Calm your students' fears. Remind them that age does not determine if they can learn this skill. Most senior citizens do not know how to use the Internet because they are afraid, and for your lesson to be a success, you will need to remove this fear as soon as possible.
Explain the Internet. Many seniors have not learned how to use the Internet simply because they are not sure what it is or what it does. For example, you can tell them that the Internet is similar to a library and a post office. If you need information about a topic or a newspaper article, you ask the librarian and she tells you where to find it; this is how a search engine works. If you want to send a letter to someone, you take it to the post office, and they deliver the information; this is how email works. Telling seniors that they can use the Internet to keep in touch with the world, with friends and with family will heighten their interest in the subject.
Identify Internet vocabulary, for example: browser, URL, web address, website, downloading, Facebook, email, virus, antivirus and webcam. This will help familiarize your student with words that you might forget are foreign to those who do not use the Internet.
Explain how to be safe on the Internet. Students who are not used to being online might see ads or links and click them unknowingly. Staying safe online is incredibly important, and you should also inform your students about antivirus software and how computers can be attacked by viruses.
Use hands-on opportunities as much as possible. For example, do not open the browser for your students or open webpages. Use this as a chance for your students to practice. Show them how to use search engines so they can see what information is contained on the Internet. Seniors are also motivated by what interests them. For instance, if you are teaching how to navigate a website, try using an online newspaper or a recipe database.
Encourage practice. Seniors often prefer to go over what they have learned at home or on their own time. This presents an opportunity to assign homework, such as getting your students to email you after the lesson.
Provide handouts. This will help your students practice and give them something to use as a guide. Ensure that the handouts are in simple language and explain every detail. For instance, some senior citizens have difficulty distinguishing the address bar from the search bar. If you are referring to a search engine, and you tell them to insert their query into the search bar, make sure to explain what the search bar is and how they can identify it regardless of which search engine they are using. This will help avoid confusion. Using images is also an effective method. Pretend that they have never heard the word "Internet," and use this as your basis for explanation.
Motivate your students every chance you have. Offer compliments, tell funny stories and make sure they feel comfortable. If your students are at ease, they will enjoy learning.