There is a chat function built into many of the digital tools we use. Teachers motivate students to share ideas and opinions through chat. Using the chat tool as a backchannel can give students agency and encourage engagement by allowing more students to interact with the live activity rather than just listening.

Chat me

Inviting students to “chat me” facilitates student comments, questions, connection-making, and time to process information so that it sticks.

Use chat to create a predictable environment in an unpredictable world

In the virtual world, motivated and intelligent student thinking will come out when the rituals are put into practice and pace the lesson. There will be a comfort for students to take academic risks in expressing their thinking.

Thank students and acknowledge their chats

We need to connect directly with students, which will help build trust and respect for you in students. Students who want to say or express more but might struggle with typing or may submit a partial response and You can also be inclusive and incorporate multiple modalities to give kids another entry point by reading aloud a chat.

Prepare prompts

To build writing fluency and reduce student impulsivity, we need to compose sentences called prompts. These prompts can be included in writing length. An, e.g., for the same can be “ How to describe your emotions in six sentences or more after reading chapter two of  ” When Love & Hate Collide.” You can adjust length requirements based on the time and purpose if the writing request is lengthy.

Chat enables formative assessment and establishes student accountability

We need to assess the student’s ongoing basis as to what’s they have entered into the chat; by doing so, we can know what they are taking away from the lesson and how far they can absorb the lesson.

Allow for wait time

One of the most profound silences is Digital silence; if anyone greets you with silence when you ask, “are there any questions” and we interpret it as confirmation of their understanding is a huge mistake. We need to wait and provide time for students to think and let them enter the chat they are thinking.

Monitor the chat

You monitor or track the chat by inviting someone to follow the Chat; through him/her, you can observe and watch your students. He or she can also act as a moderator and alert the presenter if any specific questions or comments in chat need to be responded to, and your communications can be enhanced with the help of the moderator.

Invite students to drop information into the chat

If you don’t know the meaning or definition of a word, you can ask the students to find the meaning and drop that into the chat. Such activities will create healthy competition between students and improve their learning.

Utilize private chat

When you want to provide feedback or checking in or reteaching a student, use the private chat.

Private chats with the student can be done while a co-teacher leads instruction or other students in breakout rooms.

Download chat as an artifact

The downloaded artifact saves the conversation. You can use these documents as a reference while brainstorming the segment or researching or enquiring about the subject.

A chat can never be a substitute for face-to-face talk, but it can create a connection between the teacher and students or between students and their classmates if used correctly. Teachers can create a collaborative learning space with many opportunities using the chats and use it for formative assessment and student engagement. But most important of all is that a “Chat offers a way for us to connect and even bond with our students.”

Conclusion

Chat should be used as a nifty tool to connect with your student and engage with the class. We should take care to avoid private chats between students during the course.