Howard Community College Improving Student Learning and College Teaching
	By Dr. James Bell, Professor of Psychology with help from the HCC Faculty October 1998

Ideas on Lecturing from a Variety of Places and People

What are Some Ideas to Consider about Lecturing?

Before presenting the lecture

1. What is it that the students need to learn?

2. Decide if the lecture is the best method to use.

3. Assess what the students know to be sure your starting point is appropriate.

4. Specify what the students are to learn and retain.

5. Plan a way to teach what is to be learned.

6. Plan in a measure of the learning.

7. Consider how to help those who miss class or don't learn during class.

8. Keep in mind that retention during the middle third of the lecture is less than at the start or end. Since forgetting starts during the lecture, think of ways to decrease the forgetting.

At the start of the lecture

1. Clearly identify the start of the lecture. Take charge. Start on time.

2. Get the students' attention.

3. Use a thought provoking question, story, or example.

4. State a problem.

5. Present a contradiction.
State a paradox.

6. Bring in a personal example.

7. Use a current event to get started.

8. Highlight something from the homework.

9. Show how the topic is relevant to the students.

10. Tie in the current lecture with previous course learning.

11. Provide an overview of the lecture (sometimes called an advance organizer).

12. Explain to the students how they will be able to use what they are hearing.

13. Provide definitions for new terms and examples. (Note the "s" on examples.)

14. Don't read the lecture.

During the body of the lecture

1. Carefully organize the lecture.

2. Create a logical organization; a cause-effect; a time sequence; problem-solution; pro-con; simple to complex.

3. Keep in mind research on memory and learning.

4. Build in internal summaries.

5. Hold the key points to about 5 minutes each.

6. Don't include many details.

7. Rather than repeat, reword. Say it in a different way.

8. Keep in mind research on attention.

9. Let your enthusiasm for the topic show.

10. Use visual aids.

11. Use vivid examples.

12. Don't rush.

13. Develop eye-contact with the students.

14. Pull together information. Show how things relate. Develop transitions. Keep bringing the class back to the big picture.

15. Be objective to be a credible communicator. Clearly label personal views.

16. Develop ways to increase student activity during the lecture.

17. Provide an outline on the board for students to fill in.

18. Provide breaks for students to write notes on what they understand.

19. Stop lectures for buzz groups, question and answer, or partners.

20. Provide problems for solving after presenting the relevant information.

21. Devise methods to determine what the students are learning (active learning). Students can be asked to write individually, in pairs, or in small groups.

22. Ask specific questions over the lecture.

23. Ask for examples.

24. Allow time for students to ask questions.

25. Use a student-response system or have students hold up their hands on practice multiple choice questions from a transparency.

26. Ask students at the end of class to summarize the central idea and the key points.

27. Keep track of nonverbal clues of inattention, confusion, or boredom.

28. Have daily quizzes.

29. Try a week test over lectures.

30. Identify on exams the questions that come from lecture and analyze the results.

Ending the lecture

1. Tie together the beginning and the end.

2. Summarize the lecture.

3. Ask a student to summarize the lecture verbally.

4. Ask all to write a summary.

5. Continue to place this lecture in the context of the entire course.

6. Review what was to be learned using study questions and then ask for answers.

7. Provide a preview of the next class.

8. Ask for further student questions.

9. Don't give hints that you are about finished since students will close their books and minds before you are finished.

10. Develop an end of the class routine so it is clear when you dismiss the class.

Delivery

1. Can everyone hear?

2. Do you use rate, volume, and pitch to emphasize?

3. Do you speak clearly?

4. Do you use your sense of humor?

5. Are clichés avoided?

6. Do you maintain eye contact?

7. Do you use appropriate gestures?

8. Do you avoid distracting habits?

Lecturing, Ideas from a Variety of Places and People: Advantages | Disadvantages |
Ways to Get Feedback | Ideas to Consider | Ways to Help Students Write Better Notes |
Changing to Another Approach Every 10 Min | Selected Sources on Lecturing

Ideas to Improve Learning: Lecturing | Cooperative Learning |
Teaching Enrichment | Active Learning | Expectations of High School Graduates

Faculty Resources: All College Teachers | Psychology Teachers |
Teaching Thinking | Increasing Student Learning | Outcomes Assessment | What’s New?

{ JIM BELL'S HOME PAGE | PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT | SOCIAL SCIENCE DIVISION }

If you have any questions or comments about this website, please contact Jim Bell.
Last updated on 28 Aug 2003
© Howard Community College, 2002

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