Lecturing Tips
- Plan the level of your lecture for the students you have, not the students you wish you had.
- Make sure you convey how the lecture fits into the overall context of the course.
- If you can, start with something the students already know or are interested in.
- Put an outline of your main points at the edge of the blackboard, and refer to it as you progress through the lecture. This will help students understand the structure of your talk.
- Emphasize main points in your voice and your body language. Repeat important points to keep everyone with you.
- Watch the class. If everyone is busy writing in their notebooks, wait before moving on.
- Transitions are important. Help the class understand when you are a closing a topic and starting the next one.
- Invite questions. Even in a large class, questions can help underline important points, clarify misconceptions, and wake everyone up by changing the pace.
- At the end, if you have 15 minutes of material to cover and only 5 minutes available, save the material for next time.
