What Kind of Teaching Materials Do I Need for Online English Lessons?

 When teaching English online, having the right teaching materials is essential to delivering effective and engaging lessons. The materials you choose can make a significant difference in how students learn, how motivated they are, and how successful your lessons are. Whether you're teaching beginner, intermediate, or advanced students, the right materials help you create an environment where students feel comfortable and challenged in equal measure. In this blog, we'll explore the various teaching materials you need for online English lessons, their benefits, and how to use them effectively.

1. Lesson Plans

Every great lesson starts with a solid plan. For online English lessons, lesson plans are crucial for organizing content and ensuring that the lesson flows smoothly. A well-structured lesson plan will help you stay on track and ensure that you cover all necessary topics within the designated time frame.

Why lesson plans are important:

• Provides structure: Lesson plans give you a clear roadmap for your class, which helps you stay organized and avoid missing important points.

• Helps manage time: A lesson plan allows you to allocate time for different activities, ensuring that the session is balanced and well-paced.

• Enhances learning outcomes: By outlining learning objectives and the activities needed to meet those objectives, lesson plans ensure that students are working towards specific goals.

How to create a lesson plan:

• Start with objectives: Identify what you want the student to achieve during the lesson. For example, you might want them to master a particular verb tense or practice conversation skills.

• Divide the lesson into segments: Break the lesson into smaller activities like warm-ups, instruction, practice, and review.

• Include student interaction: Ensure that there are opportunities for your student to speak, ask questions, and practice new skills.

Example lesson plan template:

• Warm-up activity: 5 minutes (e.g., a brief chat about their day or interests)

• Introduction of new topic/grammar point: 10-15 minutes

• Interactive practice: 15-20 minutes (e.g., exercises, quizzes, or role-plays)

• Review and feedback: 5 minutes (e.g., summarizing key points or assigning homework)

Having a template ready will help streamline your teaching and make each class more efficient.

2. Digital Whiteboard Tools

One of the most useful tools for teaching English online is a digital whiteboard. Many video conferencing platforms, like Zoom or Skype, offer whiteboards where you can write and draw in real-time during the lesson. This is particularly helpful for teaching grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure, as well as for drawing diagrams or illustrating concepts.

Why digital whiteboards are important:

• Engage visual learners: Some students learn better by seeing things written down. A whiteboard allows you to visually demonstrate new language concepts.

• Promote interactive learning: Students can also use the whiteboard to practice writing, spelling, or answering questions, which keeps them engaged.

• Facilitate clear explanations: Writing things out helps clarify complex ideas and makes them easier for students to understand.

How to use a digital whiteboard effectively:

• Draw diagrams and charts: This is helpful for explaining concepts such as sentence structure, word order, or grammatical patterns.

• Write out vocabulary words: Encourage students to write new words, their meanings, and example sentences.

• Conduct interactive exercises: Use the whiteboard for exercises like fill-in-the-blank or matching activities. Let the students contribute by typing their answers directly onto the board.

Popular digital whiteboard tools include:

• Zoom Whiteboard: Basic drawing and text tools.

• Miro: A more advanced whiteboard with collaboration features.

• Jamboard: Google’s free whiteboard tool that integrates well with Google Meet.

3. Textbooks and Workbooks

While digital materials are essential, traditional textbooks and workbooks can still be incredibly useful in structuring your lessons. Many English textbooks are specifically designed to teach grammar, vocabulary, and other aspects of language learning in a logical, progressive manner. These resources often include exercises, quizzes, and assessments that are perfect for online lessons.

Why textbooks and workbooks are important:

• Provide structured learning paths: Textbooks give you a systematic approach to teaching English. Many books are designed to take students from beginner to advanced levels, ensuring they progress steadily.

• Include exercises and quizzes: These allow students to practice what they've learned and assess their progress.

• Offer consistency: A textbook provides consistency in terms of what the student is learning and when they are learning it.

When selecting textbooks and workbooks, it’s important to pick those that suit your students’ level and learning goals. Popular English language books include:

• English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy (for learners at various levels)

• Face2Face by Chris Redston (for beginner to intermediate learners)

• New English File by Clive Oxenden (for general English learners)

How to use textbooks and workbooks:

• Interactive exercises: Use the exercises in the textbooks as practice activities during the lesson.

