Understanding lecture content can be difficult for
students. Listening is an active rather than a
passive skill, especially for the second language learner.
They are processing the words, attempting to understand
the main ideas presented and drawing on what they
already know to make sense of the material presented in
the lecture, in their second language. This is especially
true for first year undergraduate and postgraduate
students, who are developing their English
language skills and learning in a western
There are strategies that can be used in the
design and delivery of the lecture that can assist in making
the conventional lecture more accessible for
students: