Planning a Lectrure

PLANNING A LECTURE SESSION
A thorough and precise planning of a lecture requires that the trainer answers all key questions during the preparation. For doing it in an orderly manner, the use of a learning matrix is recommended.
Some Notes about the Matrix
1. Objective. As much as possible, think about a behavioral objective. In other words, what would you like your audience to be able to do after the session. Examples: They will be able to milk a cow, to plant a tree, to explain the anatomy of an animal, to implement a feeding scheme for pigs.

2. Parts of a Lesson. Each lesson should have the following parts:
Introduction. During the introduction of the lecture/session, it is useful to give a short summary of the previous topic (if applicable). This could be done by the trainer, but he or she could also ask a participant to tell something about the previous session. Then the trainer gives a short summary of the session topic he or she is going to give. Participants like to hear what new topic is to be treated during the session. Finally, the trainer tries to arouse his/her participants’ interest in the new topic. He or she may ask e.g., whether they already know something of the new topic. Anyway, he/she has to base the lesson as much as possible on their experience. It is important that participants feel that the trainer, too, considers the new topic definitely worthwhile. Thus, the following is important during the introduction:
• repetition of the previous session (when applicable)
• summary of the new topic
• arousing the interest in the new topic
Central Part. This is the most important part of the lecture. The trainer is going to treat new subject matter. He/She explains the difficulties. He/She also tells the participants which are the main and which are the subsidiary points. This is the most difficult part of the lecture.
The following pointers could be important for this part:
• Do not treat too much subject matter.
• Do not treat any subject that is too difficult for the participants.
• Ask questions.
• Commend participants who give a good answer.
• Repeat difficult parts of the subject matter.
• Give the participants time to take notes.
• Tell a joke now and then.
• Speak calmly and clearly.
• Use not only your voice, the use of hands and facial expression is important, too.
• Do not stay put like a statue in front of the class; walk about the room as well, but do not exaggerate.
Conclusion/ Evaluation. Some trainers/lecturers do not phase their lessons. They start explaining immediately and continue to do so for 60 minutes. This is too much, as participants cannot listen intensely for 60 minutes. Thus the lecturer had better stop explaining 5 or 10 minutes before the end of the lecture. He/She could use those last minutes for:
• Asking control question on the contents of the topic
• Giving a summary of the topic
• Giving the trainees/participants some things to do. In other circumstances, it may be useful to have them execute a task at the end of the session. Participants like doing things themselves. The learning effect of tasks executed by participants is generally satisfactory. Possible tasks include: solving a problem, making a test, group discussions with a number of participants. Tasks may last longer than 10 minutes, but it is not important. In such a case, the trainer has to use less time for explaining.

3. Time. Introduction and conclusion/evaluation should not take too much time from the main lecture (around 5 – 10 minutes).

4. Main Points of Topic. It will help you a lot when you write here all the key words about the content of your lecture.

5. Technique. Write how you are going to conduct the lecture (explanation, questions, discussions, tasks, tests, etc.).

6. Materials. Prepare here the checklist of everything you will need. You cannot look for it once the lecture started.

7. Subject. A whole seminar, with enough time, may be divided into different subjects, many times given by different resource persons/lecturers.

8. Number of Participants. Remember that for a good trainer-trainee interaction, the number of audience should be limited to 10 – 20 only. In practical training where the trainer has to supervise the work of participants, a maximum of 5 – 7 is recommended.

9. Topic. The part of the subject matter to be taught.

10. Kind of Audience. Specify as much as possible the kind of audience to know the approach to be used.
ASKING QUESTIONS:
Why?
Particularly, the enthusiastic trainer often forgets to ask questions during the session. This is a pity, as questioning is important on account of the following functions:
• Stimulating the participants to think
• Making a lesson vivid
• Activating the trainers
When?
The session has been divided into three (3) phases. Each phase has its own kind of questions:
• Questions during the introduction to arouse the participants’ interest
• Questions during the explanation of the topic to stimulate them to think
• Questions at the end of the lesson to check whether they have understood it
How?
The following are important:
• Put the question, wait for 3 to 5 seconds and then have a participant answer.
• If the answer is wrong, do not reprimand him.
• Do not forget also to give a turn to those who do not raise their hands.
• Try to formulate the question in a way to make them think at a higher level.
• Formulate your own.

SUGGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS
1. Start your presentation with eye contact and keep eye contact during your presentation.

2. Visual aids: try them out before you start!

- Is it legible?
- Are they organized? (logical order and positioning)

3. KISS! Keep it short and simple. This counts for the content of your presentation and for your visual aids.

4. Use only key words, no sentences, on transparencies and flip charts.

5. Start your presentation with a positive remark.

- “I am grateful I have the opportunity to tell about…..”
- “After 15 minutes, you might as interested in handicraft as I am”.

6. No “suicide openings”:

- “I don’t know much about the subject”.
- “I am replacing a colleague and did not have time to prepare”.
- “I will never have enough time to explain….”

7. Make use of functional colors in your flip charts and transparencies.

8. Explain all abbreviations, your public always wonder what they mean.

9. Learn the first couple of sentences (2-4) by head. So you can have eye contact.

10. Always keep contact with your audience, it will:

- give your self-confidence.
- build up your presentation.
- get your message across.
So do not look and talk to your flip chart or overhead screen.
11. Draw an imaginary line in front of your feet and remember you have to turn back to that line.

12. Use a pen or pencil at your transparency or at the overhead projector, and lay it down!

13. Use colors, numbers, etc. to point at specific subjects. “I start at number one”. “the red area indicates Nepal”.

14. Use graphs to give summarized information, especially for figures and numbers.

15. When you change sheets/transparencies, stop talking.

16. Use silences/pauses to emphasize what you just said or to indicate to go on with the next subject or give your audience time to look at the visuals.

17. Before you start your presentation, make your stage your own properly by arranging your visual aids and papers. This will give you self-confidence and gives the audience the impression you are in control. It diminishes your tension!

18. Be sure you use the tight size (legible) letters on your transparencies and flip charts: check this beforehand.

19. Develop your transparencies: reveal the information you talk about. This way you keep the audience attentive.

20. Bring and show demonstration material: for example, handicrafts. Your public will remember them and by that, also your message.

21. Make the procedure of your presentation clear to your audience:

- Tell them what you are going to tell them (introduce your topics and sub-topics).
- Tell it.
- And tell them what you told them (conclusion/summary)

22. Explain the purpose of your presentation to your audience when you start.

23. Never let the visual supports control you. It should always be you who is in control.

reference: various.... to be posted