READING:

The year 2020 has been a tumultuous one for educators. Hundreds of thousands of teachers across
the globe had to get to grips with online platforms to deliver their lessons. Millions of students were
stuck at home doing their lessons via websites like Zoom. This has created an unprecedented
transformation in education as technology has taken centre stage. The quality of education differed
around the world according to the quality of Internet connections, the level of preparedness of
teachers and their competence in engaging with the technology. It also depended on what kind of
devices students had at home. Many students were deprived of lessons because they had no
computer, tablet or smartphone.

The Education Ministry in Malaysia has rolled out a new initiative to help underprivileged children.
Around 150,000 eligible pupils from 500 schools will receive a device to enable them to participate in
online lessons. The education minister hopes to build on the success of this initial rollout to expand
the programme. He said: "Apart from assisting pupils and schools in need, this pilot project is to find
the best implementation method before it is proposed for expansion." The plans include enhancing
educational television programming for students with no Internet access, and employing sign
language interpreters to help the hard of hearing. A teacher said she was happy her government was
prioritizing students' needs.

1. the headline? think did you read when What you

what did you think when you read the headlines?

2. What your images the hear in you 'online'? are when word mind
What images are in your mind when you hear the word online?

3. online do you think learning? What of

What do you think of online learning?
4. Would you face-to-face learning? or online prefer
Would you prefer face-to-face or online learning?
 5. online the are learning? What advantages of
what are the advantages of online learning?

6. online learning? What have of do you experiences

What experiences do you have of online learning?

7. teaching online? like teachers Why might

8. What best learning? platform the online is for

9. learning online is Who for? good

10. online all be learning Should the students future? in

11. like this reading Did you article?

12. of think What 'learning'? word when you do the hear you

13. you about you read? think what do What

14. What good subjects learn are and to online? bad

15. the we need teachers future? Will in

16. Why teachers online? hate teaching might

17. robots than at better people? English be Would teaching

18. What the for English online? and learning pros cons are

19. hearing? for of the learning online Is hard best

20. questions to you would like online What ask teachers?

Back to the online learning lesson.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language
Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

This useful resource has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for …

warm-ups

pre-reading and listening

while-reading and listening

post-reading and listening

using headlines

working with words

moving from text to speech

role plays,

task-based activities

discussions and debates

Online Learning - The 20 Questions

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?

What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'online'?

What do you think of online learning?

Would you prefer face-to-face or online learning?

What are the advantages of online learning?

What experiences do you have of online learning?

Why might teachers like teaching online?

What is the best platform for online learning?

Who is online learning good for?

Should all students be learning online in the future?

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

What do you think of when you hear the word 'learning'?

What do you think about what you read?

What subjects are good and bad to learn online?

Will we need teachers in the future?

Why might teachers hate teaching online?

Would robots be better at teaching English than people?

What are the pros and cons for learning English online?

Is online learning best for the hard of hearing?

What questions would you like to ask online teachers?