Talk To Me

“Lecture”, the dirtiest word in education right now. It is a teaching technique that is viewed as antiquated, not hands on, and boring. Teachers are instructed to stand on their heads, spin in circles, create exploding volcanoes, and do anything other than perform a dreaded lecture because some believe that students need to experience the content to understand it. I mean you can't really argue with statistics, a recent "2014 study showed that test scores in science and math courses improved after professors replaced lecture time with “active learning” methods like group work" (Worthen, 2015). What a novel idea; group work! Unfortunately, the only thing that this statistic does is provide evidence for "active learning"; it does not discredit the old school lecture. While, I have sat through many a lecture that could be described as a snooze fest at best, I still rally behind the oldie but goodie technique. 

The lecture simply can't be beat. It informs students and then allows them, "to process ideas and think deeply about what they just heard or saw" (Kovalskys, 2015). However, you do have to be very careful because lectures can quickly take a turn from informative and interesting to drooling and drowsy if you don't follow a few rules. For example, Kovalskys describes a new breed of lecture-the interactive lecture- as a traditional lecture style intertwined with active learning experiences such as formative assessments, checks for understandings, and student-generated products. (2015)

As a teacher we are expected to constantly keep things moving, get the students motivated, and pique their interest in any content whether it be multi-step equations or subject-verb agreement. One way to do this is to teach them what each thing is first by lecturing, but remember to keep it brief. Researchers suggest that lectures should be 15 minutes or less, but there is little evidence that supports this claim. Rather many students go through bouts of paying attention and not about every 4-5 minutes. (Briggs, 2014) Ultimately what we can gather from the attention span theories is that we should mix it up. We should offer opportunities that engage “student attention during a segment and refreshing attention immediately after a segment.” (Briggs, 2014). A beautiful way to weave the active learning method and lecture learning method together is to provide an engaging lecture with interactive notes for about 8-10 minutes and then ask a probing question that allows students to engage with the content that was just taught. In addition, to add an ending to a segment you can provide students with practice to try their hand at implementing the content you just taught. This schedule will help teachers present the necessary information so students learn the information correctly, but it also keeps students engaged and using what was just taught.

Lastly, it is imperative that as teachers we understand the appropriate use of prosody and intonation. If you choose to use a lecture style you are choosing to be on stage. As educators we are on stage for about 90% of our day and we need to convey the message that whatever we are teaching excites us. Students are like animals and can detect when something is off. Your attitude toward the content will set the mood for the entire class period. Lectures are not antiquated and outdated they are functional and necessary. They provide instant information so students that struggle don’t have to worry if they discovered the “right” answers through inquiry based learning and students that are not confident can always be reassured that they have the correct information.

Lectures provide the perfect template to give information. Many times it is imperative for students with learning disabilities to get the right information and practice using the right information. We are so wrapped up in the idea of discovery based learning, but we don’t take in to account what implications it might have if a student practices the incorrect way without being told otherwise. We can immediately remove that possibility by providing short, engaging lectures that end with a culminating activity or application activity for students. As teachers we have to remind ourselves that reinventing the wheel is not necessary. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways and we can just add some new ideas to them. So get out there and lecture away!

Works Cited

Briggs, S. (2014, June 28). The Science of Attention: How To Capture And Hold The Attention of Easily Distracted Students - InformED. Retrieved July 10, 2016, from http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/30-tricks-for-capturing-students-attention/

Kovalskys, G. (2015, July 31). Why the Best Teachers Won't Ditch the Lecture (EdSurge News). Retrieved July 10, 2016, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-07-31-why-the-best-teachers-won-t-ditch-the-lecture

Worthen, M. (2015, October 17). Lecture Me. Really. Retrieved July 10, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/opinion/sunday/lecture-me-really.html?_r=0