How to use WhatsApp to Teach a Lesson

Maybe you are a  teacher, a leader, or a consultant, and you want to deliver a lesson to your students but you are out of town, can you use a WhatsApp group forum to deliver an outstanding lesson?

Yes you can! 

Thanks to technology you can save time, money and resources from assembling people in a physical milieu.

WhatsApp has easy-to -use tools that makes it possible for anyone to share information as audio-recordings,text messages, videos or  images. However,  many people have not learned  how to use these same tools in a teaching scenario. 

In this post, I’m going to share with you some tips on how to use a Whatsapp group to deliver an outstanding lesson.

1. *Create a group and invite participants via a link.* 

As the host, you could create a WhatsApp group for a specific audience and use that group to invite participants through a link.

 To invite participants, 

• Head over to the three dots on the top right-hand side of your phone and click to open WhatsApp info.

• Click to Invite via link.

• Share the link with the contacts you wish to invite for the lesson.

• Write a short text inviting them to join the class.

You could  say: 

 _I wish to invite you to join us today  for a  leadership lesson at 4pm prompt. Click on the link below to save a space. Thank you.

 *2. Plan ahead of time.* 

If your lesson is not typed and saved where you can easily have  access to, that is the beginning of your failure. 

It is difficult, if not impossible, to teach a lesson on a WhatsApp group by typing content actively in the course of the lesson.

Make sure you save the lesson on an editable Word file or  Google doc where you can conveniently edit  the content automatically.

Copy short paragraphs  from your google document and paste it on a friend’s or spouse WhatsApp  profile as a series of short paragraphs. 

When it is time to deliver the lesson, simply turn over to your friends WhatsApp profile and forward the short paragraphs you sent to him to the desired platform.

Make sure the paragraphs are not lengthy. Use about 6-9 sentences at most and give time for learners to read  through before you drop another short paragraph.

3. *Set rules before the start of the class.* 

Before you begin a lesson, set the rules to ensure proper class control during the lesson.

Some rules could include:

•         Students joining the lesson later should not ask questions that will pull back the others.

•         No student should post something that is not in line with the current topic being taught.

•         Students should follow the instructions of the lead teacher.

•         Students who cannot read nor write should record their views on audio.

•     No insults or abuse, ridicule or mockery is permitted in the lesson.

•         During discussions, or question-and-answer sessions, those using audio-recording should speak straight to the point and not exceed 60s. This makes it easier for everyone to download the audio file.

4.    Have a time-bound lesson plan or agenda and follow it strictly.

You need to outline every step you will follow on a separate sheet of paper. Note the time you’d take to complete each point and respond to questions. If you work blindly you may chunk too much information students might find it difficult to assimilate.

5. Provide good audio-visuals

If you plan to use a video, make sure it doesn’t exceed two minutes. A one minute video is best so that learners quickly grasp the content and stay attentive. Lengthy videos tune off the learners.

Make sure your graphics, tables and drawings are not stuffed with too much details.

Keep it simple such that anyone can read and interpret without your input. As a rule of thumb it is good to summarize any image you paste on the platform in bullet points.

6. Handle questions tactfully

 Inform all learners how you’d like to take questions. You may want learners to drop their questions while you are forwarding messages or ask their questions at specific time slots. 

For me, I prefer to take questions simultaneously as as I deliver the lesson. Although it might be overwhelming if you receive a continuous flow of questions at a time, this method is appropriate when dealing with  fewer participants in a group. If you have a large group, it is better to block a separate time for a questions and answers.

Always ensure you respond to questions promptly. You may have to learn how to type faster to achieve this goal. But if  someone has already provided an answer to a question raised in the forum, you may just confirm the answer and move on.

Special note: 

It would be unwise   to paste the complete lesson on the forum before time as it might kill the zeal of interactions among participants who have already gone through the lesson. It is better to stream live to make lesson exciting and engaging.

 *Conclusion* 

Teaching on a WhatsApp platform is not easy because the application was not intended for that purpose. However, a proactive teacher can always make the best use of what is available.

If you find this blog post helpful, leave a comment below and share with others.

Cheers,

Shei Jini.

Author: Jini, is a prolific author and founder of Teachersletters Publishing Services. As an award winning teacher with a Cambridge International School in Doaula, he has 13+ years of teaching experience in writing, student-centered learning, bible teachers training and educational leadership. He is consider as one of the best keynote speakers of his time.