Welcome to The Pearl, our newsletter dedicated to sharing “pearls of wisdom” with the community of educators across the United Arab Emirates. As we continue to work together to bring the best phonics instruction to your classrooms—whether physical or digital—we want to ensure you feel supported in every environment.
Teaching phonics online presents unique opportunities and challenges. To help you navigate the digital landscape, the Monster Phonics team has gathered five essential tips to ensure your online sessions remain as impactful and engaging as your face-to-face lessons.
1. Leverage Digital Adaptability Phonics is a subject that adapts remarkably well to online delivery. We recommend using our digital lesson resources and PowerPoints to guide your teacher input. Even online, it is vital to keep your main teaching routine: Review → Teach → Hook. This consistency helps children feel secure in their learning journey.
2. Make Participation Visible, Not Just Audible Online learning changes how children respond, and audio lag can often make whole-class speaking difficult. To combat this, prioritize visible responses over audio. Use techniques such as:
Asking children to “Show me your mouth” to check pronunciation.
Using thumbs up/down for quick checks.
Having children write and hold up whiteboards or paper.
Joining in with actions.
3. Keep Every Child Active Passive listening leads to lost attention very quickly in a virtual setting. Ensure children are doing something rather than just listening for long periods. Build in constant responses like “My turn, your turn,” air writing, and silent blending to keep the energy high.
4. Model More, Not Less Clear modelling is even more critical online. Because children learn by watching you closely, try to exaggerate your mouth movements slightly and repeat sounds with extra clarity. When blending, use a whiteboard for live modelling and remember to track from left to right.
5. A Strong Finish with MP eBooks A simple and effective way to bring your lesson together and end the session is by using a Monster Phonics eBook. This allows the group to see the sounds they have practiced put into a meaningful context.
Remember to adapt where needed; focusing on the learning rather than the format is the key to success. If you can see the progress, you can assess it.
We are proud to be your partners in this journey and look forward to seeing how these “pearls” flourish in your digital classrooms.
Warmest wishes,
The Monster Phonics Team