Dear Gaby,

I have used Skype to teach English, (whole-class; small-group; pair; one-to-one --- Beginners; Elementary; Pre-Intermediate; Intermediate; Advanced; IELTS).  I also regularly conduct examinations in Spoken English by Skype.  I have Students in 2 or 3 different countries.  I use Skype to give lessons about once a week.

It is NOT EASY!  Although I am told that I succeed well, it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.  That is my experience.

It can be a slow business, because of bad Internet connections, with the camera and microphone functioning, and then not functioning, (usually at important points).

I see different students almost every time, so names are a problem.

To avoid this difficulty, I must describe students as, �student 1, student 2, etc.�

Then a late-comer enters, sits anywhere, and alters the numbering.

It is impossible to �point� to a student and say: �Read, please!�

I must say: �The man wearing spectacles, please!  I will ask you a question.�

If there is a large class, it is impossible to see everyone.  The camera must constantly be moved.

Similarly, the microphone must constantly be moved for every different student.

Sound (and vision) is frequently not acceptable.

I use headphones and a throat microphone, but the class uses a loudspeaker and a desk microphone, with all the �squeaks� and �bangs� when the microphone is moved, (except with one-to-one.)

Many students are unused to microphone and video procedure.  They mumble; don�t speak into the microphone; don�t look at the camera; and act as if I were in the classroom with them.  Because the other students laugh at their antics, they think that I can see what they are doing, which I can�t.

There is a perceptible gap, between speaking and being heard, and new students don�t wait until the message is received.

It is a slow procedure to send a file DURING the lesson.

When sound is bad, to write and then to hold the paper up to the camera often allows transmission, but it looks unprofessional.

Maintaining good behaviour is extremely difficult, because it is not possible to see who is chatting, who leaves the room, who is using a mobile phone, etc.

Students who are out of camera-sight often prompt other students with the answer to my question.

Students surreptitiously read answers from books, papers, etc. on the table.

Students look around at the posters on the wall for the answer.

Students often have conversations in class while Student X is answering a question.  In a normal classroom, this is bad manners and irritating.  On Skype, the voice of Student X is completely drowned and cannot be heard.

The rule is --- ONE speaker, ONE voice.

When speaking, gesturing, showing an object, etc. the teacher must always glance at the small picture of himself/herself on the computer, to check that he/she is visible to the students.

The big difference between Skype and normal teaching is that the teacher is not physically in the room with the students, so has no direct �control� over what happens, nor what the students are doing.

When arranging lessons, the teacher must remember that British Time is DIFFERENT to Asian Time, (for example).

It possibly seems that I think that Skype is very bad.

On the contrary, I think that it is excellent!  To be able to see and speak to students in foreign lands is thrilling.  It is an absolute joy to realise that, for many students, this is the very first time that they have had a conversation with a real, live, native English speaker.

Their eyes pop wide-open when they realise that they are able to speak to me.  On one occasion, I had a complete family party --- children, parents, grand-parents, neighbours --- all gathered around the computer, open-mouthed.  Afterwards, the Mam proudly said to her daughter, an English teacher, who is my �student�: �You are SO clever, being able to speak to England like that�.

I had one boy student who was 9 years old --- he was so excited when he passed the Speaking Examination.  I imagined him running home to tell his Mam the good news.

For me, it is a truly humbling experience, because for many of my students, (and their teachers), who live in �isolated regions�, I am regarded by them as a godsend.      

 But, it must be remembered that for classroom teaching, Skype needs a completely different teaching approach.  It is a �new� technology, slightly intimidating to students, so I begin with personal chit-chat about families, friends, likes, dislikes, etc.  I always concentrate on speaking, using speaking games and exercises.  I tell jokes, say silly things, make faces, sing, make balloon animals, perform magic and just act in a perfectly ordinary fashion.  This shows that I am a normal person, like them. 

Because it is cumbersome to interact using reading and writing materials, I often ask the group to write in their notebook an example of the grammar point that we are discussing.   

For teaching grammar, I usually dictate examples of grammar sentences to the students, or give a summary of the �rules�.  Remember, I cannot write on the board, nor point to a poster, nor show them my book.  I frequently am forced to �think on my feet�, (although I actually sit in a comfortable armchair, at home).

The students love asking questions --- personal and other.  This is a great source of discussion.

In conclusion, Skype is difficult but rewarding.  In my opinion, a teacher who successfully teaches, by using the Internet, will be doing a great service to the student-community.  Moreover, that teacher will receive much pleasure.

Les