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Tips for Maintaining Students Attention and Enthusiasm During Online Classes. Fun and Interactive Ways to Achieve Positive Results.




Maintaining Students Attention and Enthusiasm During Online Classes. Fun and Interactive Ways to Achieve Positive Results.

 Today, many teachers are making the change to online teaching and a big challenge is figuring out exactly how to keep students engaged during the class. It can be even more challenging when working with really young children like preschoolers or those with learning disabilities.

Today there is a multitude of different platforms available to choose from, many of them for free, but my personal favorite, without a doubt, is ZOOM.

Some of the suggestions that I'll be sharing with you in this article can no doubt be used on other platforms, but ZOOM has some great built-in features that can naturally make your classes more engaging, creative and interactive.

 Here are my favorite tips for how to keep your students engaged during Zoom meetings.

1. MoveMoveMoveMove

Sitting still for any length of time is hard for most kids. That's why I encourage you to incorporate some movement into your classes. I'm going to give you some examples of how I've used movement during my online English classes.
  • Use their world. Ask students to leave the computer and go find things that they can use to reinforce their learning. For example: "Find me something circular", "Find me something red" ect.
  • Photo scavenger hunt. Have students find and take photos of specific items in the homes to share with their classmates. Set it up as a challenge, and first student to finish wins extra points.
  • At least once in a class, to heighten students' mental and physical abilities, get them to stand up and perform a series of physical movements that you can demonstrate for them. For little kids, this could be standard movements for the songs WHEELS ON TH BUS or BABY SHARK, and for older students, you could ask them to suggest their most popular song and have everyone dance to the music.
Take the time to create physical activities for your students, it will be a way to guarantee a far more successful class,

2. MAKE THEM LAUGH

A lot of kids love it when their teacher does something funny and completely unexpected. 


  • If you would normally give your students stickers or stamps in their workbooks, get the stickers that you would normally use and stick them to your face instead. Don't do it all the time, but when you do, students will love it.
  • Make funny faces
  • Put your face really close to the camera.
  • Make a really obvious, silly mistake or say something wrong and let your students correct you.

3. USE THE WHITEBOARD FEATURE

The whiteboard feature is by far one of the greatest characteristics of  Zoom! To use the whiteboard feature, simply click "Screenshare" and then select "Whiteboard." This is particularly good because all students can interact in a variety of activities on the whiteboard throughout the class. 

You can use the whiteboard feature to type instructions, to explain schedules and requirements, to draw in pairs or groups, to play games or just about any other interactive whiteboard activity that you would normally do in your regular classroom.

Other things to know about this feature is that you have the option to clear all the activities with a simple click of a button, clear just one participant's activity, or to even save them.

If you don't clear the activities and you stop the screen share, they will stay there. That means you can have an activity on the whiteboard, stop sharing and explain something via video, and then flip back to show the drawing again.

4. ENTHUSIASTICALLY USE THE SCREENSHARING FEATURE

The one feature in Zoom that you honestly can`t overuse is screen-sharing (not just screen sharing the whiteboard). This is such an easy feature to understand and work with, you can literally screen share anything you want to just by clicking the screen share button during your classes.

What I suggest doing is opening up any PDFs, YouTube videos, websites, etc. before your classes so that they are already ready to go whenever you need them. Then during your class, all that you have to do is to click screen share and you should see everything that you have previously opened on that next screen. Then you just simply click whatever file or screen you want to share and it will automatically be shared with your students. 

There is also the option to hook up your iPad via USB and screenshare your iPad directly into your Zoom class. Yes, that means you can screen share any apps that you have installed on your iPad. You just access this, once again, by simply clicking the screen share button and following the instructions on the next screen.

Here are some examples to try:

  • Share relevant YouTube videos
  • Open up a PDF
  • Display and use apps from your iPad
  • Pull up a website and show them how to use it 
  • Use Kahoot or any other educational applications.
  • Use an interactive learning resource on Google Slides 

5. USE THE ANNOTATE FEATURE

When screen sharing, use the annotate feature (it looks like a pen/pencil) to highlight what you are wanting to teach or share. Just like the whiteboard, any participants can use the annotate feature. Here are a few ways that I use it as a teacher:

  • Have students complete worksheets or website activities.
  • Opening up a PDF game and having students participate.
  • Playing games such as Tic Tac Toe or battleship. These games can be set up on PowerPoints ect.

6. PLAY GAMES

Now that you know and understand how to use the whiteboard, screen sharing, and annotate features, you can see how you could create a variety of interactive games during your classes. Ideas include:

  • Playing Pictionary on the whiteboard, where each participant takes turns drawing and guessing.
  • Playing hangman (you could even make it so they can't guess a letter until they've done whatever you've asked of them whether it is practicing grammar, vocabulary, or even answering a question.
  • Playing bingo using a PDF bingo game
You can also play games without using any of the extra features. For instance, my example about the "Ready, Set, Go!" game from tip #1 or a game like Simon Says or I spy.

7. PARENTAL HELP FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS

For younger students, ask a parent to be present during the Zoom class to help the child stay focused, to maybe repeat any instructions, to help them to sit correctly, or remind them to listen to what you are telling them.

8. INCLUDE VARIETY

If it is obvious to you that your student is having trouble concentrating on their lesson, then maybe it's time to add a bit of variety. Do some exercise or dancing, do an activity using the whiteboard function, or screen share something totally different in order to help them to break their mental doldrums. A quick change in an activity like this is the perfect way to break up the monotony of talking back and forth via video only.

9. OPEN WITH THE CLASS OBJECTIVES

Think visual schedules or a checklist. Students benefit tremendously from using a checklist. Use the whiteboard feature to type up a checklist or visual schedule at the start of the session. Then flip back to the whiteboard when tasks are finished and let your student check off the items that they have completed.

10. ROLE REVERSAL

Let your student take the role of being the teacher every once in a while and have them explain things to you. For instance, I might ask my students to teach me the verb to be using the whiteboard or annotate features.

This simple little role switch will also give you a better idea of their current understanding of what you have been teaching them.

11. PLAN A THEMED CLASS

You can try a theme like bring your pet or your favorite stuffed toy to the class, or even have a hat day or pajama day. You can also try one of Zoom's built-in virtual backgrounds as part of your theme days. 

12. SHOW & TELL

Kids love to show off things they love, whether it's their pet, a toy, a book, their new dress, or something new that they have learned. Online classes give you a great glimpse into your child's personal life so why not give them an opportunity to show off their favorite things. You can include a quick little break in the middle of your class or even start or finish with this idea.

13. USE THE CHILD'S INTERESTS

Using student's hobbies or interests in the class is an excellent way to increase their willingness to actively participate. If they are into cars, then include some fun car-related activities and ideas in the class. If they're into music, then incorporate their favorite songs. It's such an easy way to engage your students.

14. THE STUDENTS ENVIRONMENT

Don't forget to consider your students' environment. Encourage them to use headphones during the class, if possible, to block out any environmental noise in their homes. And suggest that they work in a quiet, distraction-free room. These simple changes can make a huge difference.

Well, I hope that these few ideas will help you to embrace your Zoom classes.

Good luck and good teaching.

David White
Managing Director English For You Language Institute Trujillo Peru
Headmaster American School Trujillo Peru.


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