Skype synchronous ESL/EFL teaching and learning

1. E- LEARNING AND SLA
Synchronous English teaching and learning using Skype video
conferencing as well as its audio and text chat functions

2. MY REASONS FOR CHOOSING TO
INVESTIGATE THIS PARTICULAR
PROBLEM
 Since I never taught IELTS preparation course before, and since
I am very intrigued and interested in skimming and scanning
IELTS reading techniques, I chose to focus on this particular
IELTS skill, and ways of teaching it using Skype.
 I like the idea of projecting each individual activity worksheet
on the screen; analyzing it and looking for correct answers in
the reading passage together with my IELTS student - in order
to complete that activity.
 I am also interested in projecting each reading passage on the
Skype screen and eliciting responses from the student in
regards to the main idea, a supporting idea, and an argument
for each individual paragraph.
 More and more people are getting
educated via synchronous online
communication with their teachers, and
by studying via online-distance
education.
 Online target language learning is
becoming increasingly popular too.
 Many of my ESL teaching colleagues are
successfully conducting their English
lessons using Skype synchronous
conferencing with their students.

3. ACTIVITY FOR IELTS ACADEMIC
READING TEST PREPARATION
My IELTS academic reading preparation class therefore
consists primarily of these activities:
Reading passage 1 activities: choose from the list / multiple
choice questions / matching paragraphs to their headings
Reading passage 2 activities: table completion task / ‘Yes-
No-Not Given’ task / short answer questions
Reading passage 3 activities: note completion task /
matching task / matching sentence endings task
 My intervention consists of 3 Activities
for each IELTS academic reading text in
order for my IELTS lesson to resemble
the actual test requirements as much as
possible.
 Since there are 3 academic reading
passages in the actual test, I decided to
also use 3 original IELTS academic
reading texts and design
comprehension activities (the
intervention) about those texts.

4. IMPLICATIONS AND REFLECTION
 In order to teach these fast reading
techniques and help my IELTS student
sustain self-confidence during the IELTS
test, I have to investigate this topic more
through literature, and, in particular, to
talk to experienced online IELTS
teachers.