Lifestyle

How to be Successful in Teaching English Online

Published

5 years ago

August 30, 2020

Teaching online is the new normal after the Coronavirus lockdown, whether you are a travelling TEFL teacher whose plans for 2020 have been thrown into disarray or, someone who has been keen to sidestep into online teaching for a number of reasons other than Covid.

Taking TEFL online requires an understanding of some considerations which just don’t apply to face to face in the classroom. These can make or break a successful online TEFL career. For many TEFL teachers, their focus is often all about how to deliver effective online content but there are other aspects which are less obvious and which are worth considering if you really want to make a success of your digital teaching career.

Be aware of the separate concept of digital literacy

The level of digital literacy is going to vary from student to student based mainly on their age and where they are in the world. You may find they are much less familiar with online tools or, in the alternative, have a knowledge that far exceeds your own. It is important not to pitch the digital input from the student too high or you will just ultimately end up in putting them off and losing customers. It can be easy to get wrapped up in techniques like asking pupils to annotate on the screen, add their own images or upload other things which may simply be beyond them.

Some researchers say that too much emphasis on technology can actually distract from the learning so maybe just introduce one tool and let that bed in before you move onto something else, Use a demonstration if you think that would help by sharing your screen or pre-recording a short clip.

Always understand what the learners are seeing on their devices; compatibility is important and you also need to make sure students know how to edit, annotate, share and save documents whether they are using a phone, tablet or laptop – never assume knowledge. If you are pairing students together in an online classroom setting, try and match students who are similarly placed from an IT perspective so that one of the two is not placed at a distinct disadvantage.

Engaging online learners

When you are teaching online, the usual classroom dynamic is missing, this is the time that students would normally chat to each other before and after lessons when they are physically in the same location. It can be really helpful to foster these social interactions so that the class can relate to one another – learning will be significantly enhanced as a result. Here are some helpful techniques:-

Use ice breakers and personalisation tasks to create an online presence for each student – these activities are often used at conferences and conventions where a group of people are introduced to each other for the first time. This can work equally well online and is probably even more essential to the separation imposed by remote learning
Be enthusiastic about your students and the different topics – it can be easy to let the screen become a barrier, work hard to create a real classroom atmosphere
Know your students and refer to elements of this knowledge during the tasks and activities on the curriculum – this fosters empathy and inclusiveness
Find out what is worrying or concerning your students and address their fears and suggestions positively
Give ongoing feedback which is continuous and regular
Make space in the sessions for humour and social interaction

Understanding the digital medium

For book purists, a Kindle or indeed any screen will never replace the real thing. Apart from the feel and scent of a new book, the concept of turning the pages and handling the book is totally different from reading the same words on a screen. We process the information differently which is why writing and presentation for the internet are completely different from how the same information may be presented in a book, magazine or hard copy document.

Blocks of text will blur the eyes of your students and switch them off. Keep sections of text and the length of sentences much shorter than you might otherwise. Introduce varied digital techniques but don’t introduce too many new things at once otherwise it can become muddled and confusing for the students.

Students’ progress needs to be checked more frequently

It is harder to read body language online than when you are sitting in a classroom so remember to check with your pupils how they feel they are progressing and learning. Concentration also dips faster online than in a real classroom so the structure of lessons may well have to alter to reflect this. Test learning through fun quizzes which are interactive and break up the teaching sessions.

Feedback methods may need to change to reflect the virtual classroom

The usual cues of body language from the physical classroom are absent in the virtual setting, indicators such as body language or simple gestures. Feedback in the digital setting can be done collectively and still name individual students or it can be done in private chat messages and groups. Use video feedback if you are marking assignments rather than necessarily a paper response; this personalises your lessons and invites learners to ask questions, building the dynamic of two-way trust.

Mix synchronous and asynchronous tasks

Synchronous tasks happen within the whole group with the teacher so essentially the online lesson situation whereas asynchronous tasks allow students to work at their own pace either on their own or within small study groups. Using asynchronous tasks allows learners more time to reflect and prepare. The concept of the flipped lesson can work really well for digital learning as this combines both synchronous and asynchronous tasks with learners completing individual activities before the synchronous lesson. This is particularly effective at managing a broad span of learning abilities without some people feeling they are floundering because they lack understanding and speed of learning.

Teaching online successfully involves a holistic understanding of how people learn in the digital environment and the unique challenges and also benefits which this medium presents. Teaching in the virtual world can bring new and fresh techniques to the online classroom and introduce teachers to innovative new tools which they can make use of in a physical classroom as well as online.

Lifestyle

When Seasons Shift: Dr. Leeshe Grimes on Grief, Loneliness, and Finding Light Again

Published

3 days ago

February 22, 2026

Michelle Langton

Some emotional storms arrive without warning. A sudden change in weather, a holiday approaching, or even a bright sunny day can stir feelings that don’t match the world outside. For many people, the hardest seasons are not defined by temperature; they are defined by what’s happening inside, where grief and loneliness often move quietly.

This is the emotional terrain where Dr. Leeshe Grimes has spent her career doing some of her most meaningful work. As a psychotherapist, registered play therapist, retired U.S. Army combat veteran, and founder of Elevated Minds in the DMV area, she understands how deeply seasonal shifts and unresolved grief can affect people. Her upcoming books explore this very space, guiding readers through the emotional weight that can appear during different times of the year.

What sets Dr. Grimes apart is her ability to see clearly what many people overlook. Seasonal depression, for example, is usually tied to winter months. But she often sees it appear during warm, bright seasons, the times when the world seems happiest. For someone already grieving or feeling disconnected, watching others travel, celebrate, or gather can create its own kind of heaviness. Sunshine doesn’t always lift the mood; sometimes it highlights what feels missing.

The same misunderstanding surrounds grief. Society often treats it as a short-term experience with predictable phases and a clean ending. But in her practice, Dr. Grimes sees how grief keeps evolving. It doesn’t disappear on a timeline. It weaves itself into routines, memories, and milestones. People learn to carry it differently, but they rarely leave it behind completely. And that’s not failure, it’s human.

Her approach to mental health centers on truth rather than pressure. She encourages clients to acknowledge the emotions they try to hide: sadness that lingers longer than expected, moments of joy that feel out of place, and the waves of loneliness that return even when life seems stable. Instead of pushing for quick recovery, she focuses on helping people understand how emotions shift and how to care for themselves through those changes.

Much of her insight comes from her military years, where she witnessed the emotional toll of loss, transition, and constant survival. She saw how people continued functioning while carrying pain that had nowhere to go. That experience shaped her belief that healing requires space, space to feel, to speak, and to move through emotions without judgment.

In her clinical work today at Elevated Minds, she encourages people to build small, steady habits that anchor them during difficult seasons. Journaling helps them recognize patterns and name what feels heavy. Community support breaks the cycle of isolation. Therapy creates a place where emotions don’t have to be minimized or explained away. And intentional routines, daily sunlight, mindful breaks, and calm evenings help rebuild emotional balance.

Her upcoming books expand on these ideas, offering practical guidance for navigating both grief and seasonal depression. She focuses on helping readers understand that healing is not about escaping pain. It’s about learning how to live with it in a healthier way, honoring memories, acknowledging loneliness, and still allowing room for moments of light.

What makes Dr. Leeshe Grimes a compelling voice in mental health is her ability to bring language to experiences that many struggle to explain. She reminds people that emotional seasons don’t always match the weather and that there is no single path through grief. But within those shifts, she believes there is always a way forward.

The seasons will continue to change. And with the right tools, compassion, and support, people can change with them, finding steadiness, softness, and light again, one step at a time.