How can Nearpod add Enthusiasm to Your Class

#Activelearning #Engagement #Meaningfullearning #Socialinteraction #Studentcentered 

Are you Readyyyyyyy? 👻

Today I will introduce a new tool, not just for English language teachers but for educators of all subjects. It’s suitable whether you teach in a school, university or any other institution. 👀

Introduction 💙

If you haven’t heard of Nearpod yet, it’s a really useful teaching tool. Nearpod lets you create interactive lessons that keep students engaged from start to finish. You can add quizzes, polls, videos, games, and even virtual field trips, all in one place. 

It's easy to set up: You can create your own slides or use ready-made ones, and students can join your lesson right from their devices. This means everyone's on the same page, and you can see their responses in real-time. 

It works whether you are teaching online or in person. You can guide students through a lesson live or let them work at their own pace. 

Furthermore, Nearpod helps you keep track of who's following along and who might need a bit more help.

If you are in Kuwait and want a fresh way to connect with your students, Nearpod is definitely worth a try!

So, are you excited to learn more about it? 💃

How to start with Nearpod ☝

First, you'll need an account. Just sign up for Nearpod using your Google account, Microsoft, or your email. 

After creating an account, you will be taken to a page where you can create lessons under "My Lessons." Simply click on the plus sign to start creating your own lesson. 

What I particularly appreciated was that the system asks for your permission when an update is available, allowing you to choose whether to upgrade to the new version or remain on your current version.

Nearpod Layout & Features: All You Need In One Place

Let’s explore everything you need to navigate with this amazing tool, starting from how it’s laid out to the cool tools you can use to keep your lessons interactive and fun.

1. Home Page 

• A central place where you see recent lessons and quick links.
• Makes it easy for you to start teaching and exploring.

2. My Library

• Stores all the lessons you have created or saved for quick access. 😍

3. Search by Topic or Standard

• Browse ready-made lessons by grade. subject, or topic. 
• Works really great for finding quick materials to use. 😆

4. Create a Lesson 

• Build your own lessons from scratch.
• Drag-and-drop tools such as quizzes and videos. 

5. Reports

• Check student responses and progress after each lesson.
• Helps you see who needs extra support. 👀

6. My Profile

• Here, you can check your lessons, live participation, and student-paced.

7. Account Settings

• Usually under your profile photo.
• Manage your profile, subscription, and preferences. 

Content and Features 

• Interactive Slides: Add quizzes, polls, or open-ended questions right inside your slides. so students stay active.
• Multimedia: you can add videos, images, or audio clips to your lesson.
• Feedback: you can see responses as they come in, making it easy to check who needs support.
• Collaborative Boards: you can let your learners share ideas and images to help them learn from each other. 
• Instant Chat Support: A help bubble at the bottom right connects you with the Nearpod team for quick answers.  

These amazing features help you to make your lesson more interactive and engaging. 👏

Target Audience: Kuwaiti English Teachers 

Nearpod fits perfectly into local and private schools in Kuwait. Teachers can create or customise lessons with local examples, making the content feel more relevant to students' lives. 

During class, you can ask your learners to join the lesson with a code on their devices, and the teacher can track progress in real-time; this works great for large groups. 😎😍

OH WAIT, DON'T GO ANYWHERE. I FORGOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING! 👀

As you know, Kuwait's local schools have a weekly "free-choice" class where we can introduce any topic we like, including reading passages, writing lessons, or listening activities. I find this extra lesson is a perfect time to use Nearpod because it provides immediate feedback on which students need extra support and which ones are ready to move on. 

Incorporating Nearpod during this session adds variety, keeps students engaged, and ensures they get the additional practice they need. 

So, what do you think? Will it work in that extra session? I really want to read your thoughts and opinions in the comments! Please do not hesitate to share any extra ideas in the comments! 😚

What about using phones in the classroom? I know some of you might ask about that!👋

Using Phones with Nearpod 😁

• Nearpod has a mobile-friendly site and an app, so students can join lessons or view slides right from their phones. 
• Students can take polls, answer questions, and post on collaborative boards, no waiting around for a computer lab. 
• As soon as students submit answers on their phones, you see their progress. 

What if Phones Aren't Allowed?

• If your school has few laptops or tablets, students can still access Nearpod in groups.
• Run Nearpod on the teacher's device and project it so everyone can follow along. 
• Print key materials or screenshots if technology is not reliable. 

Why Nearpod Is Relevant to Language Learning

Nearpod helps students be more active in lessons. Rather than just listening to the teachers, they interact by answering questions and sharing ideas. 

Teachers can also see who needs help and who's ready for harder tasks, which is really useful if you have many students at different levels in your class. 

What approaches or research underpin the use of Nearpod? 

Research shows that Nearpod is a great tool that supports active learning and student-centered approaches. It allows educators to create interactive lessons that engage students through polls, open-ended questions, drawing, and games. It is a great tool to enhance your lessons and assignments (Geinnotta, 2022). 

Recommendations for Teachers

1. Introduce one or two interactive tasks each week to ease yourself and your learners into the routine.
2. Relate topics to students' real lives or cultures so they see the lesson's value. 
3. Use interesting topics that your learners really like and enjoy.
4. Mix visuals, brief writing prompts, and collaborative exercises to keep lessons fresh.
5. have a backup plan ready in case Wi-Fi fails. 
6. Ask your learners which activity you liked the most? and adjust based on their feedback. 

Now, let me tell you about Nearpod's advantages: 😍

• Students click, answer, and explore rather than just watching slides.
• Teachers see responses in real-time and know who might need extra help.
• Allows teachers to add videos, audio, or virtual trips so students do not get bored.
• Learners can share and exchange ideas and information on the digital board.
• Teachers can get a full report about student progress after the class.
• Nearpod features user-friendly navigation with a simple layout that's easy to navigate.

There are some disadvantages: 😌

• Unfortunately, you can do basic activities, but advanced tools (like more storage or special features) need a paid upgrade. 
• Subscription costs such as the Gold or Premium plans can be pricey, and not all schools or teachers can afford them. 
• Free users only get a small amount of space for lessons and videos. 
• You need a stable internet connection for both yourself and your lovely students. 
• I was really disappointed to see that extra features such as co-teaching, live annotation, and Google Slides add-ons are not available on the free plan. 

I've found a great video you can watch to see Nearpod in action. It's straightforward and shows Nearpod Setup, Content, Games & Activities, Launching a Session, and Student Reports. 

I have prepared this video to show you some amazing features of Nearpod

Summary 

Nearpod supports meaningful language practice through multi-step tasks and real-time interaction. By including these elements in your lesson, you can create a more engaging, interactive, and enjoyable environment. It also helps you quickly identify who is catching on and who might need extra support, allowing you to differentiate between low achievers and high achievers much faster and more easily than with traditional lessons. 

What do you think? 

Are you ready to give Nearpod a try, or do you have your own tools? Feel free to share your feedback or any extra tips in the comments below. 

I would love to hear your ideas. 👂💕

If you feel like you want to read more about how to use technology to enhance student-centered learning, you can read this: 

Geinnotta, H. N. (2022). Technology and student centered learning: Using digital tools to instruct student centered learning while meeting the needs of all students (Master’s capstone project). Hamline University. https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/844  

Happy Teaching! 😃

Mashael