Planning

• Make sure the lesson content aligns with the learning objectives and the assessments of the course.
• Check that the learning objectives of each lecture, tutorial or lab have been made explicit to students.
• Make sure the learning objectives have been prioritised so that important topics have more focus placed upon them than minor topics.
• Check that there is a progression in the complexity of learning tasks (from tasks which require students to describe or summarise to tasks which ask students to critique or evaluate) over the duration of the course.

The learning environment

• Check that the physical surroundings are appropriate (levels of lighting, distance between lecturer and students, acoustics, distractions).
• Check that thee acoustics in the room are suitable for recording.
• Check that the seating arrangements are flexible.

Teaching methods

• Vary the lesson type (lecture, small group discussions, pairwork, individual work).
• Provide an overview or summary of the lesson content.
• Use a range of range of presentation techniques (charts, diagrams, pictures, graphic organisers) to accommodate all learning styles.
• Break the lecture, tutorial or lab into chunks to allow students time to process information.
• Think about providing a glossary of new terms.
• Try to speak more clearly, and avoid the use of slang, colloquialisms, and jokes which may offend or not be understood.
• Make the links between parts of a lesson clear by using 'signposting' (for example: 'the first point to make is…', 'this idea supports that of…'.
• Try rephrasing difficult concepts.
• Try to ensure your questions elicit what students have learnt.
• Look at ways of making your feedback specific and constructive.
• Ensure that you face students when you speak to them; make sure your face can be seen at all times when you are speaking.

Improving your teaching materials

• Provide paper-copy handouts in electronic form.
• Limit the amount of text on a PowerPoint slide or overhead transparency.
• Make sure the font used in either visual or paper-based material is easy to read (eg sans serif fonts).
• Check that the font used in visuals is large enough to be read from all parts of the room.
• Leave adequate spacing between lines of text.
• Use short simple sentences in the text for PowerPoint or overhead transparencies.
• Use high-frequency vocabulary in the text for PowerPoint or overhead transparencies.
• Use diagrams, tables and charts to clarify verbal explanations.
• Use appropriate coloured marking pens on a whiteboard or overhead transparency (black or blue).
• Think about using the university's iLecture facility to record your lectures.

Assessment

• Make it clear to students what you are assessing.
• Develop a range of assessment methods.
• Check that your assessment tasks measure student learning.
• Consider giving students the opportunity to have both coursework assessment and a final examination and check the distribution of marks between these two forms of assessment.