Self­-paced, Teacher­-directed: Vocabulary Software Helps Online ESL Learning

When students are on site in a classroom, the instructor is responsible for leading the class forward at the same average speed. General English classes for children, or ESL classes targeted at adults, often rely on the use of standardized lesson plans and daily or weekly quizzes on vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. Most teachers focus on helping the students who aren't keeping up, which can slow down the overall progress of the class as a whole, and leave more advanced students with nothing to do.

In an online classroom situation, many instructors feel as if they have even less control over the direction and speed of the course. They often try to create highly structured lesson schedules in order to keep the class together. Unfortunately, this puts more pressure on the slower students to keep up, and leaves the advanced students with fewer options for self-­paced learning. One easy way to add structure without removing flexibility is by including well­ designed vocabulary improvement software in your planning. Here are some things to look for: