After more than seven years of teaching live online Spanish classes, I have come up with a list of good habits that students should employ in order to optimize their chances of success in a live online environment.
- Come to class every week. If it is not possible to come to class, watching the recording as soon as possible is an imperative. Trying to complete assignments without the benefit of first viewing the recording may mean that a student is without all the information needed to successfully complete the assignment. Reading the textbook is ok, but during class teachers often give extra information that is not found in the book and might make a difference in understanding the material.
Pay attention and be engaged during class. While it is very tempting to search the internet and do other things while attending a live online class, resist the temptation. Not paying attention means missing crucial information. Being engaged during class means actively participating in class exercises which are designed to help students learn.
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Teachers are happy to answer questions. Sometimes a concept is explained in such a manner that a student doesn’t quite understand it. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for clarification. Chances are there are others in the class who have the same question and are inwardly thanking you for asking it.
- Budget your time and don’t wait until the last minute to complete an assignment. Rushing to get work done can often lead to mistakes. Give yourself some margin just in case you run into trouble and need a bit of extra time.
- 5. Read the directions. This is a big one, especially if the directions are a bit lengthy. Don’t assume you know what the instructions are without reading them first. While grading assignments I often notice that a student will miss points or even entire sections of work simply because they did not take the time to read the directions.
Adopting just a few simple habits can help students have success not only in online classes but also help prepare them for the challenges of college work.
Diana Lamolinara is a native speaker of Spanish who has lived in the Spanish-speaking countries of Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Spain. She also lived several years in Italy, where she studied Italian. Mrs. Lamolinara has a BS in Business Administration and a BA in Foreign Language Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. Diana has been teaching Spanish to students at all levels from Pre School to AP for over 25 years. She is a former homeschooling mom. In addition to teaching, Diana enjoys reading, exercising, cooking and taking long walks with her dog in the woods. The Lord has blessed Diana and her husband with four children and three grandchildren.
