Lesson 3: Tips on Delivering and Pacing The Lecture

1. Provide a skeletal outline, map, or tree diagram of the lecture. Refer to it during the lecture.
2. Give useful directions at the beginning of the class such as whether or not they need to take notes, when is the best time to ask questions, etc.
3. Give students the terminology they will need to understand new concepts.
4. Consider a "warm-up" activity to pique the students interest in the topic.
5. Summarize what happened during the last class period. Or, ask a student to do this and assign another student to do it for the next session.
6. Speak neither too slow nor too fast.
7. Vary the volume and tone of your voice to fit the explanation.
8. Look at students for cues.
9. Be prepared, but allow for spontaneity.
10. Move around the room.
11. Summarize or recap often.
12. Do not read from notes or a book for an extended length of time.
13. Pause.
14. Use humor, but not at the students' expense.
15. Do something different every fifteen to twenty five minutes. Pose a question, break into small groups, have pairs review and compare notes, etc.
16. Use visual aids.
17. Avoid distracting mannerisms such as jiggling pocket change, saying "um" frequently, pacing, etc.
18. Repeat, rephrase, and slow down when you are presenting new ideas or using new technical terms.
19. Keep them interested by adapting your material to your audience.
20. End with a closing.

Lessons: Index, 1, 2, 3, References

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