Teaching Students How to Be Better Listeners
Ask students to write for one minute on “What do I hope to get out of this lecture?” or “What was the most important point in the reading assignment for the day?”
Another strategy is to ask students to listen to you for 5-15 minutes without taking notes and then to write a summary. Then it could be interesting to ask them to compare their summaries with a classmate.
How Do Students Process the Content of a Lecture?
Surface approach – taking notes word for word.
Deep processing – elaborate and translate the instructor’s words into their own; more active and thoughtful listening.
Should Students Take Notes?
Notetaking depends on one’s ability to maintain attention, understand what is being said, and hold it in working memory long enough to write it down.
Encourage students to take fewer notes and to listen carefully when you are introducing new, difficult material. They can then fill in their notes after class.
*Supply notes ahead of time. – allow students to fill in details
Students attend more & participate more
How to Get Students Actively Thinking In a Lecture Situation
The minute paper on a topic derived from the lecture or also from the previous week’s lecture.