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Lectures

Occasionally, TAs may be asked to prepare a lecture for class to gain experience. More commonly, TAs may give mini lectures in their recitation sections, either to present new material or to reiterate information from the main lecture. Lecturing should be balanced with discussion: TAs should rarely spend the entire recitation lecturing but should instead use lecturing to deepen students’ understanding of the material presented in the main class before transitioning to discussion. The following are reasons that a TA may prepare a mini lecture for their recitation session:

• The TA has additional contextual information to share about assigned reading
• The TA is presenting a sample method of approaching a topic
• The topic is basically factual and the students just need an overview of the facts

When lecturing, TAs should keep in mind that students can only process a limited amount of information or material in the time given. Overloading students can be counterproductive, so TAs should begin with a main point or group of points that they want students to take away from recitation and work backwards to create their lecture plan.

Keeping Students' Attention

Students generally don’t participate during a lecture, so it is important to keep their engagement as much as possible. All TAs should prepare lecture notes that plot their course through the material, and less experienced TAs should err on the side of more detail and planning in their lecture notes until they feel confident speaking from bullet points. 

The opening of a lecture is particularly important to engaging students’ attention, setting the tone and introducing key points or frameworks for the rest of the lecture and discussion. TAs should consider different ways to engage students, such as asking leading questions, beginning with a relevant audio-visual reference, or running a brief in-class exercise. 

Studies have shown that students’ attentiveness to lectures begins to diminish after the first 10 minutes, so TAs are well advised to make the most of this initial period. But TAs also need to keep students’ attention after the first ten minutes are up. The following are suggestions for keeping students’ attention in class:

• Signpost transitions and how they relate to the lecture.
• Define terms and don’t be afraid to repeat definitions.
• Ask rhetorical questions.
• Give examples.
• Avoid using a monotone.
• Use props and visual aids.

TAs should leave enough time at the end of the period to summarize their lecture and conclude. If time runs short, TAs should omit a final example in order to recap what has been covered in full. 

Selecting the topic and scope of the lecture:

• The course instructor may specify which topics should be reviewed in recitation, or the TA may have the freedom to focus on topics from lecture that they believe students should review
• The TA should set concrete learning goals for the recitation session and avoid being overly ambitious about how much they can cover.
• TAs should have contingency plans in case they get through material faster than expected.

Organizing Material and Incorporating Rhetorical Strategies

• TAs should focus students’ attention at the beginning of the lecture. The following are some options for doing so:
  • Present a set of incongruous facts.
  • Pose a complex question.
  • Tell an anecdote that illustrates the material.
  • Link the topic to common knowledge.
  • Illustrate the problem through props (using the blackboard, handouts, a newspaper clipping) or your actions.
• Effective lecturing requires clear transitions between ideas. Emphasize moments where the lecture shows cause and effect, pros and cons, concept and application, etc. Use differences in pitch, pace, or intensity of delivery to emphasize transitions.
• TAs can help students to take notes by building in pauses and repeating key ideas.
• The lecture should be easily mappable, with clear relationships between its ideas. Relate the recitation lecture to recent class lectures. Select useful examples and anecdotes. Review larger concepts before discussing particulars.