Lesson 3: Tips on Delivering and Pacing The Lecture
- Provide a skeletal outline, map, or tree diagram of the lecture. Refer to it during the lecture.
- 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.
- Give students the terminology they will need to understand new concepts.
- Consider a "warm-up" activity to pique the students interest in the topic.
- 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.
- Speak neither too slow nor too fast.
- Vary the volume and tone of your voice to fit the explanation.
- Look at students for cues.
- Be prepared, but allow for spontaneity.
- Move around the room.
- Summarize or recap often.
- Do not read from notes or a book for an extended length of time.
- Pause.
- Use humor, but not at the students' expense.
- Do something different every fifteen to twenty five minutes. Pose a question, break into small groups, have pairs review and compare notes, etc.
- Use visual aids.
- Avoid distracting mannerisms such as jiggling pocket change, saying "um" frequently, pacing, etc.
- Repeat, rephrase, and slow down when you are presenting new ideas or using new technical terms.
- Keep them interested by adapting your material to your audience.
- End with a closing.
Lessons: Index, 1, 2, 3, References
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