i-Learner students have been attending online lessons for a year now, and we’ve been amazed at what they’ve learned! Not only have our writing students become better writers and our reading students become better readers, but during this difficult year, these young learners have developed a wide range of useful skills.

Our teachers have put together a list of the top three skills that students have learned this year.

 

Technical Skills

It isn’t surprising that while learning online, students have become more tech-savvy. With the future looking increasingly digital, this is a useful area for students to improve in. Both Ms Christine and Ms Hannah said they’ve learned new technical skills from their students, and many tutors have been impressed at how their students’ typing skills have progressed. When asked, 60% of i-Learner teachers said their students have built technical skills through their online learning.

 

Communication Skills

Online learning brings the classroom to your fingertips. The close environment of our small-group lessons means i-Learner students have become excellent at making their ideas clear this year. Ms Rebecca has found that ‘since teachers are not able to see students’ work immediately or observe their body language, students have become more proactive in asking questions as well as responding through different means, such as verbally, in the chat box or even giving an emoji.’ Ms Brenda’s young learners have also ‘become more proactive about their learning. They’re more confident with their answers by shouting them out or writing on the screen. They ask questions when they aren’t sure.’

Many teachers were impressed by the effect of online learning on another key element of communication: listening. Ms Ceri was among the 60% of tutors who said communication was a key skill students had developed this year. The key aspect she highlighted as most important was ‘compassionate listening – really listening to each other when I ask them about their lives and how they are feeling, and supporting each other by telling funny stories from their week.’

Listening skills are essential to learning, and we’re often too busy to develop them. This year has given students that opportunity. As Ms Pun said, students have been able to learn ‘collaboration, patience and empathy, clarity in speaking, and the ability to listen well.’ These skills will set them on the path to success.

 

Discipline, Responsibility and Resilience

This year has demanded a lot from young people, and they have dealt with the difficulty amazingly. Not only have they continued their studies, but they’ve also developed strength of character that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Many of our teachers noted how impressed they were with their students this year. Take a look at some of their best comments, which show just how much our students have grown:

Ms Jean: ‘A lot of my students starting from a young age (P1) are showing a high level of independence. They are keeping track of which lesson we’re on and which lesson to print out. They also take pride in uploading their work by themselves. These are all important steps towards taking responsibility for their own learning.’

Ms Hannah: ‘They are very willing to help other members of the class if they are struggling, and I think in some ways online teaching has been a bonding experience for them.’

Ms Christine: ‘From the beginning, I was impressed by the level of resilience shown by my students. Their adaptability to online teaching was admirable, and we easily established a comfortable online learning environment.’