Online tools for english language teaching

Google Classroom
One of the top blended learning platforms these days, Google Classroom helps make managing classwork easier by letting you:

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  Create, distribute, and grade homework
  
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  Organize your lessons into modules or units
  
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  Upload materials and store them on Google Drive
  
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  Track students’ progress
  
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  Post comments and class announcements
  

While Google Classroom does have a free version, you can opt to upgrade to obtain more space – which could be useful if you have lots of files!


Jhonny, from Venezuela, teaching a group class via Zoom
Zoom
The most popular video calling software, Zoom is a great fit for teaching English online because it is easy to use and provides the following features:

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  A built-in virtual whiteboard
  
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  Breakout rooms to split students up for group activities
  
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  A chat box that allows you to send messages to the entire class or individual learners
  
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  Screen share function that allows you and your students to share not only your materials or documents but also audio from your computer
  
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  Cute emoji buttons that let participants raise their hands, send virtual applause, and react to others
  

Zoom comes in a free version, which you can use for one-on-one lessons without a time limit or for group classes for a maximum of 40 minutes.
Microsoft Teams
Another communication platform is Microsoft Teams, which is commonly used by professionals. So, if you have Business English students, chances are they have this software already installed on their computers!
Niels, an online Business English tutor from Peru, delivers his classes through Microsoft Teams. “I use this program because it is connected with a variety of other apps, and I can use my digital pen and avoid typing so much,” he said.
Online teachers can benefit from using Microsoft Teams through the following features:

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  Screen and audio sharing
  
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  Chat function that lets you communicate and share documents with everyone in the virtual room
  
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  A variety of fun and professional-looking backgrounds
  
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  Easy-to-use scheduler
  

You can make use of all of Microsoft Teams’ features and have online meetings with an unlimited number of participants using its free version. Meanwhile, you can also upgrade to the premium version to get cloud storage and Microsoft Office apps.
A Google Classroom workspace