Definition and Basic Concept
Microteaching is an organized teaching
improvement technique where the experimental teacher teaches a small group of
audience (peers).The audience and trainer makes correction where necessary,
improves and re-teach until the desired result is achieved/learned.
It employs real teaching situation for developing
skills and helps to get deeper knowledge regarding the art of teaching.
This technique involved the steps of “plan, teach,
observe, re-plan, re-teach and re-observe” to conduct a postmortem.
This technique was invented in the mid-1960s at
Stanford University by Dr. Dwight W. Allen, micro-teaching has been used with success for
several decades now, as a way to help teachers acquire new skills.
Two important factor
of Microteaching
1)
Technique
A teacher is asked to prepare a short lesson
(usually 20 minutes) for a small group of learners who may not have been their
own students. This was videotaped, using VHS. After the lesson, the teacher,
teaching colleagues, a master teacher and the students together viewed the
videotape and commented on what they saw happening, referencing the teacher's
learning objectives. Seeing the video and getting comments from colleagues and
students provided teachers with an often intense "under the
microscope" view of their teaching.
2)
feedback
Feedback
is an important part after each practice session. The modern-day multimedia
equipment such as audio–video recording devices have a key role in the learning
process.
It focuses on what was done well and suggestions
for improvement. Each participant is expected to give and receive constructive
feedback!
Qualities of effective feedback:
§ It is
descriptive, specific, and focuses on changeable actions
§ It identifies
what was done well and what might be improved
Core skills applicable in Microteaching
The core
techniques involved with microteaching are based on the fact that teaching can
be analyzed and estimated using various simple teaching tasks/skills, which are
a set of behavior or acts of the teacher that facilitates learning (directly or
indirectly). During the origin of microteaching, almost 20 teaching skills have
been identified. But, it has now increased up to 37 or even more. Listed below
are some of the important teaching skills.
1)
Lesson planning
It involves
the preparation of a micro-lesson which should be organized in a logical
sequence. The content should be concise, appropriate, relevant, and could cover
the specified duration.
2)
Presentation and explanation
This involves
the skills required to explain with clarity and proper understanding of the
concepts. The components include teacher enthusiasm, creating readiness by a
beginning statement or topic sentence, effective explanation, planned
repetition, and concluding statements or key messages with summary of
explanation.
3)
Illustrating with examples
The teacher
trainee should be able to rightly explain the concept by simple, relevant, and
interesting examples to increase learners’ understanding.
4)
Reinforcement
This skill is
meant for increasing the participation of the learners in the development of
teaching process. Use of positive verbal and non-verbal cues would be key
component for this skill.
5)
Stimulus variation
Securing and
sustaining the attention of the learner is imperative for a good teacher. The
effective components of the skill are gestures, change in speech pattern, and
change in interaction style.
6)
Probing questions
It is
important to allow and encourage the fellow trainees to ask structured
questions and clarify doubts. Redirection, refocusing, and increasing critical
awareness are significant components of this skill.
7)
Classroom management
Providing
proper instructions, restricting inappropriate behavior, and calling the
learners by name are essentials of this skill.
8)
Using audiovisual aids
The increased
awareness of the audiovisual aids is important for this skill. Adequate
spacing, distinct size, proper spacing between words and lines, and use of
relevant words or phrases are the key components for this skill.
