Jo introduced academic skills support into Contract Law: structured lecture handouts as an accessible learning tool designed to help students to manage the course material.

Teaching area

Lectures

Course

Core module with 350+ students:

• LLB Law and all LLB Law with another subject courses (such as Law with International Relations; Law with Politics), Level 4
• Graduate Entry Contract Law/Contract Law Advanced (Level 5): small cohort – normally no more than 20 students

Description

In my Contract Law module, I introduced structured lecture handouts as an accessible learning tool designed to support students before, during and after the lecture. The handouts replicate the essential information included on the lecture PowerPoint slides, providing students with a clear outline of key concepts, definitions and frameworks. I advise students to use these handouts as a scaffold for their own note-taking rather than as a substitute for engagement. The intention is to help students focus their attention on understanding and applying content rather than attempting to capture every detail in real time. This approach also reduces the cognitive load associated with simultaneous listening, processing and typing, particularly for students with additional learning needs or for whom English is an additional language. By offering a consistent structure across sessions, the handouts support better organisation, clearer revision pathways and increased confidence in managing course material.

Outcomes

Academic skills and student support

Student feedback has been consistently positive, with learners emphasising clearer understanding and more meaningful note-taking. The clear structure helps students to stay focused on the lecture content.

Comments

From my own perspective, the handouts have created a more inclusive and equitable learning environment by ensuring all students begin with the same level of access to core information.