Date of Graduation

Winter 12-15-2022

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

College/School

School of Education

Department/Program

International and Multicultural Education (IME)

First Advisor

Luz Navarrette García

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to the education field. Due to the enforced immediate transition from in-person to online teaching, teachers, policymakers, administrators, and students had difficulty adapting themselves. Nearly three years since the pandemic began, it is clear that English language teachers have improved their digital literacy skills to sustain effective teaching. However, more than digital literacy skills are required to build community in the online learning environment. The claim for the literature review is that fostering interaction and creating presence, especially high levels of social and teaching presence, may contribute to academic achievement in online English learning. Accordingly, the field project entitled “Fostering Teaching and Social Presence Through Interactive and Engaging Virtual/Online Classes” addresses the lack of awareness for creating high levels of teaching and social presence that undergirds cognitive presence to build community in synchronous online English classes.

This field project is an e-guide designed for English language teachers who teach grammar online synchronously using videoconferencing tools to young adults and adults. It consists of four sample lesson plans with activities using interactive online tools for teaching four grammar topics to intermediate (CEFR-B1) level learners. Also, it is significant for English language teachers who want to build community and avoid isolation in their online classes by creating social and teaching presence, thus cognitive presence through interaction and engagement.

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