GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE:
Preparation & Orchestration
A session in
“Preparing to Teach:
Introductory Programme for New Teachers”

Adopted from the workshop presented by:
Josephine M. Csete
Educational Development Centre
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
August 2000

THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION CAROLE CABLE

GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE:
Preparation & Orchestration
“The best general advice to the teacher who would lecture well is still, 'Don't lecture.’”
Eble (1988)
“Good teaching employs head, hands and heart.”
K. P. Kwan (1996)
“Most student learning occurs outside the classroom.”
McKeachie (1994)

By the end of this session you will have:
 Discussed key issues and concerns about lecturing
 Generated solutions addressing these key issues
 Explored the components of good lecturing practice
More specifically:

Deciding on learning goals

Organizing the lecture
 Preparing lecture materials

Practicing the lecture presentation
 Delivery skills

Learning from your own lecturing

I. DECIDING ON LEARNING
GOALS
Here are four steps to help you decide what and how much to include in your lecture:
 Select the Main Points
 Draft Learning Objectives
 Prioritize
 Revise and Complete Outline

DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS
i.
Write a one sentence purpose statement for your lecture ii. List the main points you plan to cover iii. Generally no more than five major topics iv. Points can be:
 topical
 heuristical (reasons why)
 chronological
 procedural

DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS
i.
Turn your purpose and main points into objectives of what the students should learn ii.
List everything you want students to learn iii. Include examples, activities, and demonstrations that would help them learn each main point iv. Do not be concerned about time (yet)

DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS
i. Go through your outline and prioritize:
1 = essential for students
2 = important but not essential
3 = nice to know ii. Think in terms of what you want students to learn rather than what you will present

DECIDING ON LEARNING GOALS
i.
Make sure you have examples, demonstrations, questions and practice activities for each main point ii.
Be sure to include your introduction, break times and conclusion iii. Assign times for each main point and activity iv. Continue revising your outline until you have your
“best guess” as to the amount of information and activities you can cover In the time available v.
Final outline becomes a blueprint for developing the lecture

II. ORGANIZING THE
LECTURE
Lectures have three distinct parts:
 Introduction: “What you're gonna learn”
 Body: “Learn it”
 Conclusion: “What you've learned”

ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

1. Purpose
 to gain your students’ attention (“Attention Getter”)
 to state your purpose and main points
(“Objectives”)
 to relate to students' motives
(“Motivation”)
 to orient your students
 to the organized main ideas of the lesson
(“Advance Organizer”)
 to the time schedule and techniques of presentation
(“Agenda”)
 to help your students recall related information
(“Review”)


2. Gaining attention
 describe an interesting case
 use a quotation
 statistics
 unusual story
 current events
 humor
ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

3. Stating your purpose and main points
 state overall purpose of lecture
 state main points to be covered
 briefly explain each point
 explain how topic will affect them

ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

1. Begin by restating each main point/learning goal
2. Explain and demonstrate main points
 present essential points first, followed by most important next, and “nice to know” last
3. Use examples to facilitate understanding





 at least one example per idea verbal and/or visual use several examples for complex ideas use interesting examples restate idea at end of example(s) make sure students can relate to examples

ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

4. Have students practice using main points
 provide problems, cases, questions, etc., where students respond
 students respond by writing answers in pairs or small groups
 students’ responses indicate their understanding of the main points
 provide correct answers to practice and explain why it is correct
(“Feedback & Remediation”)
5. Briefly summarize at end of each main point
6. Provide transition statement to next main point

ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

1. Provides a logical ending – a sense of completeness and structure.
2. Restate main points (“Summary”)
3. Restate purpose sentence and how topic relates to audience
(“Objectives" & "Motivation”)
4. Connect with other instructional segments of past and future (“Integration”)

ORGANIZING THE LECTURE

5. Check to see whether students have accomplished the main purpose of the lecture
(Checking can be done by teacher, peer, self)
(“Test”)
6. Finish with a flourish


 on time enthusiastic use an attention getter

III. PREPARING LECTURE
MATERIALS
 Your Lecture Notes
 Visual Aids
 Students’ Materials







PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS

Notes should contain the sequence of what you will say and what students will be doing
Notes should serve as reminders only
Detailed notes on attention getters, transitions, conclusion
Reminders for main/sub points
Cues for examples and visual aids
Reminders about presentation style


PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS

Tips:

Fewer the better/KISS
(Keep it simple stupid)

Develop your own style

Numbered pages/sheets

Print large
 Use only one side

Try computer presentation software

PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS

 What visual aids should include:

An attention getter/a presentation overview

Your main points
 Graphs, charts, graphics to support main points

Directions for activities

A closing attention getter

PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS


Tips:
 The “Rule of 7’s” - Overheads and slides should be limited to:
7 words per line
7 lines per visual aid
 18 - 24 point font size

Stories & Cartoons: Good idea, but what's the point?

Graphs, charts and tables from books.
Blow them up!


PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS


Provide (some) materials that students can use for preparation before lecture (prereadings, etc.)
Provide handouts at the start of lecture so that students can:
 listen & think about what you are saying rather than just write
 add their own notes to yours


PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS
 Handouts should include:
 complex charts, tables, diagrams
 essential information (main points, key vocabulary, etc.)
 information for which accuracy is important (formulae, names, dates)


PREPARING LECTURE MATERIALS
 Tips:
 consider “interactive handouts” in which students fill in some missing information during the lecture
 ascribe to the "less is more" principle

IV. PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION
There are five steps to practicing the lecture for delivery:
 Review Your Notes
 Early Practice


Polishing the Delivery
Formal Practice
 Mental Imaging

PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION




Work one section at a time
Review until you can recall both the meaning of your notes and the sequence of thoughts
Continue for entire presentation
All mental – nothing out loud

PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION



Begin practicing out loud
Go one section at a time
Work especially on introduction, transitions and conclusion

PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION



Practice out loud with visuals
Pay attention to eye contact, gestures and delivery
Time yourself

PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION



Go through entire presentation
Invite colleagues, staff, etc. to listen
Audiotape/videotape your own lecture

PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION



Mentally practice
See yourself in front of the audience
Give yourself a pep talk




PRACTICING THE LECTURE
PRESENTATION
Prepare ahead of time
Practicing aloud does make a difference
Identify and develop your own style

V. DELIVERY SKILLS

Prepare the Environment Before Lecture

Verbal Delivery

Nonverbal Delivery
Click here for the checklist to guide you in delivering your lecture
(To read the file in PDF format,
Acrobat Reader is required.)

VI. LEARNING FROM YOUR OWN
LECTURING
 Self Reflection
 Feedback from Colleagues and Other
“Expects”
 Feedback from Students

LEARNING FROM YOUR
OWN LECTURING




Reflect upon what went well and what needs modification or change
Jot ideas directly on your lecture notes so you will be reminded of revisions for next time.
Video or audiotape a lecture for private review (microteaching)





LEARNING FROM YOUR
OWN LECTURING
Sit in a colleague’s lecture, or ask someone to sit in your lecture
Read about teaching in general and/or teaching your subject area
Make use of local “educational consultants” either for workshops, or individual consulting

LEARNING FROM YOUR
OWN LECTURING



Collect feedback from students
Types of feedback:
 informal conversations (reliable?)
 “one minute papers” (to check students’ understanding)
 formative surveys (What is helping students learn? What could you do to make their learning easier?)
 …

GOOD LECTURING PRACTICE:
Preparation & Orchestration
A session in
“Preparing to Teach:
Introductory Programme for New Teachers”