You’ve heard of it by now: the flipped classroom model. To oversimplify a bit, this educational model requires students to listen to traditional lectures (delivered in video format) at home, thereby freeing up classroom time for more interactive learning activities. Here at Transparent Language, we’re big fans of helping teachers flip language classrooms, but this model is not without its critics.

Asking students to take active responsibility for their own learning is a daunting step, both in terms of students’ discipline and their access to new technologies. All teachers know how hard it can be to motivate some students to do their homework. Asking them to watch and absorb lectures at home? Forget about it. Even in an ideal world where all students feel inspired to learn on their own time, it’s unrealistic to assume all students have access to computers, tablets, or internet at home. A WiFi connection may feel ubiquitous to those of us living in the land of smartphones and tablets, but the reality is that nearly 30% of households in America do not have internet access. So, while the flipped classroom model may allow teachers to fill class time with hands-on lessons and group activities, it’s not for every school, or every student.

But don’t flip out! There is a way to reap the benefits of flipped learning without turning your classroom on its head. You can ease into flipped learning by simply tilting your classroom to the sideways classroom model. Like the flipped classroom, a sideways classroom leverages technology to deliver instruction outside of the classroom, but does so via after-school programs. For a well-equipped school district, this alleviates concerns about at-home internet access and motivation. Students still consume video-based lectures, but in a controlled environment that provides all the necessary tools and supervision. This sideways setup still frees teachers from giving the same lectures repeatedly to multiple classes, and opens up classroom time for more applied, interactive lessons.

As author Emily Ko so nicely puts it in the Edudemic article:

“While flipped learning is about transferring control to students to make them more involved and more responsible for their learning experience, sideways learning is about making learning and study tools accessible to all students. The delay [between] the lesson and feedback is minimized, and there is greater connection between students, study groups, and teachers.”

This flipped classroom alternative is ideal for schools equipped with computer labs and similar technology, lessening the burden on students and giving teachers the quality classroom time they work so hard for. So, if the “flip” seems like too great a leap, consider working with your school administration to tilt your language classroom a bit to one side instead.

Have you flipped or tilted your language classroom? What advice do you have for other teachers considering the change?

Want to learn more about flipping your language classroom? Our 20-year veteran language teacher explains how and why to flip in this free webinar.