There are many places online where any student can learn just about subject or skill. Many of these great courses have projects so that they can immediately put their skills to use and learn even more by doing. Even if learners are not proficient in English, joining such a course can expose them to vocabulary and speech patterns relevant to a context they care about, and one they’re likely to continue using.
We at Insights encourage CLIL — that is, Content and Language Integrated Learning — but that certainly doesn’t need to be limited to your classroom. Online courses can be a way for students to engage when not in school (like summer vacation), and they get to choose whichever topic interests them the most from among a wide range of options.
In this post, we recommend a few platforms for adults/teens and one platform for children.
Online Learning for Adults & Teens
Skillshare is a wonderful place to learn and practice all sorts of skills, especially newer skillsets that emerge with advancing technology, which means these classes cover material than most traditional educational institutions aren’t caught up on. It’s also hard to find another online platform with more courses for creative pursuits than Skillshare.
Classes are often taught by average janes and joes, so the language is typically conversational. Best of all, almost every class comes with a project that students can upload for feedback.
Popular topics include web design, illustration, photography, creative writing, animation, entrepreneurship, music, productivity management, and more.
There are many courses available for free, or you could pay for a membership to gain access to every premium course they have to offer. Encourage your students to browse their website for anything that sparks their interest!
If you’re looking for something closer to traditional education, your students can find university courses (from some of the world’s best colleges and universities) at Coursera. For something inbetween Skillshare and Coursera, check out Udemy or LinkedIn Learning.
Online Learning for Children
Similar to Skillshare, DIY.org has courses for all sorts of skills that are popular among children these days, and many of those skills are likely to come in handy within newer and growing markets. Some of the courses are even taught by older chilren who simply want to share what they’ve learned!
Each course on DIY.org is centered around a hands-on activity, so as students watch the instructional videos, they can follow along by doing those same tasks themselves at home.
DIY.org has an online community for students to interact with like-minded individuals, but it’s also a safe space for young people. Check out DIY.org to learn more about their features or to browse their topics.
