Oral delivery
Use simple, clear language, avoiding jargon and cultural references (Davis, 2009).
Impact: Ensures all students can understand the presented information, regardless of their language proficiency or cognitive abilities. By avoiding jargon and cultural references specifically, instructors can prevent confusion and ensure that students with different backgrounds and levels of knowledge can comprehend the content.
Define new terms introduced in lectures and provide a glossary on Moodle.
Impact: Helps students understand and engage with the content, regardless of their background knowledge or prior experiences. It ensures that all students have equal access to the information being taught. Instructors can use various strategies, such as tracking and compiling terminology for lesson plans and providing concise, one-sentence definitions. This also demonstrates an instructor’s investment in the learning of students.
Example: Define new terms that are introduced in lectures and provide a glossary on Moodle that students can refer back to
In today’s lecture on Single-Celled Organisms, we covered the following terms:
- Organelles: Structures that have one or more specific jobs to perform in the cell
- Protein Quinary Structure: The arrangement and interaction of multiple protein subunits to form a functional protein complex
- Plasmid: A hereditary particle or any extrachromosomal hereditary determinant
Explanation
Providing a list of terminology or concepts covered in each class helps provide structure and transparency to the course that can level the playing field for all students. Not only can it help facilitate effective notetaking, but it also supports students that may not quickly grasp key learnings from lectures or struggle to understand key concepts or how different concepts fit together. Sharing the topics covered in a class can make the content feel less overwhelming for students, especially the technical and complex aspects of a topic. Creating these kinds of learning aids can also demonstrate that there are no tricks or surprises in the course. This can significantly reduce barriers for students of different learning backgrounds while also building a supportive student-instructor dynamic. (Hogan & Sathy, 2022).
Face students when speaking.
Impact: Ensures all students, including those with hearing impairments, can understand the instructor. This allows students to observe facial expressions and body language, enhancing comprehension and engagement in the learning process. Instructors can also demonstrate respect and acknowledge each student’s presence and participation.
Read aloud materials that are presented visually, including slides (Hogan & Sathy, 2022).
Impact: Ensures that students with visual impairments can access the content through auditory means while helping students who struggle with reading or comprehension better understand the material by hearing it read aloud. Reading aloud visual materials accommodates learners who prefer listening and processing information through spoken words. It also benefits learners who can simultaneously observe the slides and connect the visual content with the spoken words, reinforcing their understanding.
Pace lecture delivery, including speaking voice volume and speed.
Impact: Ensures that all students can hear and understand the lecture content, including those with hearing impairments or auditory processing difficulties. Adjusting speaking speed can help students with cognitive disabilities or language barriers to comprehend and retain information more effectively. Instructors can use pauses, repetition, and clear transitions between topics to help students process and organize information, making the lecture more accessible to all learners.
References
Davis, B. G. (2009). Tools for Teaching (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Hogan, K. A., & Sathy, V. (2022). Inclusive teaching: Strategies for promoting equity in the college classroom. West Virginia University Press.
