Activating Lecture Method of Teaching for Maximum Understanding and Retention.

Lecturing is one of the most time-honoured yet ineffective ways to teach.

By itself, it will never lead to active learning.

However, a lecture can spark active learning if the presenter builds interest ﬁrst, then maximizes understanding and retention, involves participants during the heat of the lecture, and reinforces what has been presented.

There are several ways to do just that, some of which are outlined below.

Build Interest of your learners by:

Providing a lead-off story or interesting visual. Provide a relevant anecdote, ﬁctional story, cartoon, quotation, or graphic that captures the audience’s attention.
Giving an initial case problem. Present a problem (before or during a learning session) around which the lecture will be structured.
Providing test questions. Ask participants a question (even if they have little prior knowledge) to motivate them to listen to your lecture and find out the answer.

Maximize understanding and retention by;

Reducing the major points in the lecture to keywords that act as verbal subheadings, bullet points, or memory aids.
Providing real-life illustrations of the ideas in the lecture and, if possible, creating a comparison between your material and the knowledge and experience that the participants already have.
Using ﬂip charts, slides, brief handouts, and demonstrations (real or virtual) that enable participants to see as well as hear what you are saying.

Involve learners during the Lecture using;

Spot challenges. Interrupt the lecture periodically and challenge participants to give examples of the concepts presented thus far or to answer spot-quiz questions. Or poll them and ask for their opinions.
Illuminating activities. Throughout the presentation, intersperse brief activities that illuminate the points you are making.
Ask your learners to review the contents of the lecture with one another or give them a self-scoring review test.
Pose a problem or question for participants to solve based on the information given in the lecture.

I believe by applying the basic strategies stated above your lecture lesson will not be boring or dull and your learner can gain maximum benefit from those sections.

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