A handful of tips for the online teacher / tutor <em>Before starting your teaching experience online, here are a few things you may need to think about:
If you have no online teaching experience at all or if you already have one but you are looking for new ideas to implement, here is a list of resources that you may find useful:</em>

Books:
<ol> <li><em>500 Tips for Open and Online Learning</em>, 2nd edition by Phil Race</li> <li><em>Expectations and Demands in Online Teaching: Practical Experiences</em> by Sorin Gudea.</li> <li><em>An Overview of Online Learning</em> Second Edition by Saul Carliner</li> <li><em>Building Online Learning Communities</em> by Rena M. Palloff & Keith Pratt</li> <li><em>Delivering Learning on the Net: the why, what & how of online education</em> by martin weller</li> </ol>
Online resources:
<ul> <li><a href="http://www.onlinetutoringworld.com/tutoringguide/teachingenglishonline.htm">www.onlinetutoringworld.com/tutoringguide/teachingenglishonline.htm</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.onlinetutoringworld.com/technology/teflskype.htm">www.onlinetutoringworld.com/technology/teflskype.htm</a> (TEFL Guide To Teaching With SKYPE)</li> <li><a href="http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/online.htm">home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/online.htm</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/realtime/realtime.htm">www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/realtime/realtime.htm</a></li> <li><a href="http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ ">cde.athabascau.ca/online_book/ </a>(pdf)</li> </ul>
Placement tests:
There are a few placement tests online that your learners can take so you can know their level in English and identify their weaknesses and strengths:
<ul> <li><a href="http://www.languagesystems.com/wptest/">www.languagesystems.com/wptest/</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ibs-b.hu/portal/page/portal/IBSHome/Admission/English%20Placement%20Test/Exam.htm">www.ibs-b.hu/portal/page/portal/IBSHome/Admission/English%20Placement%20Test/Exam.htm</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.msiformation.com/test/michaelpage/accountant_s.asp">www.msiformation.com/test/michaelpage/accountant_s.asp</a></li> <li><a href="http://secure.vec.bc.ca/vec/online-test-basic.cfm">secure.vec.bc.ca/vec/online-test-basic.cfm</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.inlingua.com/i-e-learn/">www.inlingua.com/i-e-learn/</a></li> </ul> To evaluate your learners reading level, here is my favourite link:
<ul> <li><a href="http://www.cambridge.org/elt/readers/placement_test/RPT_last.swf">www.cambridge.org/elt/readers/placement_test/RPT_last.swf</a></li> </ul>
Why is my learner taking English lessons?
Learners learn English for a variety of reasons. Knowing what they really need English for can save you a lot of time and effort. Here is a sample of a form that I prepared for learners to fill in. You can use it as it is or just make your own.
<ul> <li><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/9920004/Learn-English-Form">www.scribd.com/doc/9920004/Learn-English-Form</a></li> </ul> <em>I hope that these would help.</em>
<em>Any comments or tips are welcome.</em>