7 Free Online Courses in May

April showers brought May flowers and indeed, there are many free online courses blooming on various platforms – and since next week I’m going to have a well-deserved May mini-break, I managed to find nice subjects to study, so that you’ll have something to choose from even before May starts!

1 Academic Listening and Note-Taking by University of California, Irvine

Start: 30.04

Duration: 4 weeks

For whom: non-native English speakers who want to work on their note-taking skills

This course may prove useful not only for teachers, but also their students. Listening exercises tend to be somewhat challenging, so these classes may help participants not only realise what causes their problems, but also how to overcome them and how to effectively deal with academic listening. If you have students thinking of studying abroad, that’s the course they might need.

2 Chasing your Dream: How to End Procrastination and Get a Job You Love by MEPhIx

Start: self-paced course

Duration: 5 weeks

For whom: all of us who procrastinate too much

If you wake up at three at night dreading your future, this course may be great for you. Truth be told, the classes aren’t a magic pill, but they will offer the tools for solving key problems that can hinder self-fulfilment. If you feel tired and discouraged by your work (and I believe most teachers do, especially in May), you may find those five weeks really useful.

3 How to Write an Essay by University of California, Berkeley

Start: 03.05

Duration: 5 weeks

For whom: English learners

If you want to improve your writing skills or your students think of taking IELTS or studying abroad, this may be the perfect course for you or them. The course focuses on essay development, grammatical correctness, and self-editing and you will be given various topics and tools to work on your skills. Apart from this, you will also be encouraged to discuss your ideas with other students as well as doing some peer review,

4 Inspiring Young People In STEM: Using Feedback to Improve by The National STEM Learning Centre

Start: 21.05

Duration: 2 weeks

For whom: teachers and educators who want to work on feedback

This short course is a great idea for those who can give feedback, but at the same time struggle with gathering information from people. You will learn how to gather feedback, reflect on it and act accordingly. You will also get familiar with tools that make feedback sessions more reliable. I would recommend this course not only for fresh teachers, but also those who want to refresh their attitude towards feedback.

5 How To make a Poem by Manchester Met University

Start: 28.05

Duration: 3 weeks

For whom: anyone who wants to write poetry

I really enjoy writing poems in the classroom, but this course will take you on a proper journey through poetry, its various styles and melodies. You will not only learn how to write sonnets, but will also study things like line breaks, metre, rhyme, and rhythm. I’d recommend this course for everyone, especially EFL students interested in poetry.

6 Teaching for Success: Learning and Learners by the British Council

Start: 28.05

Duration: 4 weeks

For whom: fresh teachers and educators ready for discussions

This course may seem to be appropriate for rookie teachers, but I’d recommend it for all those who want to discuss their teaching methods with various people all around the world, as the courses offered by the British Council gather people of various backgrounds and apart from the really interesting course, you will be able to enjoy many inspirational discussions.

7 Working in Teams: A Practical Guide by the University of Queensland

Start: self-paced

Duration: 4 weeks

For whom: teachers who struggle with teamwork

This course is focused on the systems and processes for building high performance teams. You will learn about various types of teams, why teams are important, the roles of individuals in a team, systems and processes for effective teamwork and communication, and methods for addressing team conflict. You will also be given useful team diagnosis tools and templates to help you not only create a good team, but also manage potential conflicts. I have already recommended this course, but it’s so good I feel like sharing it again.

I hope you’ll find these courses useful – they are usually short and quite easy, so that you can still spend plenty of time appreciating the beautiful weather.

Enjoy!