</a>. </li>
</ul>
3. Hold yourself accountable 
It can help to find an ‘accountabili-buddy’: a friend or peer who can hold you accountable by regularly checking on your progress.  
This is extra effective if your buddy also has professional development goals, as you can help keep each other motivated. Try setting regular, informal catch-ups with your buddy to share and discuss your progress. 
If you prefer working alone, one tip is to keep a simple development diary or checklist to refer to once a week. 
4. Stay flexible 
Professional development isn’t a race. If life gets in the way, or if your goals turn out to be too ambitious, there’s no problem with tweaking them a little.  
You may wish to set regular checkpoints to take stock and evaluate your own progress. If you’re like me and you find this level of introspection tricky, try doing this with your buddy or over coffee with a friend. 
It’s also important to balance professional development goals with your life, health and well-being. Even if you need to put a goal on hold completely, it’s not a big deal! There will always be other opportunities to level up later. 
5. Celebrate! 
No matter how big or small your achievements are, it’s important to celebrate them. Not only does this help you recognize your success, it’s also an effective way of staying motivated for your next challenge.  
<ul>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Announce your achievements online, for example on LinkedIn. </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Tell your friends and celebrate together. </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">You may like to take photos of your celebration to cement your goal completions as positive memories.  </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">When you complete a goal, try treating yourself. A meal out or a weekend away feel even more special if you‘re celebrating an achievement. </li>
<li data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="8">Lastly, it’s nice to be mindful of others: try making time to help others celebrate their successes too! </li>
</ul>
 
Happy goal setting, and good luck with levelling up! 
 
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Learn more about EF Teach Online <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/teachonline/">here</a>.
</div>
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Whether you have 10 years of experience under your belt or you’re just starting out on your TESOL career, taking control of your professional development can feel like a daunting task. This article takes a look at some tips to help you set your own development goals.  1. Identify the goals  A useful first step …

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John Wallen

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