How to Make the Most Out of your NYLC Online Classes

Written by: Isabel Solano

Dear Valued NYLC students,

We know these are strange unprecedented times we are all experiencing; however, we are glad to be able to keep providing you with online lessons with your NYLC teachers. 

We understand that online lessons come with some added challenges, especially at the beginning while we adjust to the changes. In this post, we wanted to share some tips to get the most out of your online lessons until we are able to have you back in school!

1. Eliminate distractions: (or at best, reduce your distractions) As much as possible, find a quiet space where you will most likely not be interrupted. If you cannot avoid noise, headphones are a great option. If you take your class on your laptop, put your phone on silent and as much as possible, challenge yourself to not get distracted by social media or phone notifications during your class. If you use your phone to join class, you can utilize the “do not disturb” feature so that you do not receive notifications during the time this is enabled. 2. Actively participate (!): You can still get lots of speaking practice in your online class, you just need to make it a priority as well. Whenever your teacher asks a question, make it a goal to always answer. As much as possible, keep your camera on and utilize the chat function on Google Meet to interact with your teacher and classmates. Taking class remotely should not be an excuse not to participate in class; in fact, your participation contributes to the success of the class! 3. Set yourself up for success: Make sure that you are ready for class everyday. Have your coffee or tea, eat your breakfast and make sure that you are awake and ready to study. Take notes, do your homework and complete the exercises your teacher gives you! Be proactive about your learning experience. Your teacher is working very hard to make the lessons online as engaging and fun as possible, the rest is up to you! :) Lastly, consider not taking your lesson while still in bed… this might be just a bit too relaxing! 4. Ask questions: Don’t keep your questions to yourself! Everyone can benefit from your questions so make sure to always speak out your doubts. Unmute your microphone and ask your teacher or type them in the chat box. Either way, students' questions help your teacher know what needs to be repeated or studied more and makes the class more interactive for all. 5. Daily attendance is still important: Yes, you might be able to get more sleep in the morning since you do not need to commute to school, but don’t forget that you still need to be on time for class as your attendance and lateness is still being recorded. Also, remember: being on time is of benefit to you! You will always know what’s going on in class and what you need to do.

We want to thank all of you for your patience and positive attitude. Please know that your success is still our number one goal! We are here for you!

Isabel & the NYLC team.

For those interested in learning more about studying English with NYLC from home, please see information below.