At LEHF we take the health and safety of our students, staff, and parents very seriously, therefore, from Monday 28th November lessons have been held online. We are working with our families to create a comfortable study environment for the students at home and allow them to follow their school schedule with minimum disruption and distractions.
In this article, we have invited Mrs Carolyn Jones, Head of Learning Support, and Ms Nicola Pritchard, Maths teacher, to share with us some useful tips to help students remain focused online and how their parents can create a comfortable environment at home to support their learning.
Mrs Carolyn Jones is our Head of Learning Support, English Language Specialist Teacher and House Mistress. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature as well as a Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Previously, she held positions in international schools as House Mistress, Head of Gifted and Talented Programme as well as teaching English Language.
Miss Nicola Pritchard joins LEH International School Foshan as a Teacher of Mathematics from an outstanding school linked to University of Warwick, ranked 4th in the UK for Mathematics. With her focus on innovation in learning, she joined the UK Department of Education's 'Accelerate' programme, designed for talented young teachers. She has a range of interests outside of the classroom including Forensic Science, reading and spending time outdoors in nature.
Adequate Preparation for Class
Everyone needs a quiet workspace that has minimal distractions. This should be on your own ideally. If you are online, noise cancelling headphones with a microphone are incredibly useful because they will limit distractions and help ensure that meaningful interactions can still take place between teacher and student and between students. It is good to plan ahead and make sure that everything you need is close by whether in a drawer of your desk or in a neat pile close by. It will help reduce stress when you can’t find something you are asked for later on. It is also advisable to have open any documents or applications that are required before the lesson so that if websites need login details less time is lost during a lesson as you log in.
A big thing that is hard to prepare for but still necessary is be prepared to adapt to the situation, you need to be patient, understanding and adaptable to be able to truly achieve the best that you can out of lessons.
Providing Effective Learning Resources
LEH Foshan promotes a fully inclusive curriculum; therefore, native language is considered when planning lessons. Definitions and translations of words are provided to students so they can access the content of lessons. There are many ways that we do this online, for example:
By providing keywords before lessons – as a glossary or via the Quizlet online platform;
Introducing vocabulary at the beginning of a lesson, asking students to note down these new words before delving into the content;
Teach as we move through the content, addressing new vocabulary and providing definitions, translations and the correct punctuation as it arises.
I have found that uploading reading material and worksheets before the lesson begins have worked well this time; by doing this, our online students can access the online material earlier and can keep up with the pace of the lesson as they already have a grasp of the content and have been exposed to the new vocabulary beforehand.
Technology Enables Quality Learning
During lessons this week, students have used Teams, PowerPoints and Word. We have also used Quizlet, mathsbot, Dr Frost Maths, and online platforms such as Manga High.
Our teachers always speak with online students. Cameras were always on, and rules about online etiquette were applied. We let students to see the materials as they are and let them see the rest of the class – encourage them to wave hello and say goodbye at the end of the class. The best way to boost participation and engagement is to make them feel included in the lesson – read their responses, allow them to answer questions – reward them for participating as usual.
How can parents support their children at home?
Parents can support their children with learning at home in a myriad of different ways! Our students love to share what they are learning, ask them questions, and ask to see what they have been doing. Complement their online learning by asking them to read aloud to you and get them to teach them what they have learned.
Allow children to relax during their downtime. Learning online is tiring; encourage them to go out for fresh air, take regular breaks, call a friend, and play board games. Listen to them with empathy when they speak, address the challenges, and offer guidance and emotional support; these will improve learning and wellbeing.
Parents should also support a regular routine, keep to the same times for waking and bedtimes, and mealtimes should still be with the rest of the family – One thing I have found is that supplying snacks to my teens throughout the day really helps with motivation!
Praise also helps to motivate students – compliment them on their diligence, acknowledge that learning online is challenging and tell them that you are proud of them.
A big thank you to our committed staff who have been working tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition to online learning and all parents for your understanding and support to LEHF.
We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the campus soon.
