Informal tutoring can be defined as a mode of teaching that often takes place outside of the formal setting of a classroom. It is a great strategy to teach students new things and comes in all shapes and forms including, but not limited to, teaching through videos, libraries, participation in forums, performance support, gaming, and such other fun activities.
It creates a friendly and relaxed environment for the students to learn and grow in. Unlike the formal teaching environment, the things learned through informal tutoring tend to last longer in a student’s mind. However, this is not the only benefit of informal tutoring.
Informal methods of tutoring
Just as formal tutoring comes with a vast number of approaches you could adopt; informal tutoring is no different. Here are some informal methods you can use in tutoring. Some of the most effective and engaging methods have been listed below:
1. Technology:
Technology plays a vital role in education. Most of the students know their way around the internet better than we’d like to admit. What’s more, they find it more interesting to learn through the internet than the old-school way.
And that’s why you need to integrate technology into your day-to-day tutoring activities. You can try teaching them through mobiles, tablets, and computers. You can arrange fun activities like attempting fun and interesting online quizzes, that score your performance right after you hit submit.
You can also introduce them to the world of online learning by delivering online lectures and sharing course content in the form of eBooks, instructional videos, and PowerPoint slides, etc.
2. Let Them Ask Questions:
In this informal teaching method, you can start by encouraging students to ask random questions about the world around them. You can also let them research their questions, find the relevant information, and then share it with the rest of the class. Students will surely enjoy this activity a lot. Group work and casual conversation can also serve as a helpful strategy to engage them in productive conversations.
Asking questions is the first sign of effective learning. Your students won’t learn until they can comprehend what is being taught and ask the relevant questions in response. Creating an environment that invites creativity and encourages your students to share their thoughts and ask questions without worrying about being judged or ridiculed is of the utmost importance.
3. Let Them Read:
Another method is to take students to a library and let them choose a book of their reading level and interest. Students would enjoy reading a lot more if they had a choice in choosing what they read. Especially if you are teaching youngsters, now is the time to get them into the habit of reading books.
Encourage them to read comics, storybooks, and whatever else interests them as long as it’s child-friendly. You don’t even have to take them to the library to get them to start reading. There are so many apps offering both online and offline libraries with thousands of books just waiting to be read.
4. Physical Activities:
Physical activity is necessary for students to have good health, better grades, cognitive performance, and to be attentive in class. Physical activities like walking, jogging, running, swimming and, other activities are also part of informal teaching and can go a long way in keeping your students fit and teaching them the valuable and character-building lessons that can, otherwise, not be taught in a typical classroom environment.
5. Games:
Games are important for students to improve their motivation levels and keep them active in class. They help students participate in classroom activities and become a part of a team as well. Games also create a team spirit and teach the students valuable life lessons about victory, defeat, struggle, and much more!
6. Learning Journeys:
Taking children to historical places that are also a part of their curriculum is a great way to help them learn more about the world and its history. It will also strengthen their concepts learn more about their culture.
Taking students out on field trips can also be quite a learning experience. Getting them in close contact with nature would help them realize the beauty and significance of nature, the environment, and the creatures that live in it.
Even in the case of economics tuition, providers have taken students to supermarket outings to witness price strategies and see other economics concepts at work.
Teachers should keep a balance between formal and informal tutoring. Informal tutoring is just as crucial as formal tutoring. It has more flexibility. It works through the enlargement of experience and teaches the students what a formal classroom setting cannot.
