The "lecture" is perhaps the most frequently cited as well as the most maligned method of instruction. When properly used, with the right content for appropriate lengths of time and integrated with other instructional strategies, lecturing can contribute to effective teaching and learning.

Effective teachers use an introduction to put students in a receptive frame of mind that will facilitate learning as the instructor seeks to focus attention on the objective(s) for the day, create and organizational framework for the information which is to be presented, and stimulate interest in the topic which will gain and hold the attention of students. Steps for planning a lecture include:

The preparation of a topical outline permits the instructor to consider all elements of the topic to be lectured on so that a complete structural framework can be conceptualized. This organizational framework is important as it establishes major and minor points as well as a chain of reasoning within the topic that provides for the logical linking of associations by the learner.

After the content of the lecture has been outlined, the instructor needs to complete the preparation of the lesson plan which provides the context for the lecture and provides activities that will increase instructional effectiveness and learning on the part of the student. For example, formulate questions to promote deep levels of thinking (See Bloom's Taxonomy), use various mediums that accommodate all learning styles.

Keep the following things in mind when delivering a lecture. As an instructor, you wish to minimize student distractions and maximize student learning.

The instructor needs to provide a closure to the instruction given. Typically, the conclusion will involve a review of the main points that the instructor wishes the students to remember.