Creating a professional-looking website is getting much easier these days. In the past, we have looked at using Google Sites, but there now seem to be quite a number of other tools that can do an even better job. One of the easiest that I have come across is Wix. This creates excellent and attractive websites, based on thousands of templates that are free to use. It is very versatile and allows you to click on objects and change them very easily. I have been working with this tool for a few months now, and I have recently introduced it in my teacher training sessions. Many teachers have been really surprised to find just how easy it is to use, and also how professional the results look.
Why have a website?
One reason you might like to have your own website is because you are planning to give private lessons, perhaps online. Alternatively, it might simply be a ‘profile’ website, rather like my own at www.russellstannard.com. Of course, you could also use your website in your teaching. You can have a class website where you post up the latest content, messages, links, etc, and you can easily get your students to create their own websites – all for free. Wix will generate a URL for every website you create. Because it is a very versatile tool, you can even have websites that include blogs. This opens up some very interesting opportunities, since a blog can be regularly updated and used for writing tasks, updates, reflection, etc.
How does Wix work?
Of course, first you will need to sign up to Wix (www.wix.com). Then, the easiest way to start is to click on the ‘Templates’ button. Take a look at the different categories. These categories are just a guide because you can change them very easily, and you don’t need to stick to those that are linked to education. A good template to use for practising is the one called ‘Scientist Site’ under the education category. It is a simple template that allows you to create a profile site quite quickly, but it also includes a blog, so you could decide that you would like a blog on your profile website. It also has a ‘Contact Me’ page, which is very useful if you want to start giving private lessons.
View the profile first, click on the buttons to see how it is organised, and then you can start to update and change it to suit you by clicking on ‘Edit This Site’. Let’s start with the title. Simply click on the title, click on ‘Edit Text’ and then change the text to whatever you want. It is that easy. Try the same with the picture. Click on it, and then click on ‘Change Image’; when a box opens, look at the top right-hand corner and simply choose and upload an image from your computer.
Now you can start changing the other pages, too. You will notice that at the top on the left there is a tab that says ‘Pages’. This is a drop-down menu which allows you to jump immediately to another page. Edit the text and images on all the other pages to suit you.
You can simply save your work for another time by clicking on the ‘Save’ button or, if you are ready for website to go public, you can publish it. Wix will offer you a domain name that is based on your log-in details and the type of template you created. You might want to change the domain name slightly. As soon as you click on ‘Publish’, your website will go live and the world will be able to see it!
The blog
If you have chosen a template with a ‘Contact’ button, you will receive messages via the email address that you used when you signed into Wix.
The only slightly complex item is the blog. Use the ‘Pages’ tab to go to the blog. Click on it as if you were planning to edit it. Now click on ‘Manage Posts’. I suggest you select all the blog posts and then delete them. This will allow you to start from scratch. Simply click on the ‘New Post’ button. Write a post and save it: you will see that it then appears on the screen. You can add pictures, etc. This is a great feature for teachers. You could either set up a class blog, or maybe get your students to create their own profile sites where they can keep individual blogs, perhaps using them to reflect on the lessons, what they have learnt, etc.
Help videos
I have put some help videos on my website to show you how to work with Wix. Take a look at www.teachertrainingvideos.com/website/introduction-to-wix.html.
Russell Stannard is the founder of www.teachertrainingvideos.com, which won a British Council ELTons award for technology. He is a freelance teacher and writer and also a NILE Associate Trainer.
Keep sending your favourite sites to Russell: russellstannard@btinternet.com
