We all dislike monotony, as we so often learn on Inset days.

I have delivered insets and, despite good intentions, realised that I am one of five speakers in a two-hour slot. It quickly becomes information overload.

Eyelids start to droop. And then, the worst feedback of all: people leave the room asking each other what that was all about.

In efforts to restrict movement around school buildings, some schools have introduced longer or double lessons. Many teachers now face the prospect of two- or three-hour lessons, sometimes with students who have to remain in the same classroom all day.

These are unusual times, but it’s important that we do not slip into monotony. Successful teaching of longer lessons is a craft that is easily mastered by varying content and delivery styles. Here’s how:

1. Use quizzes

Retrieval practice is nothing new. Teachers across ages and stages use it to excellent effect to keep students’ understanding up to date.

Quizzes can be used to consolidate new or previously learned knowledge. Low-stakes retrieval practice and longer-response quizzing can be used at any point in the lesson and they don’t need to take the same form each time. Lists, diagrams, and longer analytical responses can all be included.

Just remember to remind your students that there is to be no flicking back through the exercise books to search for answers!

2. Teach through examples

Longer lessons give us an opportunity to work with methods that we haven’t previously tried, or to consider the ways we approach basic and more complex concepts.

Teaching through examples means that we are not just describing, or telling. We are also not just giving examples and anecdotes; there is a clear and efficient way to structure the process.

For extra reading on how to approach it, Tom Needham has blogged about sequencing and ordering in examples here.

The Set-Up Principle is also enlightening; the way in which we select and present examples is crucial to students’ understanding. Small and irrelevant differences can really muddy the waters.

3. Dialogue not monologue

Dialogue between the teacher and the students, and between students themselves, can result in enhanced understanding and increased confidence. Short bursts of dialogue - such as think, pair share - can be highly effective for students to consolidate ideas and for the teacher to assess understanding.

Longer discussions between teachers and students can also be hugely beneficial. We sometimes feel that we don’t have time in one lesson for dialogue, so this new era of brings with it some golden opportunities.

Above all else, give yourself time to adjust to the new pace of the lesson. All change is tricky at first, but soon these longer lessons will feel as normal as applying antibacterial gel and shopping in a face mask.

Sarah Barker is a teacher of English at Orchard School Bristol. She has been assistant headteacher and head of English previously. She tweets at @mssfax and blogs at roundlearning.org