Preparing and Executing a lesson

You can find everything you need to know about preparing and executing an online lesson in our Tutor Guide to Online Tutoring. You can also find a video about online tutoring here, a demo language lesson here, and a demo Maths lesson here.

Why prepare?

Lesson preparation is a vital component of the teaching-learning process. Proper e-classroom planning will keep tutors organized and on track while teaching, thus allowing them to teach more, help students reach objectives more easily and manage less. The better prepared the tutor is, the more likely she/he will be able to handle whatever happens in the lesson.

Lesson planning

• • provides a coherent framework for smooth efficient teaching.

  • helps the tutor to be more organized.

  • gives a sense of direction in relation to the syllabus.

  • helps the tutor to be more confident when delivering the lesson.

  • provides a useful basis for future planning.

  • helps the tutor to plan lessons which cater for different students.

Decisions involved in planning lessons

Planning is imagining the lesson before it happens. This involves prediction, anticipation, sequencing, organising and simplifying. When tutors plan a lesson, they have to make different types of decisions which are related to the following items:

• • the aims to be achieved,

  • the content to be taught,

  • the student to be taught: their background, previous knowledge, age, interests, etc.

  • the tasks to be presented, and

  • the resources needed.

The decisions and final results depend on the teaching situation, the learners' level, needs, interests and the teacher's understanding of how learners learn best, as well as the time and resources available.

Equipment

Essentials:

• • Computer

  • Reliable internet connection

  • Headset with mic

  • Stylus (for illustrated subjects)

Primary:

• Skype or Zoom

• Online whiteboard (iDroo, Open Sankore)

• Google Drive

Secondary:

• YouTube videos

• Online resources

Nice to have but not necessary:

• • Stylus

  • Second monitor or tablet

  • Backup internet connection

  • UPS

Online Lesson Resources

You can find a number of resources for online lessons under our Additional Resources tab.