Delivering an engaging, well-structured and active lecture is quite a challenge.  Fortunately, there are a lot of strategies, tips and tricks for you to apply. You can find out about them in this Education Tip.  

A Smooth Start

Welcome the Students

Welcome the students into your course unit and introduce yourself. Possibly use an icebreaker. Invite your students to take the front row seats, and leave the back row seats empty. Use a slide that says “Welcome to rows x-y” or close off the back row seats visually/physically with a “please do not sit here”-notice.  

Start with a Bang

Use the first ten minutes of class to capture your students’ attention! It is a given that students remember up to 70 per cent of what the lecturer tells them in those first ten minutes.  So do not waste those precious minutes on practical announcements. Instead, use that time to deliver content-related information. 

Position and Organise Your Lecture

Paint the bigger picture to position your lecture, and refer to previous lectures or other topics. You can use a visual representation (diagram, mindmap, cf. the Education Tip on Organising Your Lecture Series: from the Bigger Picture to the Syllabus). By way of conclusion, tell the students what the purpose of the next lecture will be. 

Encourage Students to Come Prepared

What prior knowledge is expected of the students when they attend your lectures? Help them activate their prior knowledge by setting them a preparatory assignment. For example:

• ask them to read a specific chapter and answer several questions;
• ask them to post a topical example on the forum;
• for more examples, please consult the Education Tip on Blended Learning: Possibilities (the ‘Before Class’ section);
• ask students to submit their preparations and go over them randomly. Respond to the students’ preparations during class. 

Establish a Safe Learning Environment

Welcome all Answers

Invite students to answer questions and to give input, even if they are not fully sure of themselves.  Ask open-ended questions and address all the students.  Respond understandingly to wrong answers. Give them a positive twist by looking for the underlying reasoning.  Emphasise the correct as well as the incorrect elements of the answer. Take the blame by saying something like: “Clearly, I have not explained that correctly.” 

Have high expectations vis-à-vis all students

If you show that your expectations for the entire group are high, there is a good chance that the students will match those expectations.  Talk about the exam in a positive way. Steer well clear of statements such as: “Look to your left, then look to your right. Only one of you three will pass this course unit.” Instead, say something like: “Do not underestimate the exam, it covers a considerable amount of learning content.  But many students before you have proven that it is doable. Prepare for these classes each week and come and find me in case of questions.  

Create a Co-operative Environment

Incorporate into your classes moments during which students can exchange ideas and get to know each other better. Encourage students to co-operate and to help each other by e.g. sharing class notes. 

Use Safe Teaching Methods

For example, use the think-pair-share teaching method: give students the time to form an answer, consult with their peers and only then share their answers with the whole group. Or you can use voting tools or surveys with anonymous answer options. They ensure that the students’ answers can be discussed safely. 

Activate and Engage your Students

Offer an Added Value

Do not cover the entire syllabus, but only deal with those parts that are more challenging for students to process on their own. It will give the students an incentive to attend the classes. Emphasise knowledge that is essential to the exam. Make sure that every component of the class has a clear purpose or objective, and share these with the students.

Provide Sufficient Variation

Change things up every ten to fifteen minutes in terms of format or content. It is a way to keep the students engaged throughout your lecture. For example: 

• switch off the PowerPoint
• give a (practical) example
• show a cartoon
• discuss research findings
• share an anecdote
• discuss a specific case
• bring a prop
• show a video clip

You can also incorporate very subtle changes by e.g. changing your tone of voice, your rate of speech, the intensity of your class, or taking a walk about the room while teaching. 

Set Short Processing Assignments

Activate your students by giving them time to process the new learning content. The options are manifold: Think of asking questions and letting the students discuss them in pairs, a brief written assignment or a teaser in the form of a self-test. Or give a summary at the end of the class. Find out more in this leaflet: How to Activate Students during Class’.

Encourage Note-taking

Encourage the student to take notes. Taking notes while listening is a cognitive process that supports memory. It gives students a chance to process the contents. In other words, give them sufficient reason to pay attention and to take notes.

• only include keywords or the structure of the class in your PowerPoint (instead of entire texts);
• highlight what is important on your slides by taking digital notes or pointing them out with your pointer;
• give them time to take notes. This need not take the form of an actual break from teaching. A point in the natural flow of the lecture where you give a recap, tell an anecdote or show a figure/picture will work just as well. 

Immediately Respond to Contents Not Understood 

When you notice that a large number of students has not understood your message, several options are open to you:

• hold a short break. It gives the students some time to mull over the contents. Apart from that, it (literally) gives them a breather before you continue with the class/lecture;
• recapitulate the most difficult components from the class/lecture. If the students can follow more complex reasoning, chances are that they will understand the rest of the content as well;
• many students find a clarifying example to be very helpful, too.  If you illustrate the theory in a specific authentic context, students will process complex matters more easily;
• ask students to name the problem. Tell them that you notice you have been going too quickly. Do not ask your students “Are there any more questions?”. Instead, ask them “What questions are there?” It may seem only a small nuance, but it makes it more easy for students to answer. You might even consider asking a first question yourself to set off a domino effect. It shows your conviction that more questions will follow.

