How should we, language teachers, manage turn-taking in a Zoom class, how can we comment on a student’s performance in class, how polite would it be to have your camera off in an online session? These are questions that have been pestering our mind since ‘times pandemia’.
Zoomiquette, as a newly-coined term, seems to have emerged back in 2020, and we don’t know who stands behind the initial use of the term. ELT professionals, however, are more curious about the regulations and good practices it suggests. Based on practical teaching and classroom experience, this post features the highlights of Zoom-based teaching that can add colors to your teaching and make it more engaging.
- 1- Have your camera on
No wonder it’s number one on the list. Having your camera on in a Zoom session is the golden rule whether you’re teaching a Zoom class, attending it as a learner or hosting a meeting with your colleagues. “What’s the point of showing my COVID19-drained face or misbehaving hair?” you can still ask. The answer is one. Presence. When the teacher has their camera on, it is similar to establishing a strong presence in the classroom. However small the Zoom camera view, the non-verbal communication signals that you share with your learners in a lesson. This can support them and help them see if they are on the right track. It is of no less importance to ask your students to have their cameras on, as this will help you create an environment conducive to learning, check in with your learners and encourage them to stay focused.
- 2- Practice the magic of 10+ seconds
Research suggests that in face-to-face settings, the learners should be given the benefit of minimum 3 and maximum 10 seconds before they are rushed to contribute to the discussion or answer the teacher’s question. (Kasevich, Cain) This wait time supports introverted learners focus on their answers and helps to increase the complexity of responses for all the students in class. In an online class, this practice should not only be sustained but may also be extended. At the same time, it would be best to apply it to all students, irrespective of the spectrum they fall on. Very often in a Zoom class, when we give instructions or ask questions, they may reach our learners two or three seconds later given the instability of Internet connection, background noise or similar technical impediments. Zoom is probably one of the few places in this world, where silence does not feel so intimidating, since it may be a sign that the recipient is either reflecting on the question or getting ready to answer it by unmuting themselves. In this respect, we suggest practicing ten plus seconds of wait time in a Zoom session before engaging with the student again and repeating the question or the instruction.
- 3- Time more
Timing is crucial to the planning of both in-person and online sessions. However, what takes 10 minutes in an offline class may take longer in an online setting. Consider Breakout Rooms. In an in-person class, as you generate a discussion among your learners, you may ask them to discuss the questions with the person sitting next to them. In a Zoom class, you first share the questions in a chatbox so that everyone has them, set the time for the discussion, then arrange the learners into Breakout Rooms and join the rooms to monitor the discussion in progress. It may also happen that one or two learners require your support, as they have been unassigned to a room due to a technical problem. This may require extra seconds or even minutes of your time. The acceptable proportion that works when timing an activity in Zoom is 1 to 1, 5. That is to say if you are planning a ten-minute activity for an in-person class, you should allocate at least 15 minutes to the same activity in an online class.
- 4- Break for breaks
In face-to-face settings, we afford more liberty in our movement and attention span. We can stretch ourselves, walk around the classroom, speak to people around, etc. In a Zoom session, these options are limited, which means that it takes more energy and effort to stay focused and demonstrate the same level of engagement throughout. This is when breaks come in handy. Make them short but constructive. What I usually do is ask the learners to have their cameras off and listen to some relaxing music that I play for them by sharing my computer sound. Demonstrating breathing techniques or exercises is another useful strategy that can help your students relax and regain their focus. In my home University, teachers have to use the free version of Zoom, which may be used as an advantage in longer classes, since the learners may use the time they are reconnecting for a short break.
- 5- Make a full use of Zoom features
For some Zoomers, the experience of Zoom may be restricted to writing in a chatbox, sharing the screen with some textbook segments or playing a video. However, Zoom has a wide range of wonderful features that can complement and aid your teaching. Take “annotate”, for example. This tool can help the teacher underline or highlight the language items that require the learners’ attention.
Also, some options can be used productively from the perspective of language teaching. For example, you can use individual Zoom chat for correcting learners’ errors, emojis for doing an activity on true and false statements and polls for multiple choice. My recent favorite Zoom feature is spotlighting my video, when a student is engaged in a productive task. Check out the next tip to see how I’m using it.
- 6- Zoom on your learners
This tip can be understood both literally and metaphorically. Remember the first tip advising you to have your learners turn on their cameras? Following the non-verbal communication signals your learners subconsciously share online will help you keep track of the development of the class and support your learners when required. At the same time, your own feedback provided in the format of non-verbal communication signals can be of great help. To make sure that your learners are aware of them, don’t forget to spotlight your video when you are silently but visually encouraging or guiding them.
You may also have noticed that the sequence of the session participant videos on the screen keeps changing, as the learners mute and unmute themselves. Make sure that you keep all your learners in sight and mind as well, which can be done by dragging the corners of the grid view and using name cards to engage every single student in class. At the same time, keep your eye on the chat to see if there are any questions or comments coming your way that may need your immediate attention.
- 7- Mind the environment
With the emergence of Zoom sessions, we shared so many irrelevant home details with our learners and learned so much about theirs. But was this our plan? Personalization might work in Zoom teaching but only when your learners are ready to share personal details with you and don’t mind you sharing.
For your Zoom sessions, choose a quiet and well-lit area that you would be happy to showcase if TV reporters gatecrashed your house. Keep your microphone off unless you speak and encourage your learners to do the same. Avoid having distractions on Zoom like food, pets, or family members walking around. Trust me, your learners can notice anything and they might find it more engaging than a lesson. Use a virtual background if necessary. You may want to choose a background that is representative of the spirit of your course or even change your background respective of the topic of the lesson.
Feeling more confident about teaching in Zoom? Comment on this post and share with us which of the tips you find most useful and if there’s anything you’d like to add to the list.
Dr. Lilit Bekaryan
Lilit Bekaryan combines a TEFL trainer’s position in Peace Corps Armenia with University teaching. Her
professional interests include discourse analysis, hate speech, curriculum design, teacher training, virtual instruction, and assessment. Lilit earned her PhD in English Philology and is a DELTA qualified teacher. Apart from teaching, Lilit enjoys spending time with her daughter, writing blogs, doing research and yoga.
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This is so helpful for every teacher! Thank you for the wonderful tips.
This is extremely helpful for every teacher! Thanks a lot.
Thanks, Sahra, for your comments. We’re glad that you liked the blog and found it helpful for online teachers.
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. Theres no doubt that that you should write more on this subject, it might not be a taboo subject but usually people dont talk about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
Thanks for your comment.
This is an extremely useful article for teachers. I suffered a lot during the pandemic.
Thanks, George, for your comment. We’re glad that you’ve found the article useful. I think most of teachers and students suffered during the pandemic as the shift to e-learning was extremely chaotic.
This is an amazing blog that covers all major issues and questions related to the conduct and organisation of zoom classes. The tips Dr. Bekaryan provides us with are very practical and will surely contribute to more successful online classes. Many thanks to Dr. Bekaryan for sharing with us her observations and experience.
Thank you, Irina, for your comments. I agree with you that Dr. Bekaryan’s insights and tips are quite helpful and can enhance engagement and motivation in online classes.
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.
Thanks, Mark, for your support.
السلام عليكم عندما يكون الموضوع مرتب ومخطط له من المعلم والمعلم متقن في استخدام الزووم والطالب يريد التعلم ويتحمل المسؤولية فاننا نرى طالب يحترم التكنولوجيا