The Lecture Method

The Lecture method

The lecture method has certain strengths that make it useful for science instruction.

·         A large amount of material can be covered in short period of time

·         An effective means for introducing a unit, clarifying understandings, and defining science term

·         An efficient way to convey information to students who have difficulty reading textbooks and do not read assigned text materials.

·         An inexpensive method of instruction

To ensure a successful lecture, the teacher should use various techniques to make certain that there is a continuous interaction between the teacher and the student audience. The following nine suggestions adapted from Clarke (1987) should be helpful in maintaining student attention.

1.  Emphasize important ideas by changing the rate, volume, and pitch of your voice.

2.  Emphasize important statements by using pauses that allow time for the audience to respond to questions.

3.  Enunciate words clearly.

4.  Avoid repetition of words.

5.  Avoid using such words or phrase as um, er, like well, ah, you know. Uh-huh, and okay.

6.  Maintain eye contact with the audience.

7.  Scan the audience to observe reactions.

8.  Interject humor and signs of curiosity and interest and other indications of your personality.

9.  Keep the flow of visual aids smooth and free from distraction.