5 Creative Ideas for Boosting Results and Adding Fun in Your Online Language Lessons

One-to-one language lessons are a favourite resource in any successful learner’s arsenal, and most smart learners have long discovered that they can easily meet tutors online (check out italki if you haven't tried it yet).

But for many learners and tutors, it’s not always easy to stay excited about lessons...

…if all you ever do is talk about last week, language lessons quickly get boring

…if you don’t feel like you’re spending your money on a good tutor, you might give up

And teachers, beware: If there’s no creativity in online lessons, no one gets to have the results or the fun that they should have.

Be sure to check out my blog post on 13 essential online language teaching tools that will help elevate your lessons and make them more fun and engaging!

So what can you do to make sure you’re on to a winner?

In today’s blog post, we will talk about 5 online language lesson ideas that you can use no matter if you’re a learner or a teacher. As long as you are hanging out with someone to practice your target language, these ideas will really kick you into gear.

Ready? Then let’s discover how to improve your language lessons right now.

Contents

1) Create a Study Plan Together
2) Boost Your Listening Skills on Togethertube
3) Let the Student Correct the Language Tutor
4) Tired of Talking About Your Day in Language Lessons?
5) Write a TripAdvisor Review
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Support On Your Language Learning Journey?

1) Create a Study Plan Together

If you are in the market and looking for a new tutor right now, chances are you’ll want to know what you’re getting for your money. And if you’re a tutor taking on a new student, you’re keen to reassure them that they’ve made an awesome choice.

You simply get together and talk about where you want to be and what your language goals are for the next weeks and months (Create Vision and Path Goals from the Language Habit System® ), and it’s the tutor’s job to help break down these goals and outline which resources you will be using.

Lesson planning takes 30-60 minutes, and I definitely recommend doing this activity together as a solid start to your student-tutor partnership.

2) Boost Your Listening Skills on Togethertube

One of the biggest risks of relying on a single person to be your regular language practice partner is over-reliance on their accent and voice. You may find that weekly conversations get easier, but it takes a multitude of voices for you to understand language at native speed.

I recommend watching online videos together using Togethertube. You can easily control the player, stop the video and discuss what’s going to happen next.

I was super excited about this tip because I had no idea Togethertube existed, and especially because it plays Dailymotion videos…and Dailymotion is the home of Deutsch Plus, my favourite cheesy 90s German learner soap.

3) Let the Student Correct the Language Tutor

You’re probably used to being corrected all the time by your tutor, so how cool would it be to turn that around? The next online language lesson idea is for teachers to finally allow learners to correct them! The tutor prepares a text containing mistakes like wrong words, grammar errors, or a punctuation mistake. The student’s job is finding and correcting each mistake.

I’ve used this idea in my own lessons. It works with groups and individuals, and the challenge always helps to create a productive and focused lesson. After all, who can resist showing off their knowledge?

If you want more fun ways to engage students, check out my blog post on language learning games that you can easily incorporate into your lessons.

4) Tired of Talking About Your Day in Language Lessons?

Nothing can kill a good language lesson quicker than running out of things to talk about. You’re likely working with a tutor to improve your speaking skill, and if you’re nervous about starting to talk the following tip is guaranteed to help you loosen up.

Select a range of pictures that inspire conversation (you can find great pictures on Unsplash or Pixabay). You can ask your tutor to select them with you, or to surprise you with something really weird. It’s the student’s job to describe what’s happening, what might be shown in the photo, and what the people in the picture might be saying.

Take it to the next level with AI

In AI Language Club, we have created a library of easy ideas for spicing up your studies with AI tools. One of our most popular ideas is creating an image with AI. You can do this in tools like ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Copilot, and in a language lesson it’s fun to come up with multilingual descriptions and ideas.

5) Write a TripAdvisor Review

Everyone loves creating reviews, and especially getting to share their travel experiences, so this is perfect. In Lindsay’s book, she gives 3 great scenarios and ideas that tutors can use to write those ideas with you right now. For example, why not go all out and describe your dream trip, somewhere you’ve always wanted to stay, and write about the hotel from heaven?

This activity is awesome because it encourages writing, but it’s so easy to combine it with reading real trip reviews online and even watching hotel promo clips. I love this so much, and I know my students are into travel and have a lot to share…can’t wait to read their holiday experiences!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Teach Languages Online?