• Supplement with online activities: Pair textbook exercises with online tools and quizzes to make lessons more engaging.

• Track progress: Keep track of which exercises your students complete, and use them as a basis for future lessons.

4. Interactive Exercises and Games

To keep your lessons fresh and engaging, it’s essential to incorporate interactive exercises and games. These activities make learning fun while reinforcing the language skills students need to master.

Why interactive exercises and games are important:

• Boosts engagement: Fun activities can capture your students’ attention and keep them motivated to learn.

• Provides practice: Games and exercises give students additional practice outside of structured lessons, allowing them to reinforce what they’ve learned in an enjoyable way.

• Fosters healthy competition: Games often introduce an element of friendly competition that can motivate students to work harder and improve their skills.

Examples of interactive exercises and games:

• Word searches or crosswords: Use them to practice vocabulary and spelling.

• Flashcards: Great for vocabulary practice, both for beginners and advanced learners.

• Online quizzes and polls: Tools like Kahoot! or Quizlet allow you to create quizzes on a variety of topics to test your students' knowledge in a fun, interactive way.

• Role-playing games: This helps students practice conversational English in real-life scenarios, like ordering food at a restaurant or having a job interview.

These games and activities can be done on shared screens using tools like Zoom, or through external platforms like Kahoot!, Quizlet, or Kahoot!

5. Multimedia Resources

To help your students engage with the language in different contexts, it’s helpful to incorporate multimedia resources like videos, audio recordings, podcasts, and images. Multimedia resources can enhance understanding and add variety to your lessons.

Why multimedia resources are important:

• Supports different learning styles: Some students may learn better through listening, watching, or seeing images rather than reading or speaking.

• Real-life context: Videos, songs, and podcasts provide real-world examples of English in use, which can help students understand how to apply what they’re learning.

• Improves listening skills: Watching videos or listening to podcasts helps students improve their listening comprehension, which is vital in real-life communication.

How to use multimedia in your lessons:

• Watch short clips: Show video clips or movies with subtitles to help students improve listening and pronunciation. You can pause the video at key points to discuss vocabulary or grammar.

• Use educational YouTube channels: Channels like BBC Learning English, TED-Ed, or EnglishClass101 are great for incorporating video lessons into your teaching.

• Incorporate songs: Songs help students with pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary. You can play songs and ask students to identify words or fill in the blanks.

For example, you could use a TED Talk to teach vocabulary or discuss an interesting topic. Or, you could listen to a podcast episode and then quiz students on comprehension.

6. Pronunciation Tools and Resources

Pronunciation can be one of the trickiest aspects of language learning, but there are several tools available to help students with this skill. Online pronunciation tools are vital in helping students refine their pronunciation and intonation.

Why pronunciation tools are important:

• Enhances communication: Clear pronunciation is crucial for effective communication in English. Helping your students with their pronunciation ensures they are understood.

• Helps with fluency: Consistent practice with pronunciation tools can make students more fluent in speaking.

• Instant feedback: Many tools give students real-time feedback, which is essential for correcting mistakes and improving their skills.

Examples of pronunciation tools:

• Forvo: A website where native speakers pronounce words, so students can hear the correct pronunciation.

• Speechling: A tool that provides feedback on pronunciation by listening to your students speak and offering corrections.

• Google Translate’s voice feature: Students can practice speaking by using the voice feature on Google Translate and comparing their pronunciation with the automated speaker.

7. Homework Assignments and Follow-up Materials

In addition to in-class activities, homework assignments allow students to reinforce what they’ve learned and continue practicing between lessons. Homework can consist of written exercises, vocabulary lists, or projects that challenge students to apply their new skills.

Why homework is important:

• Reinforces learning: Homework allows students to practice the material outside of class time, helping them retain what they’ve learned.

• Encourages independent learning: Homework assignments encourage students to study and learn on their own, which helps develop self-discipline and autonomy.

• Provides insight into progress: Reviewing students’ homework gives you valuable insight into their progress and areas that might need further attention.

Examples of homework assignments:

• Grammar exercises: Students can complete exercises that reinforce the lesson’s grammar focus.

• Vocabulary lists: Assign vocabulary words with definitions and example