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SkimaTalk Teacher Guidelines

SkimaTalk
February 03, 2023

SkimaTalk Teacher Guidelines

SkimaTalk Teacher Guidelines

SkimaTalk

February 03, 2023
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Transcript

  1. 1. Must-read
    Preparation
    1. Set "allow calls/messages from anyone" and "Appear in search results " in your
    Skype settings.
    2. Confirm your Skype Name registered with SkimaTalk is spelled correctly.
    3. In the “Upcoming Sessions” screen on your teacher profile, click on the student’s
    photo to view the student’s information such as feedback preferences. Use this
    information to help prepare for your session.
    4. Before the session begins, send a message to the student via Skype. As part of
    the message, ask the student what he/she hopes to learn from the upcoming
    session. This will prepare the teacher and student for the session and set
    expectations.
    5. Become familiar with SkimaTalk’s Courses and other tools in advance to facilitate
    sessions efficiently.
    Top 10 Reasons Teachers Receive Low Ratings – Avoid these situations to avoid
    low ratings
    1. No-show.
    2. Tardiness: beginning the session late or conducting a session that lasts fewer
    than 25 minutes.
    3. No use of Skype Video: some sessions have been conducted with Skype Audio
    only. Students want to be able to see the teacher. If you do not use Skype Video,
    the student is entitled to a refund if they complain.
    4. Speaking speed: make sure you speak slowly enough for the student to
    understand. You will need to alter your speaking speed for different students.
    5. Lack of feedback for students: students want feedback on how they did during
    the session, and what they should practice. The new "Feedback" feature will
    allow you to provide feedback after the session as well as during the session.

    View Slide

  2. 6. No use of Skype chat: prior to and after a session, it is important to send the
    student a message via Skype chat. Say hi and goodbye and type links, questions,
    and words on Skype message to make your session more efficient.
    7. No use of the SkimaTalk course materials when requested: if a student books a
    course lesson, you must follow the lesson materials during the session.
    8. Be sure to smile and be friendly. This makes students more comfortable.
    9. Poor Internet connection: make sure you conduct the session from a strong
    internet connection in a quiet location (no loud cafes).
    10. Lack of customization / focus on the student’s unique learning goals.
    Hitting the ‘I’m Ready’ Button
    1. Teachers are required to hit the “I’m Ready” button at the beginning of every
    session. This is an important, and required, step in the SkimaTalk teaching
    process.
    Dealing with Student No-Shows: some steps to minimize no-shows
    1. Not all students will respond to your Skype message sent before the session
    begins. Even so, you still must call the student. In this instance, search for the
    contact and then right click on the contact's name. One of the options should be
    to Skype call the contact. You might not be able to enable video until the call
    connects.
    2. Don't rely on Skype's online / offline status to determine whether the student is
    online. Even though the student is shown as "offline", there are many cases
    where your student is online and just waiting for your call. You must call the
    student, regardless of what the Skype status says.
    3. You must remain on Skype at least 15 minutes into the scheduled session time,
    sending several messages to the student during this time period.
    4. If the student still has not shown, teachers are required to report the No-Show on
    the teacher’s “My Page”:
    To report the No-Show, click the ‘Report Student’s No-show’ button 15 minutes
    after the scheduled session time and before the session ends (the No-Show
    report button is effective only for the last 10 minutes of the session).

    View Slide

  3. 2. How to conduct the 1st session
    I. Introduction / Ice Breaker (5 minutes)
    a. Get to know the student – where is he/she from, what are his/her interests,
    etc.
    b. Learn about the student’s goals – what does the student want to practice (e.g.,
    pronunciation, reading comprehension, conversation)?
    c. Gain an understanding of the student’s current English ability level. This will
    be important in selecting teaching aides and materials.
    d. Ask the student if he or she has a specific material / topic to study during the
    session. If not, you can propose a topic based on b and c above.
    II. Teaching session (15 minutes)
    a. Based on your introductory conversation, begin working to meet the student’s
    goals (e.g., practice pronunciation or conversation)
    b. Learn about the student’s learning style
    III. Feedback (5 minutes)
    a. Provide the student with a few points of feedback – offer some techniques
    and materials the student can practice in between now and the next session.
    For example, provide a link to a news article the student can read or a
    YouTube video the student can watch.
    b. VERY IMPORTANT – Ask the student what he/she wants to practice during
    the next session.
    c. (If you have no teaching experience) Ask for feedback from the student – in
    what areas can you improve your teaching?
    IV. Post-Session (5 minutes)
    a. Leave feedback on the student’s profile on the “Evaluate” page.
    b. Leaving feedback offers many benefits. As a teacher it will improve your
    reputation and allow you to remember / learn about previous sessions. For
    the student it helps the student focus on where to study. Your feedback will
    be saved on the student’s profile page and also sent to the student
    immediately.

