Methods of Instruction (Types of
instructional strategies)-Lecture Method
Prepared by
SABARISH-P
M.Sc., M.Ed.,
JRF & NET
Assistant
professor in Physical Science, Arafa Institute for Teacher Education
Attur, Thrissur
i) Lecture
Method
This is a method which is generally
followed in colleges and in schools with big classes. The name itself explains the procedure. The teacher talks while pupils listen.
In this method, the teacher acts
like a chatter box, talking and talking all the time without ascertaining
whether the students are following him or not.
The students are spoon-fed and their powers of observation and
reasoning, the exercise of which is so essential in the learning process are
not stimulated. The teacher seems to be dominating
personally.
Teacher vomits out everything from
“Examination point of view” and the students digest it order to reprint in the
examination. The method is suitable for a class of intelligent pupils who can
understand and grasp the lecture with the same speed as they are delivered by
the teacher.
There
are three phases for a lecture
(i) Preparatory phase (Warm up phase)
Prepare the students to receive the
content of the lecture. A variety of
activities can be undertaken during this phase.
Asking questions to infer the level of knowledge possessed byt the
students; directed to all corners of the class at random., relating the new
topic to the topic already taught. etc
(ii) Development phase
Most important part of a lecture.
Some activities that can be undertaken during this phase are
* Using analogies/comparisons to
reduce the complexity.
* Use of illustrations.
* Explaining with aids.
(iii) Consolidation phase- Concluding part
*Reviewing or summarising
* Asking questions, providing feed
back
* Giving assignments
* Relating topic to future learning.
Skills associated with the delivery
of a lecture
1.Use
of body language
Conveying ideas and feeling through
the use of gestures, hands, and eyes, is called body language. But overdoing may distract the attention of
the students.
2.Use
of communication boosters
Like humour, visual aids like
photographs and cartoons, thought provoking questions invites the attention of
the pupil. Communication boosters become essential for various reasons.
(i) to break the monotony of the teacher
talk.
(ii) to sustain the attention span of
students which, on an average, is well below the time allotted for the lecture.
(iii) to maintain interest aroused at the
beginning of the lecture.
(iv) to improve the effectiveness of the
lecture
3.Varying
the stimulus
The shift from one stimulus to
another smoothly during the delivery of a single lecture is a skill.
4.Voice
Modulation
Talking for a long time at the same
pace and in the same pitch can have a bad effect on the listeners. Varying the pace of the speech the pitch and
the loudness can bring a variety by which the attention of the students would
be better maintained.
Merits
1.
It is economical (The method is
economic)
* Firstly because no laboratory,
apparatus, aids are required
* Secondly, a single teacher can
teach any number of students at a time which is impossible by any other method.
* Thirdly, it saves much time and
the lengthy syllabus can be very easily covered in a limited time.
2.
It is speedy, concise and very easy to follow.
The teacher feels secure and satisfied.
3.
The method is useful for imparting factual information about historical
incidents to pupils.
4.
Good lectures have high inspirational value.
Demerits
1.
The method is against the principle of ‘learning by doing’ and does not
encourage the habit of independent thinking.
2.
It does not provide training in scientific method and does not help the inculcation
of scientific attitudes in pupils.
3.
There is no assurance for the teacher whether the students have understood what
he had taught in the class.
4.
The rate of imparting knowledge and information may be too rapid and the
students may not get necessary connections of thought.
5.
It lays too much stress on memory work which is just to burden the minds of the
pupils which is against the principles of teaching science.
6.
In this method, the teacher is the active participant while the students are
passive listeners, which is opposed to the principles of psychology. The interests, attitudes and capabilities of
pupils are ignored.
Lecture
method is applicable in following circumstances
1. To introduce some new and difficult
topic.
2. To revise the topics already covered.
3. To give some background of a certain
topic
4. To introduce to the life histories of
great scientists and their struggles and achievements in life.
5. To explain the demonstration which has
been done or which is to be done.
6. To impart factual knowledge.
7. To explain certain difficult
theoretical points which cannot be demonstrated.
How to make a lecture interesting?
1. Humour should be introduced in the
lecture here and there so that the interest of the students is maintained.
2. While making use of this method, it
will be beneficial if the teachers give some training in the art of note taking
while the lecture is on.
3. At the end of the lecture, time should
be given for the students to ask questions and such questions be answered by
the teacher without any hesitation. In
this way the teacher can make sure whether the students have understood the
lesson or not.
4. The lecture should be delivered in good
tone, loud voice, clearly and slowly without the use of any ambiguous or
bombastic words.
Reference: Science Education by T.K Mathew & Molykutty
