Before You Begin
Before you start delivering a lesson with Wellio, there are a few things you should do to ensure a smooth and successful experience:
1. Preparing for your lesson
Review the lesson overview
Review the lesson itself
2. Teacher pedagogy tips for a delivering a successful lesson
The first time you use Wellio for the year, it's also worth reviewing this guide:
If your students will be logging in to Wellio this year, you'll need to help them self-enrol in the platform during the first 10 minutes of your first Wellio lesson.
1. Read through the lesson overview
When you are preparing to teach a lesson, it is important to read the lesson overview. This will give you a general idea of what the lesson will cover and help you plan your teaching accordingly.
Navigate to the Prepare section of a lesson by:
Selecting your class from the home page (if required, you can toggle to All Classes to find the class in question)
Choosing the lesson you're preparing for from the sequence attached to this class
Selecting the Prepare tab from the top of the screen (underneath the lesson name), if necessary.
In Prepare, you'll find a quick summary of what to expect in the lesson including a lesson description, goals, and measures of success.
The lesson plan provides an outline of what will be covered in a lesson, as well as the materials and activities that will be used. This may seem obvious, but it is important to take the time to carefully read through the entire plan before teaching the lesson. This will give you a clear understanding of what is expected and help you prepare for the lesson.
2. Review the lesson itself
While also used for delivering the lesson itself, Present Mode is a great tool for reviewing your lesson in a full-screen format before the lesson takes place.
2.1: Click on the Present Mode button
Once you have opened the lesson, you will see a button labeled "Present Mode" at the top right hand side of the page. Click on this button to enter present mode.
After clicking into Present Mode, your lesson will now be displayed in full-screen on your device. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard or the navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen to move through the lesson.
2.2: Watch the videos embedded in the lesson
In order to get the best from Wellio in class, we'd strongly recommend previewing all media as part of your lesson prep. One of the most valuable components of our lessons are the embedded videos. They provide visual demonstrations and explanations of the concepts being taught, making it easier for you to understand and retain the information.
2.3: Review the interactive features of the lesson
While you're reviewing a lesson in Wellio, you'll notice that some slides contain blurred out, or "locked", questions. These serve to make your wellbeing lessons even more meaningful and engaging by:
Providing students with tools to anonymously share their thoughts in class: increasing the level of honesty, openness and vulnerability in student engagement
Preventing students from racing ahead in the lesson and missing out on discussions happening in the group.
There are four different types of interactive questions in Wellio:
Poll questions to gauge opinion
Quiz questions to check understanding
Open questions to create space for reflection
Sparks to run a quick quiz competition in class
To preview these interactive questions in your lesson, click the 'Locked' dongle on the right hand side of the screen to unlock the questions.
Helpful Tip:
As part of your lesson preparation, jot down some example responses to the written questions. It's helpful to have a practical demonstration of the information which you are trying to convey that has your class' context in mind. This will also help you develop a deeper understanding of the content.
Teacher Pedagogy Tips for Delivering Your Lesson
As the teacher, you have the important role of engaging students in their learning and encouraging thoughtful discussions on the lesson content.
1. Be mindful of the classroom desk arrangement
Consider the desk arrangements and group students appropriately. The content discussed in Wellio lessons can be sensitive, so be mindful of who your students are seated next to. As the teacher, it is your role to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere for your students.
2. How to avoid distractions from electronic devices
As a student, it can be challenging to stay focused on the classroom whiteboard with the temptations from electronic devices. To minimise this temptation:
In situations where students are logging in to Wellio themselves, they'll need to use their devices solely for interactive elements like polls, quizzes, sparks, and open questions. To minimise distractions, have them close their devices when these features are not in use.
Keep the activities embedded in the lessons locked until you have finished teaching the content
Walk behind the students screens throughout the lesson
3. Create a relaxed classroom environment
Creating a relaxed classroom environment is essential for students to feel comfortable and engaged in their learning. A relaxed environment can help reduce stress and anxiety, promote creativity and critical thinking, and foster positive relationships between students and teachers.
4. Effective teacher communication
The approach a teacher takes to communicate can greatly determine the lesson's success, fostering curiosity, conversation, and reflection among students.
Some key elements of effective communication include:
Building rapport with your students
Minimise teacher talk
Teacher involvement by sharing your example responses to the questions embedded in the lesson
You are now ready to deliver your lesson in Wellio!
Wellio is an excellent platform for delivering engaging and interactive lessons to your students. By following the tips and guidelines outlined in this article, you can ensure a successful and enjoyable experience for both you and your students. Happy teaching!