MODULE 6
MICROTEACHING
What is Micro-Teaching?
You’ll deliver a short teaching session, either online, recorded or in
person. This could mean presenting to your mentor or school
colleagues, or a small group or class. Microteaching is a concept
in teacher training that gives teachers the opportunity to review
their own performance and receive feedback on their ability and
developing skill as a teacher. You may be asked to take part in a
micro-teach as part of your Teacher Training Program.
How Can Micro-Teaching Make You A Better Teacher?
Micro-teaching is just one way that teachers can receive immediate
feedback on their teaching skills and style. It involves teaching a
short lesson or piece of knowledge to a group of peers, colleagues
or students. The subject of micro-teach can vary – it may be
tailored to your prospective
audience or on a subject you
personally have a passion for –
whatever you chose to teach, it
should be something you feel
confident in putting across.
TIPS FOR A GREAT MICRO-
TEACH
Prepare – Planning your micro-teach using lesson-planning skills you
already have will make it easy to define the objective, resources
required and afterwards, the success of your lesson
Plan Interaction – We are all more used to being in front of a camera
than ever before, but whether you are presenting your micro teach
‘live’ or recording it for your own or others review it’s important to
build the possibility of engagement into your lesson.
Keep Control – Keeping the interest of your audience is essential.
You’ll need to tread the line between theatrics and lecturing
Mind The Clock – With such a small time frame, make sure you are
highlighting the most relevant and interesting points to captivate your
audience. Leave time for questions, or a summary if you are recording.
Microteaching is a teacher training technique that allows student
teachers to practice and refine their teaching skills in a low-risk,
simulated classroom environment. The method, also used for
retraining or fine-tuning the skills of practicing teachers, was
developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Dwight Allen and his
colleagues at Stanford University.
Benefits of Microteaching
Microteaching provides ongoing training for
student teachers and retraining for
classroom teachers in a simulated
environment. These practice sessions enable
student teachers to perfect their teaching
techniques before applying them in the
classroom.
Microteaching sessions also allow student teachers to prepare for a variety of classroom
scenarios, including working with students of different skill levels and backgrounds.
Lastly, microteaching provides valuable opportunities for self-evaluation and peer
feedback.
The Microteaching Cycle
Microteaching is accomplished cyclically, allowing student teachers to practice new
skills in order to attain mastery.
Classroom Instruction
First, student teachers learn the basics of an individual lesson through
lectures, textbooks, and demonstration (via an instructor or video lessons). Skills
studied include communication, explanation, lecturing, and engaging students. They
may also include organization, illustrating lessons with examples, and answering
student questions.
Lesson Planning
Next, the student teacher plans a short lesson that will enable them to practice these
new skills in a mock classroom situation. Though the classroom environment is
simulated, student teachers should consider their presentation an actual lesson and
present it in an engaging, logical, and understandable manner.
Teaching and Feedback
The student teacher conducts the lesson for their instructor and peer group. The session
is recorded so that the student teacher can watch it later for self-evaluation.
Immediately following the microteaching session, the student teacher receives feedback
from their instructor and peers.
Peer feedback should be specific and balanced (include observations on strengths as
well as weaknesses) with the goal of helping the student teacher improve. It’s helpful for
peers to focus on their personal experience using “I” statements and to provide specific
detail in their feedback. For example, when providing constructive criticism, "I had
trouble hearing you at times" is more helpful than “You need to speak louder.” When
offering praise, “I felt confident commenting because you made eye contact with me” is
more helpful than "You engage well with students.”
Need of Micro Teaching
Following are the need of micro-teaching which are given below-
1. Micro-teaching is a very flexible method which is organized on the basis
of subject and circumstances.
2. Micro teaching is very necessary to remove the complexities of the
course duration and subjects.
3. On the basis of the changes brought in the students through micro-
teaching, the backing is provided immediately.
4. Micro-learning is essential for evaluating specific exams.
Phases of Micro Teaching
1. Knowledge Acquisition Phase
2. Skill Acquisition Phase
3. Transfer Phase
1. Knowledge Acquisition Phase
In the learning stage, the student teacher acquires the knowledge of various
teaching skills, for which she is to be trained.
2. Skill Acquisition Phase
In the skill acquisition stage, the student teacher after seeing the
demonstration lesson prepares a curriculum plan for micro-teaching. And then
practices that skill till he attains proficiency in that skill. Two components of
this stage are important–
1. Feedback Status
2. Micro learning planning stage
3. Transfer Phase
In the transfer stage, the student teacher transfers the skills learned through
micro-teaching to actual classroom situations. and completes the teaching
process.
