Small Teaching Strategies

James M. Lang is a professor of English and the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption College in Worcester, MA, where he teaches courses in British literature and in creative nonfiction writing. The author of five books, including Small Teaching and On Course: A Week- by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching, and more than a hundred reviews or essays, on topics ranging from higher education to British literature. Lang writes a monthly column for The Chronicle of Higher Education as well as edits a series of books on teaching and learning in higher education for the University of West Virginia Press. He has delivered public lectures and faculty workshops at more than fifty colleges or universities in the United States and abroad, and is currently a roster member of the Fulbright Specialist Program in higher education.

"I’m a big believer in the opening and closing minutes of class. I think those are really ripe opportunities for small teaching."

- James Lang author of Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning

 

Book cover of "Small Teaching" by James M. Lang.

The book Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James Lang was the selection for the Inaugural Book Club Learning Community. In this book, Dr. Lang describes strategies for improving student learning with a series of small-scale changes that can make a big impact. Designed to connect primary research and the classroom environment, these strategies can be implemented by faculty in any discipline and integrated into pre-existing teaching techniques.

Each chapter introduces a basic concept in cognitive theory, explains when and how it should be employed and provides examples of how the intervention has been used in a variety of disciplines.

  • Part I Knowledge: Retrieving, Predicting, Interleaving
  • Part II Understanding: Connecting, Practicing, Self-Explaining
  • Part III Inspiration: Motivating, Growing, Expanding

Since the fall kick-off, several departments have chosen the book as the basis for their consideration. The inaugural learning community had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Lang via video conferencing, hear him discuss strategies for the beginnings and endings of class periods, units, and the course, and have him answer our questions.

A good summary of several key topics can be found in the Small Changes in Teaching series in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Lang's excellent book provides many evidence-based practical suggestions. Contact your instructional designer to talk through strategies that might be effective for your class.

Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classes
Book cover of "Small Teaching Online" by Flower Darby with James M. Lang

Small teaching is a phrase coined by James M. Lang to describe an incremental approach to improving our instruction. Flower Darby's book looks at small teaching in an online environment.

 

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