If you are an English teacher who is looking for new ways to use Google in lessons, here are some tips that may come in handy for your ESL classroom. In our previous article, we have already introduced the benefits of Google docs and how to use it in an online classroom. Here we are going to share some ideas on how to apply Google sheets in your classes.
Google Sheets
Google sheets is a spreadsheet program that looks like other spreadsheet tools, e.g. Microsoft Excel, but it is an online tool. Here are the advantages of Google sheets:
— It has its own application and it works from any device.
— It is free and is connected with Google drive.
— You can get started with Google sheets through your Google drive or just type https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/
— It is online and includes almost all functions that Microsoft Excel has. If you are good at Excel, you will not have any difficulties with Google sheets.
— You can download add-ons and create your own.
How to use Google sheets?
1.Schedule
Google Sheets is an excellent resource for preparing a shareable schedule.
Make a blank time template.
Add your classes into their time slots.
Highlight the cells with different colours. Use one colour for each student.
2. Syllabus
Another thing worth mentioning about Google sheets is that you can create a study programme for each of your students. Here you can write down not only the date of the lesson but also what has been done during that lesson. Since you can also include hyperlinks into a Google Sheet, you can gather resources for your students and keep it in one place. Share it with your student, so that he/she can see all the changes done in it. To make your work more comfortable, ask your students to highlight the columns when they are done with their homework.
3. Template Gallery
If you open Google sheets and click on Template Gallery, you will find many useful premade templates, which you can edit and make your own design. Among them, To-Do List, 2019 Calendar, Schedule, Team Roster, Pros and Cons, Attendance, Grade Book, and Assignment Tracker may really come in handy.
4. Gradebook
How do you keep a record of students’ performance, grades and test results? You can use Google Sheets for these purposes. Then you can edit these spreadsheets anytime and from anywhere, share them with students or their parents. There is a premade template, which you can edit and adjust to your classroom.
For additional information on the Grade book, watch the tutorial.
5. Flashcards
With the help of new Google sheets add-on ‘Flippity’, now you can make flashcards for your classes. All you need is to click on Add-ons>get add-ons>flippity.
More information about how to use Google sheets can be found here.
6. Graphs and charts
If your students are doing some survey, ask them to collect the data and create a graph or a chart that best fits the results. It can be a survey about the most difficult aspects in learning English for teenagers. Here is an example.
Watch the tutorial to find out some more details on how to create graphs and charts in Google Sheets.
Apply online instruments to spice up your classes and make your work much easier and more comfortable.
Tanks a lot! I appreciate such useful pieces of advice and I`m sure that it will help me by teaching )
Thank you so Much, Svetlana ?