Post 412: Teaching with Zoom: A Guide For Complete Beginners by Keith Folse

 Book Review: Teaching with Zoom: a Guide for Complete Beginners

 

 

I am definitely an absolute beginner to Zoom. This book, by Keith Folse, an ESL teacher like myself was very useful in helping me understand how to use Zoom.

For instance, Folse was very clear in teaching the reader how to schedule a Zoom meeting and he made sense of all the different options involved in scheduling a Zoom meeting. He gives advice on which options makes the most sense, and which options do not make sense for him.

When I was scheduling my Zoom class for my new Canvas class start, I found myself referring constantly to Folse book. I was able to understand what I had to do. Since Zoom Tech Support is so difficult to reach, having a Zoom Teaching book written by a fellow English teacher like myself was very illuminating indeed.

 Folse talked about every option of the Zoom classroom.  He gave advice on the best ways to teach ESL students by breaking them up in groups in the Break room and he showed how easy it is to create break rooms in Zoom in easy to understand English.  Folse also uses graphics and pictures of the Zoom options to help the reader further understand what he is talking about.

I am gradually getting more comfortable with Zoom. I, so far, have mastered using the Share Screen option very well.  I am now used to giving Zoom lectures and asking students listening comprehension questions during my lecture.

Thanks to Folse's advice, I have decided to use my bookshelf as my virtual background, since according to Folse, this fits the role of an English teacher.  Before I read Folse's book, I had been trying to decide what virtual background to use so students do not see my messy apartment.

In addition, knowing what books your professor reads helps students get to know me better as a teaching English professional, which as Folse says, fits my role as English teacher.  

If you are new to Zoom, I highly recommend reading this book so that you too can become more proficient with Zoom.  

Folse, Keith. (2020) Teaching With Zoom: A Guide For Complete Beginners.  Wayzgoose Press.