Online lessons
Live online lessons for learners across South Africa and abroad, and for local learners who prefer to learn from home.
Like many teachers, Amanda Ceglowski moved her teaching online in 2020, when lockdowns closed schools. At the time she was the academic and educational support therapist at Curro Hillcrest High, and continued supporting its learners remotely. Online lessons have remained a central part of her practice since then, alongside lessons in her classroom in Hillcrest.
Who learns online
Online lessons suit several kinds of learner:
- Learners outside KwaZulu-Natal, who want a specialist English, Afrikaans or remedial teacher without one nearby.
- International learners, especially those on the Cambridge IGCSE and AS & A Level programme.
- Learners in online and home-schooling programmes, whose whole school day is already conducted at home.
- Local learners with full timetables, who would rather not travel to an extra lesson.
- Adults learning English or Afrikaans around their working hours.
What an online lesson looks like
Online lessons are live and interactive. Amanda and her learners see and hear each other throughout. Texts, past papers and notes are shared on screen. Learners submit written work before or after the lesson, and it is marked and returned with comments, as it would be in person. Essays can be planned together in real time, and a passage of Shakespeare or an Afrikaans poem can be annotated on screen while the learners watch and contribute.
Online lessons work best at a regular weekly time, in a quiet space with a reliable internet connection.
Online groups
One advantage of teaching online is that a group is not limited to learners who live nearby. A matric in Pietermaritzburg, another in Johannesburg and a third in Hillcrest who are all preparing for the same IEB English examination can study the prescribed Shakespeare play together each week. The same applies to Cambridge learners in different countries working on the same syllabus.
In an online group, learners can discuss texts and hear each other’s questions. One-to-one online lessons remain available for learners whose needs call for them.
When in person is better
Online lessons are not right for everyone. Very young children, and some learners with significant attention or processing difficulties, may do better in the same room as their teacher, at least at first. Amanda will discuss the right format with each family before lessons begin.
Questions parents ask
Frequently asked questions
Are online lessons as effective as in-person lessons?
For many senior learners, yes. Lessons are live and interactive, and work is set, submitted and marked just as it is in person. Some younger learners and learners with significant attention difficulties do better in person, and Amanda will advise on this.
Can online learners join a group?
Yes. Online groups can include learners from anywhere, provided they are working on the same syllabus and at a similar level.
Do you teach learners outside South Africa?
Yes, including learners on the Cambridge programme. Lesson times are arranged by agreement to suit different time zones.
Can we mix online and in-person lessons?
Yes. Families in the Hillcrest area often combine the two, for instance online lessons during busy weeks and in-person sessions before examinations.
