Making Lectures Effective

A variety of instructional techniques are available to teachers, but the traditional lecture remains a widely used technique. This is particularly true in high school and college classes.
Here are some ideas for making your lectures as effective as possible:

• Present ideas in a logical order. It helps to prepare an outline in advance.
• Stay with the topic. Try to avoid digressions.
• Provide examples and illustrations for clarity and to maintain your students’ attention.
• Repeat points that are especially important for your students to know.
• Speak at a pace that allows your students to keep up with you and take notes.
• Ask questions periodically to gauge your students’ understanding.

Most of all, be enthusiastic. If you seemed bored with what you are saying, your students will be too.