Do you remember your first time playing on an iPad? I do. I must have just turned 20 or so and I still remember the inherent joy of watching something move at the touch of my fingers. It was magical! To this day I never find myself tiring at the amazing technology that we surround ourselves with each and every day. We are so blessed to live in a time where we are surrounded by so many different technologies. VIPKid certainly is a product of technological advances and they are quickly changing to keep up with the fast moving world of tech. One of the newest products that they have recently launched is an interactive classroom. It is so much fun to teach and watch students get to interact with the lessons. The young students definitely get a kick out of interactive classes.
Interactive classes are so much fun, but I do find that there are a lot of teachers who struggle more with interactive mocks and demos then with our “static” classrooms. This might be because they are new, or maybe just unsure about what VIPKid is looking for. Because of this I, and some other mentors, have compiled some fantastic tips and tricks for interactive L2 mocks and demos and reasons why we love them! This will be updated as I continue to get more links from mentors, so keep an eye on it!
Tips from Teacher Elayna (that’s MEEEEE)
To summarize: Please, please, please model for your student! You need to model the interactive features. One of the most common issues we run into during interactive classes is that teachers are not modelling properly for their students. You need to use correct terminology in addition to clear on-screen modelling. The student needs to see how things work. This is a level 2 student. They do not have the understand to simply follow verbal directions. Make sure you follow I do, we do and you do.
Additionally, make sure you are using props throughout your class. Don’t bank on using props on the last slide of the class. What if you don’t make it before time runs out?
The third tip I have is to make sure you are incorporating repetition into teaching new words, verbs and phonetic sounds. If you see the “I” on the top of the screen, this is new information. Make sure to incorporate repetition so your student can get the most out of class.
Tips from Teacher Elayne
Wow! Elayne is one of the first teachers with VIPkid and she is a fellow Canadian! I am always impressed by what she has to say- I loved here how she said she has seen the curriculum evolve over her time with VIPKid. This is so true! The evolution of curriculum has gone hand in hand with technological improvements and this really has made such a difference to our students at VIPKid. Once again, Elayne is highlighting the importance of modeling for your students so they know how to properly utilize the interactive functions in the classroom. Thank you! This is so important and vital to helping students get as much as they can out of the material provided.
Tips from Teacher Beth
And a phone call from Cindy? Wow! Beth-Ann knows the right people! Well, you heard her! Keep working on those certifications for more bookings and a ton of fun!
Tips from Teacher Michelle
IPAED seems to be a theme running throughout these videos! That is because they are so important. Teacher Michelle does an awesome job breaking down IPAED in her video and helps understand why the method works so well. She does a great job breaking down what parents and students are looking for in the VIPKid classroom. Awesome!
I will be adding more videos as they are released by other mentors. I hope these tips help you during your application and certification process with VIPKid! As always, happy teaching!
The Schoolhouse Mommy 