Alex's Guide to Yipiyap On Demand
New to working on Yipiyap On Demand?
2021-22 Yipiyap Alex shares advice from his own experience of creating content for Yipiyap On Demand:
Alex’s top tips:
Research
As tutors our subject knowledge is good but there are always gaps. For example, I worked with GCSE resit students, but it was the foundational topics with On Demand that sometimes caught me out! I had to refresh my knowledge on some parts of SPAG to deliver a quality session. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or take some time to look up things you are not sure of. Even though you are a tutor, you shouldn’t feel ashamed to do your own learning!
Structuring your sessions
On demand is different to working online or in person. It’s easy to do a lecture-style video as you haven’t got any students in real-time. But remember you need to work on engaging your students as much as if they were really there. Start with an introduction, then create a starter activity, go into the main bulk of your session but remember to ‘check’ understanding by asking or posing questions and finally leave the session with an activity the students can do in their own time.
Be yourself
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in these videos. Imagine you are teaching a session in real-time. Be yourself as your students will watch your videos because they like your style of teaching, don’t try and change it!
Go easy on yourself
Understand that speaking to a camera with no one on the other end is a tricky thing to do. I’ve probably had more retakes than coffees this year! You will stumble over your words, you will say the wrong thing and you will lose your train of thought. It’s tricky because there is that pressure of being recorded, but the more you practice the more you’ll see the camera as a student itself. Understand the content as best as you can, write a few prompts if it helps and if you’re really stuck take some time away and give it another go. Going back with a refreshed mind always helps.
Be engaging
Start the videos with the same intro (this will create a level of consistency and give you some confidence), let your personality shine through, change the intonation of your voice (don’t sound like you’re reading a script even if you are!), look at the camera as it almost acts as eye contact, and have fun with it!