To explore my full guide to becoming a language tutor working from anywhere, check out this course: Live Lessons Strategies for Online Teachers and Tutors for practical tips and resources.

When it comes to online language teaching, setting yourself up for success starts with a few key principles:

Understand Your Audience: Identify who your students are and what their goals are. Tailoring your lessons to their needs will make your teaching more effective.

Set Clear Objectives: Define what you want your students to achieve by the end of each lesson. Clear goals help keep both you and your students focused.

Choose the Right Platform: There are many platforms available for online teaching, such as Zoom, Google Meet, or specialized language teaching platforms like Languatalk and italki. Choose one that suits your teaching style and technical needs.

Can You Teach Yourself a Language Online?

To successfully teach yourself a language online, start by setting clear goals and defining what you want to achieve with realistic milestones. Another crucial part of learning a language by yourself is expanding your vocabulary. You can incorporate effective techniques for memorizing and using new words to boost your fluency by checking our blog post on the best vocabulary learning techniques.

Consistency is key, so aim to practice regularly even if it’s just for a few minutes each day!

Need Support On Your Language Learning Journey?

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"For The Love of Humanity": Using Languages for Good

Welcome to episode 66 of the Creative Language Learning Podcast.

In this episode, I'm presenting two interviews with women who are working to change people's lives through the power of language.

Madeline, Interpreter for Survivors of Torture and Trauma

Community Interpreter Madeline Vadkerty gives me an overview of what it is like to interpret for survivors of torture and trauma. This interview was an incredible chance to learn more about interpreting from her, and to hear why helping refugees and toture survivors get their stories heard matters so much.

The people Madeline works with were caught in situations that we take for granted in many other countries: running for political office, being a homosexual, or expressing different opinions to the mainstream.

She says got into her field "for the love of humanity", and shares what you need to know if interpreting intrigues you.

Marianne Manz, Religious education teacher...turned teacher for refugees

When Germany accepted a large number of refugees back in 2015, Marianne Manz sprang into action. She's a school teacher who has always loved teaching and languages, and thought to herself "we can do something here." Marianne pulled together a group of volunteers and started AG Reliwerk, a tiny local group of Germans who offer language courses.

In this interview, Marianne shared the joys and pains of teaching German to refugees, and what it's like when you have untrained teachers from 16 to 70 teaching refugees without regular internet access.

As a bonus, I also asked her if German is really so difficult to learn. A fascinating interview!

Go Further With Languages

1) You don't have to make this your full-time career

Marianne's interview shows that even a few hours a week can make a huge difference to the lives of other people, and give you so much joy.

2) Other skills really matter

In addition to their language skills, both of the women I interviewed stood out to me for their strengths in their field. Interpreting and teaching are skills in themselves and your new position will stretch them and help you grow in incredible ways.

3) Getting together with other is key

If you're reading these words right now, chances are that you're looking at a screen by yourself. Supporting others with your language takes you out of that state, and puts you deeply and intensively in touch with others. When you contribute to the world, you give to others but you also benefit in so many ways.

Check out the links for this episode to find inspiration of where to volunteer in the UK or USA.

Interpreting Links

• The Community Interpreter
• Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma · Causes
• Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma PSA - YouTube

Teaching Refugees and Migrants Links

• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutsch | Deutschunterricht für Flüchtlinge entwickeln
• Tips for teaching English to migrants and refugees in the UK | British Council
• Hominum International e.V. - Home
• Wycliffe Associates | Accelerating Bible Translation

Volunteering Links

• Home | Do-it.org volunteering made easy
• A Few Simple Ideas for New Language Learners — Greg Thomson's approach to self-directed language learning.
• Public Service and Volunteer Opportunities | USAGov
• Creative Language Learning Podcast Episode 43: Wikitongues — Language documentation and preservation charity Wikitongues, interviewed by Lindsay for our show

Do you want to use your languages for good?

I'd love to hear what you think! Have you ever been able to help someone else thanks to your own language skills? Do you feel inspired to start teaching, translating, interpreting, or writing for others?

Leave a comment below or share on Facebook or Twitter - and finally, of course don't forget to check out our sponsors at Clozemaster.

Episode 23: Teach (Yourself) a Language with Tammy Bjelland from Language in Bloom

It's episode 23 and I'm back with another lovely and inspiring interview. Tammy Bjelland sparkles with all the energy she brings to language learning and teaching. She teaches, trains, offers curriculum design and runs her own podcast, the Business of Language Podcast. Let her enthusiasm pull you along in this interview!