    View Slide

  4. c. Use the following SkimaTalk functions effectively:
    • SkimaTalk Message:
    You can communicate with your student on the SkimaTalk website, but
    you cannot always send or receive messages. You can do so after your
    student books a session and within 48 hours after the session end time
    (this is to prevent spam).
    • Student Feedback
    This feature enables you to leave feedback for students directly on their
    profiles. Lots of students have been asking for this feature – this is a great
    way to establish strong relationship with, and ratings from, your students.
    • Comments from Students
    We have created a feature that allows students to leave feedback /
    comments on teachers' profiles. This feedback can be a great marketing
    tool for you – potential students will have the ability to see positive
    comments that students have left about you as a teacher.
    Ø On the "History” page, check the box "Display on Profile" next to
    the comment that you want to display on your profile page.
    3. How to conduct subsequent sessions
    Preparation:
    - Send a Skype or SkimaTalk message to your student a couple minutes before
    the session.
    o e.g.
    “Hi, good evening / morning. Welcome to SkimaTalk. I’m XXX.
    What would you like to talk about today? The news, accent
    reduction, free conversation or other topics (Interview training,
    writing correction… whatever you want!)? See you soon!”
    o You can also send a Skype or SkimaTalk message to your student after
    the session.
    - If you and your student have an agreed upon lesson plan from the previous
    session, prepare a lesson plan that meets the student’s goals.

    View Slide

  5. - Remember that each student will have a different set of goals for the session –
    adjust your preparation accordingly.
    I. Introduction (2 minutes)
    a. Ask the student how he/she is doing.
    b. Ask the student if he/she has specific material or a specific topic to study
    during the session. Otherwise, you can give a 30-second summary of the
    lesson plan so the student knows what to expect. Make sure the student is
    comfortable with the lesson plan.
    II. Session (20 minutes)
    a. Work through the prepared lesson.
    b. Adjust the lesson accordingly if the student feels the material is too easy or
    too difficult, or not relevant to his/her goals.
    III. Feedback (3 minutes)
    a. Leave the student with a few tips to practice before the next session.
    b. Be very encouraging (e.g., “You made great progress today”).
    c. Discuss scheduling a follow-up session and a potential lesson plan for that
    session.
    4. SkimaTalk Courses
    SkimaTalk offers a variety of pre-built Course content for students. To be eligible to
    teach these Courses, you must Opt-in to each Course. To do so, take the following
    steps:
    1. In the “Manage Courses” menu, select “My Courses”.
    2. Select the checkbox next to each Course you want to teach (you may not be
    eligible to teach all Courses).
    3. Select the “Update” button. That’s it!

    View Slide

  6. Many students will elect to study SkimaTalk Course lessons. In these situations, the
    lesson materials have been prepared in advance. It is important that you read through
    the lesson materials before the session.
    Preparation:
    1. When a SkimaTalk Course lesson is scheduled, the session confirmation email
    will contain a link to the lesson materials.
    2. Some lessons require teachers to prepare in advance. Please review the lesson
    guidelines to understand if you need to prepare in advance.
    3. Prepare as necessary for the lesson.
    During the Session:
    1. The Teacher version of the lesson materials provides tips/instructions on how to
    structure the lesson. It is important that you follow these instructions during the
    session.
    2. Be sure to ask the student all of the discussion questions listed in the lesson
    materials.
    After the Session:
    1. Provide feedback to the student based on the instructions in the Lesson
    Guidelines.
    2. Each lesson has different feedback requirements. You must follow these
    requirements to receive credit for the session.

