HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TEXT CLASS

1. Before the lessons starts make sure that your CHATS are being LOGGED

Click on the EDIT menu…then the PREFERENCES tab at the bottom

Select the COMMUNICATION tab. At the bottom of this window you can tick boxes to LOG CHAT (and to LOG INSTANT MESSAGES) and at the very bottom of the window you can select where you want these files to be saved. (I think the default is in your documents.)

By logging the chat for the lesson you make it possible to find the text of the lesson and read through it again after you have logged out of Second Life.

This may be very useful, but remember that there may be many typing errors there. The teacher may not have corrected all the mistakes made by the pupils, and may also have made typing and spelling errors herself as she types away as fast as she can during the lesson!

2. ENABLE HISTORY (click CHAT and then HISTORY) and then make this window as LONG as you can. This will give you time to read what is being said in the lesson.

3. Arrange the windows on your screen so that you can see both the classroom (if you need to see the teacher and the other avatars) and the chat window in which the lesson is happening. The classroom SHOULD be arranged to make this possible if not easy!

4. If it gets dark during the lesson, remember that you can make it light again by clicking on WORLD and FORCE SUN, and selecting NOON.

5. Remember that you can ask questions at any time during the lesson. Questions about English should be typed in the chat. Don’t be shy, and remember mistakes are GOOD!!! When the teacher corrects someone’s mistake and explains it…EVERYONE LEARNS. Questions about the lessons and the school (not about English) should be in IM to the CLASS RUNNER, or to GIOVANNI TWEAK the owner of the school.

6. NOTE FOR OBSERVERS. If you are an ESL/EFL teacher yourself and are observing please do not interrupt the lesson! You are welcome to join in as a student but please give the other students a chance! Do not leap in immediately with the answer…of course you know it!!! LOL. Please give any observations and feedback to the teacher in IM, preferably AFTER the lesson.

This is all I can think of just now…if you think of any more tips that I can pass on to other students please let me know. 

Bracken Homewood BA BSc PGCE MA CELTA

Teacher at the Drive Through ESL School in Second Life