Make Eye Contact

You can also increase the involvement of your students by making eye contact. Look at students from different angles of the room. Do not stare but let your gaze rest for a short moment to make contact with the student and then move on. That way you not only hold their attention, but you also establish whether everyone can still follow.

Stay True to Yourself

Students appreciate authenticity. Make sure that you fully endorse your teaching content and convey that content with vigour: it will prove infectious and will have a positive effect on your students’ enthusiasm. Illustrate the theory with real-life examples, (your own) recent research, your own or your colleagues’ personal experiences.

“Engaging the students in large groups is only possible if the lecturer fully endorses what they teach, and effectively ‘captures’ the students’ attention. This is an intense (even physical) effort.” (member of the professorial staff, Faculty of Law and Criminology, a group of 150 students).

Use the Room

Walk around the auditorium. Do not stay fixed in one spot, but run no marathon either. Your movements should not distract the students. Take up a position on one side of the room while explaining topic A, and move to the other when you continue with topic B. Your movements underscore the transition between the two topics. 

Dealing with Awkward Situations

How to React to Difficult or Irrelevant Questions?  

Students may ask you interesting questions for which you have no immediate answer.  That is okay. 

Tell the students you will look up the answer and will get back to them. Or encourage them to look up the answer themselves. As your experience grows, you will notice that often the same questions come back. 

But how to react to irrelevant questions from students? In that case, make sure that you always take the students seriously. A possible answer is: “Your question would lead us too far. Let me refer you to…" You can also try to rephrase the question into a relevant problem statement.  

How to Deal with Latecomers?  

Start Punctually 

Start the lesson punctually, even if some students are not yet seated or are still talking. This way, students will notice that you stick to your timing. When taking a break, also clearly indicate when you will resume the lesson. Stick to that timing. 

Be Clear about your Expectations  

Indicate that you find it important for students to be on time, but also show understanding for students who arrive late due to force majeure. Ask latecomers not to disturb other students when entering. Also, confirm that you find punctuality important by asking latecomers why they were late during the break. That way, the students will feel 'seen' and are reminded of your expectations. 

How to Deal with Disruptive Behaviour?  

There are several ways to react to too much background noise:

• say, "Yes, are we back?"
• fall silent, turn off the microphone or talk more quietly; 
• walk around the auditorium. Walk or look in the direction of the noisy students as you continue to teach; 
• interrupt the lecture when the whole group is being noisy. Indicate that you will not continue teaching in this way;
• mention the agreements associated with disrupting the lecture and be consistent. 

What if there is persistent talking from a limited group of students after taking these steps? 

If the same group of people always disrupts the lesson, you can act more firmly: 

• address the chatterbox(es) personally. Do this during the break or after class, not in front of the entire group. Humiliating a student in front of the group will cost you the confidence of the entire group;
• move the disruptive students to the front of the classroom;
• ask the student(s) to leave the classroom, but this should be your last resort.  

How to Deal with Disrespectful Behaviour?

If a student makes a hurtful or inappropriate remark, be sure to react immediately. This will show everyone that you do not tolerate such remarks and that you watch over the safety of the group. Do not worry if you are momentarily taken aback and unsure how to react to a provocative or polarising remark.   Tell the students that you will come back to it next time. This will buy you some time to think it over or to consult with a colleague. 

Conclusion

Go out with a Bang

Make an impression with a strong conclusion, in which you highlight once again the key points. For instance, give a summary, a striking example, a cliffhanger, a thought-provoking statement, a quotation or additional materials to study (e.g. additional reading, a podcast, a video channel, ...).

Support the Students’ Processing

At the end of the class, you can set the students to work to support their processing of the learning contents. For example, ask the students to

• summarise three key elements of the class (via Wooclap);
• write a one-minute paper: let them answer a short (reflection) question and discuss it with a peer. Ask them to leave their answers on the table and look at them randomly. Use them as input for the next class.
• indicate what the muddiest point of the class has been for them. Ask them what they found least clear. This is also input that you can use for the next class.

Stay to the Last

Students do not always ask their questions during class. So, stick around for a while after class. This way, students still have the opportunity to ask questions face-to-face. 

Reflect on the Class

Do not wait until the next academic year to adapt your teaching and learning materials or classes. Take notes of what you can improve immediately after class and follow up on your to-dos as soon as possible: e.g. deleting a slide, looking for a better example, noting down ideas for redesigning the lecture series, etc.