You'll hear about:

• What you're going to do with that language later
• The many secret benefits of languages in your career
• The 7 superhero skills of language learners: Empathy, Independence, Curiosity, Versatility, Creativity, Autonomy and Self-Discipline
• How group learning can be a HUGE advantage for you
• How to develop your custom curriculum
• Tammy's truly impressive looking course Language Learning Formula

"You have to learn to teach yourself a language. It's a skill in itself"

Tips of the Week

Tammy was by far the most decisive guest I've ever had on this podcast. She went straight for tip number one as your Tip of the Week!

1) Practice your pronunciation with Soundcloud

2) Practice your pronunciation and get instant feedback by talking to Siri in a foreign language

3) Make a food log in a foreign language (thanks for the tip to Ron Gullekson

Tips and Links from this Podcast

• Language in Bloom
• Language Learning Formula course
• Podcast Episode with Olly Richards - where we tried to fix education
• Speak German like a Native Soundcloud group (it's free!)

Podcast Episode 15: From marrying a soldier to writing a German language blog, with Angelika Davey

My guest this month is Angelika Davey, owner of the blog angelikasgerman.co.uk. Angelika has been teaching German independently for many years.

Listen to our interview to find out more about

• Keeping your mind agile, and whether it really matters to anyone under 50

• The ultimate showdown: Age vs. Attitude! Which one makes you a better learner?

• Why learning German is your best choice for business

• What it’s like to date someone from a different country

• A new and innovative approach that makes even the best private teacher affordable and accessible to yo

Article of the Week

Multilingual Families: Even our Dog uses 3 Languages

Tips of the Week

Angelika chose Tip 1 as her Tip of the Week.

Tip 1: Read cereal packets, clothing labels and anything you can get (see Language Surfer blog)

Tip 2: Discover foreign culture at home

Tip 3: Use Eurovision to learn your Target Language (see Koko the Polyglot)

Tips and Links from this Podcast

Don't forget to take advantage of the special $10 German Course offer!

“If I’m selling to you, then I speak your language. If you’re buying from me, dann müssen Sie Deutsch sprechen.”

— Willy Brand

• Angelika’s Awesome German blog
• Angelika Davey on Twitter
• Jared Romey chats about Spanish at Language Book Club
• Online course Beginners’ German for Busy People for only $10!
• Teach Yourself German books on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Links to Amazon and Udemy are affiliate links so they cost you nothing more but they support Fluent Language and this podcast. Thanks for your clicks. If you are feeling able to give $1 to keep the podcast and the blog going strong, please head over to Patreon and become a supporter!

How I came to Online Teaching: A TEFL-Free Story

Many people who find me and my work through Fluent often assume that I took the classic route of learning how to teach online after studying for a TEFL exam, but that's not actually true. In fact, I never set out to be an entrepreneur at all. In today's blog post, I want to share this awesome interview with me and Gabby Wallace from Laptoplanguageteacher.com.

It's an in-depth look at how I started out in language teaching, and how my independent streak actually helped me discover my own niche in this market. As you can see, I'm just as scared as you are when it comes to that niche challenge!

Here are the top 4 Lessons you can Learn from this Video

1. If you work online, collaborating with your colleagues is the door to success
2. When you blog, you start sharing your views and standing out in a wholly new way. It is one of the most fun experiences on the internet. If you want to learn more about how to start a language blog, check out Fluent's Quick'n'Easy Guide to Language Blogging.
3. Your prices can send a powerful message to new students. I have spoken to so many language students who felt that they actually
4. Bonus Lesson: That's a crazy hairband.

And of course, I also mentioned various ways of working with me in the video. The 50 Calls project is now finished, yes I actually spoke to 50 amazing people. It was so much fun!

The feedback I got from them helped me create the course Compass, which is now available to online teachers right here on Fluent as the (renamed) Savvy Brand Toolkit. I'd love for you to check it out, and don't forget to sign up for my newsletter so that I can send you discount codes and promotions when I run them.

Event Coming Up

Gabby and I are running a joint Facebook event on 7 May. It's called the Online Teaching Show and designed to help online teachers get the word out. All for free, so please come and join us by registering here on Facebook.