Inclusive lectures

How can I make my lectures more inclusive?

Many students have problems simultaneously processing and recording large amounts of verbal information.

Here are some strategies to support students.

• Use plain English: keep colloquialisms, slang, complex and wordy explanations to a minimum as these can be difficult not only for students with disabilities, but also for international students who do not have the same cultural or linguistic background.
• Face the class when speaking.
• Read aloud material written on the board, on PowerPoints or on overheads.
• Use a multi-sensory approach, and write key points of assignments on the board or on handouts.
• Stop every 15-20 minutes during the lecture and ask students to turn to their neighbour and tell that person what they thought was the key point in that 15-20 minute period.
• Put a question or comment up on a transparency and ask students to discuss it with their neighbour or the person in front of them.
• Stop at regular intervals during the lecture and ask students to turn to their neighbour and ask a question about the content that has just been presented.
• Ask students during the lecture to write down a question or comment.
• Allow a five-minute question time half-way through the lecture.
• Give students a short problem to solve (5 minutes) and then put the answers on a transparency before continuing.
• Ask students to summarise with their neighbour, either orally or in a written form at the end of the lecture, what they thought were the main ideas of the lecture were.
• Keep to the topic, demonstrate, use concrete examples, case studies or stories.
• Ask students to write down at the end of the lecture, what questions they would like answered in the following lecture.
• Rephrase information if students do not understand.

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