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Introduction
In today’s digital age, online learning has become an integral part of education, allowing children to learn from the comfort of their homes. As a dedicated online tutor, I aim to provide students with the best learning experience. While I would ideally love to see all my students equipped with computers and recommended accessories, I understand that only some can access them and enjoy having all the extra stuff. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the best resources and tools to enhance your child’s online learning journey, regardless of your setup.
Every student must have access to a strong internet connection, a device that can access Zoom, and something to write with!
Must Haves for online tutoring sessions
Clearly, having the proper device is crucial for a successful online learning experience. While each learning device has pros and cons, the key is finding what works best for your child’s learning style and needs and your budget. An experienced online tutor will be able to present quality lessons.
Devices that access Zoom
Phone:
Phones offer portability, allowing students to learn from anywhere. However, they can also be a source of distractions, so setting up a distraction-free environment is essential. I have taught many students using the phone, and they can read a text and participate easily. I don’t recommend this approach because it interferes with some interactive features.
-iPad:
iPads provide a touch interface and are great for interactive learning. They might be limited in multitasking, but they offer a focused learning environment. Using some Zoom features on iPads is difficult and limited.
Laptop/Desktop:
These devices offer larger screens and better multitasking capabilities. They are ideal for tasks that require more screen space, like sorting words, reading passages, or writing tasks.
I also have a family who uses a Chromebook. Students can interact with the lesson’s different features, like drag and drop.
Writing Materials
Learning to form letters properly and have legible handwriting is a skill that needs to be developed to improve reading, writing, and spelling abilities.
Furthermore, research shows that stronger neural connections are made when people write by hand (pencil & paper), resulting in faster ideas being stored in long-term memory.
Also, many speech-print-approaches have a lot of writing integrated into their programs to help the children learn the English code more efficiently.
Therefore, having writing materials available is vital.
Dry-Erase Board and Markers:
For visual learners, a dry-erase board can be a game-changer. It allows students to illustrate concepts, solve problems, and erase the board for future use.
I use the dry-erase board as an online reading tutor to help my kids do their word work. We will practice reading words chunk by chunk. Additionally, we will identify how many sounds a word has and identify the sound(s)/letter(s) relationship using the dot and line method.
In other words, the dry-erase board allows for a safer place for students to make errors because we can easily erase and correct them. It also helps eliminate paper waste when we are just reviewing skills.
You can read this blog article to learn about the benefits of using a dry-erase board during portions of your reading practice.
Binder:
Next, I recommend each child have a learning binder to store their practice sheets and other important information.
Many tutors may send home practice sheets, charts, resources, and other materials to help your child’s reading journey. You can organize this binder to fit your needs best.
Learning binders help cultivate active learners and assist our children in using them as reference points when they forget a concept or how to spell a specific word. We want to help them become independent learners.
-Document Camera:
This tool acts as a bridge between physical and virtual learning. It allows students to share their handwritten work with the tutor and classmates. It is helpful when a student has a document camera because I can watch their pencil grip and how they form their letters.
Seeing the child write and work in real time helps me give more specific feedback.
I can also coach the child through a process more automatically when they have a document camera because I do not have to wait for the child to finish.
-Headsets for Clear Communication
Undoubtedly, clear communication is vital in the online learning environment.
Headsets ensure students can hear the tutor clearly and participate effectively in discussions.
A headset allows the child to hear some softer sounds more clearly, definitely when we are doing phonemic awareness activities.
Moreover, students who have headsets are also able to ignore distractions more easily.
Cordless Headset:
In my experience, students are less distracted and bothered by cordless headsets.
Cordless headsets provide freedom of movement, allowing students to engage in discussions while moving around. They eliminate the hassle of tangled wires. Cordless headsets also eliminate the background noise caused by the wire rubbing the shirt or getting in the way.
Mouse:
While not often considered, a mouse can significantly improve navigation and interaction during virtual sessions, offering precise control over the cursor.
Using the mouse also allows the child to participate more accurately during the lessons.
If you don’t have a mouse, I recommend getting a USB cordless mouse. I have had great success with mine.
Conclusion
Enhancing your child’s online learning experience doesn’t necessarily require an extensive setup. You can create an environment that fosters effective learning and engagement by choosing the proper devices and tools tailored to your child’s preferences. Remember, it’s not about having the most expensive equipment; it’s about making the most of what you have. As parents, tutors, and students collaborate, we can ensure that online learning becomes a fulfilling and successful journey for every child.
The goal is to be creative and maximize what we have. An experience online tutor can get results with just the basics but knows how to liven up the lessons even if the child has none of the extras!
Are you looking for a specialized online reading tutor? Schedule your free discovery call to learn about Miss Audrey’s services and which will best suit your family.