TEN Tips for EFFECTIVE Online Learning Support

When schools closed earlier this year and everyone shifted to e-learning, I found myself facing a steep learning curve. I thought about my students profiles and one common trait was ADHD so keeping them from walking away from the computer/laptop was the uppermost thought. Needless to say it was a challenge that I was more than happy to face. Working with my students, who helped me tremendously in shaping the lessons, the online lessons evolved and we're all quite satisfied with the level of support they got and continued progress they made. Here are a few tips I'd like to share - in the event that online learning becomes a necessity in this fluctuating environment:

1. Share resources with parents ahead of time to be printed out.
2. Like with all students with LD, keep the lesson interesting with skills being done for no more than 15 minutes using diverse activities during the 15 minutes.
3. Keep resources practical using items the student probably has or is easily available. For example, a tray of salt is easily sourced for learning phonics and sight words.
4. As much as one tries to keep worksheets at a minimum, I found that designing multi-sensory worksheets were very handy. Each item on the worksheet used different materials which kept it stimulating and dynamic.
5. Use of online games and videos was a great way to break any monotony and kept the students engaged.
6. Involve parents as much as possible. The hands-on involvement helps parents understand their child's uniqueness and gives them first hand experience on understanding how they learn.
7. Ensure that the student has a designated space, free of distractions, and is well equipped with stationary before the lesson starts.
8. As much as possible, ensure that the internet connection is a stable one.
9. Plan interactive games such as "Roll and Read" which students can play by themselves while being monitored at the same time.
10. Engage the student in conversation when it's time for a brain break!