    View Slide

  7. 5. DO’s & DON’Ts
    Category DO’s DON’Ts
    Punctuality - Call on time (+- 30 seconds)
    - Talk for at least 25 min. The student
    must not feel cheated on time. (Be sure
    to end your session on time if you have
    another session scheduled directly
    afterwards)
    - Call at 12:03 and end at
    12:25. (It’s only 22min!)
    Speaking - At the beginning, speak slowly and
    deliberately. Speak as if you were
    talking with a young child.
    - Then adjust the speed based on the
    student’s level.
    - Do not overwhelm your
    student by speaking at your
    natural speed from the
    beginning.
    Pronunciation - Be mindful of your pronunciation. Try to
    clearly articulate each syllable when you
    speak.
    - If you speak slowly and articulate
    clearly, it helps the student greatly, as
    they can see the position your mouth
    and lips take in pronouncing each
    syllable. This is one of the best ways
    (especially for Japanese students) to
    practice various sounds.
    - Do not let one word flow into
    the next or allow your
    pronunciation to slip.
    Don’t speak too
    much
    - Make sure the student is doing the
    majority of the talking. It is common that
    Japanese people are somewhat timid
    when speaking another language.
    Therefore, it will be tempting for you to
    speak most of the time. Encourage the
    student to speak – this is why they are
    - Do not overwhelm the
    student by speaking too
    much.

    View Slide

  8. conducting the session!
    Provide
    frequent
    feedback
    - Be sure to correct your student when
    grammar, pronunciation,
    comprehension, etc. is lacking. The
    students need this feedback to improve.
    - Encourage your student whenever
    possible. Provide frequent praise and
    highlight areas where the student has
    improved.
    - Do not be timid about
    providing feedback. Your
    feedback will help the
    students achieve their
    goals.
    - Do not let a 25-minute
    session pass without
    praising your student.
    Utilize Skype
    video
    - Always ensure that your Skype video is
    enabled. Video allows the student to
    track your lip movements and facial
    cues.
    - Do not disable your video,
    even if the student’s video is
    disabled
    Use Skype
    message
    effectively
    - Type links, questions, and words on
    Skype message to make your session
    more efficient.
    - Send messages soon before and after
    the session to say hi and goodbye.
    - Go through the messages in the
    previous session to remind you of what
    you and the student studied last time.
    - Do not forget to send a
    Skype contact request in
    advance of the first lesson
    with the student. Otherwise
    you cannot use the
    messaging function.
    - Do not let the student ask a
    question like “What did you
    say?” several times. This is
    when you should use Skype
    message to type what you
    said.
    Session design - Be strategic & creative in designing your
    lesson. How can you add the most
    value to the student & make the session
    enjoyable?
    - The quality of your session will
    determine whether the student will
    return for another session
    - Do not approach a session
    without a plan. This reflects
    poorly on you as a teacher
    and provides only limited
    value to the student.

    View Slide

  9. Ask for
    feedback
    - Remind the student to provide you with
    feedback on the session using the
    “Evaluate” section in the student’s
    SkimaTalk page. Ideally the student
    should provide a rating as soon as the
    session is completed.
    - Do not forget to monitor
    your reputation (rating) on
    SkimaTalk. The students
    use this rating to help select
    future teachers.
    Session timing - Recognize the time difference between
    Japan and your location.
    - California is 8 hours ahead of Japan
    (minus 1 day). For example, 6:00pm
    Thursday in California is 10:00am
    Friday in Japan.
    - The sweet spots for Japanese students
    are 7:00am-9:00am & 6:00pm-12:00am
    on weekdays, and 7:00am -12:00am on
    weekends (Japan time). In California
    time, this translates to 3:00pm-5:00pm
    & 2:00am-8:00am on weekdays, and
    3:00pm-8:00am on weekends.
    - Try to schedule your availability to align
    with the sweet spots for Japanese
    students.
    - Do not forget that Japan is 1
    day ahead of the U.S.
    (Monday in the U.S. is
    Tuesday in Japan).

    View Slide