I find that students are more engaged when they view talking to us as a 2-way conversation. Sometimes it can take a group a little while to get going, and I have found that asking them if they have any questions can be helpful to start that momentum.

I will also ask them questions in reply to a question they have asked me. Like if they want to know my opinion on something I might ask them their opinion too. This helps me get a better idea of what exactly the student is interested in.

I try to match my replies with the language they are using to make sure we are all on the same page. For example, I specialise in microbiology. To some students, it will already be obvious what this means. For others, I might add a simple explanation like ‘I specialise in microbiology which means I study small life’. Don’t worry though – students often let you know if they want more info or a different explanation.

I also find it helpful to keep up with the national school curriculum so that I know when the majority of students will have been introduced to particular concepts. There isn’t enough time to explain DNA replication if the students haven’t been taught DNA structure yet.