Online tuition

Most families will already have available, or can easily obtain, all the items required for online lessons. These are:

• Broadband internet connection
• A device with a webcam (either internal or external) capable of running Skype
• A Skype account
• The Skype app

Broadband internet: As with most things internet-related, the faster the connection, the better. Although the speed and quality of internet connections has varied considerably, none have posed any insurmountable problems during the lessons to date. It may be necessary to ensure that, during a lesson, no-one is involved in any data-demanding activities such as streaming video or games elsewhere in the house. It will depend on the speed of your internet connection.

Device with a webcam: A broad range of devices are suitable, ranging from desktop computers with a webcam, laptops, ipads or other tablets and smartphones. The main limitation on the suitability of smartphones will be the screen size. It may be difficult to see text clearly on a smaller screen. It is possible to split the screen to show both the camera output and a shared screen side by side. This is generally more suited to the larger screens of desktops and some laptop computers.

Skype account and app: A Skype account is free. Go to www.skype.com. Click on sign in and then select sign up and follow the instructions. The Skype app can be downloaded for free at the same website. Alternatively, if you arrange online lessons with me, I will send you a Skype invitation link which will prompt you to both sign up to Skype and download the Skype app for your device.