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MICRO TEACHING





MICRO- TEACHING
Introduction
  There are no two opinions that the existing pattern of teacher training programmes have failed to develop desirable teaching competencies and teaching skills among the prospective teachers. To overcome the practice teaching programme and thereby to encourage the practice teaching programme, a new way emerged and that is, microteaching.
   Micro-teaching is one of the most recent innovations in teacher training programme. It is essentially a training technique. It aims at modifying teacher’s behaviour according to the specified objectives. It was first introduced at the Stanford University in 1961 by Dwight.W. Allen and his co-workers. It is a training procedure aiming at simplifying the complexities of the regular teaching process. In a micro-teaching procedure, the trainee is engaged in a scaled down teaching situation. It is scaled down in   size (5-10 students), class time (5-10 minutes) and teaching task (small topic).
  A teacher can use several techniques and procedures to bring about effective learning on the part of his/her students. These activities include introducing the lesson, demonstration, explaining or questioning. These activities form what are called teaching skills. Micro-teaching allows practicing any skill independently and integrating it with other skills in familiar environment.

Definitions
  “Micro-teaching is a scaled down teaching encounter, in class size and class time.” (Allen D.W.)

  “Micro-teaching is a system of controlled practice that makes it possible to concentrate on specific teaching skills and to practice teaching under controlled conditions.” (Allen & Eve).
  “Micro teaching is a scaled down teaching encounter designed to develop new skills and refine old ones.” (Mcknight)
  Micro teaching is a real constructed scaled down teaching encounter which is used for teacher training, curriculum development and research.” (Encyclopedia of Education)

  “Micro-teaching is a training technique which requires student teachers to teach a single concept using specified teaching skill to a small number of pupils in a short duration of time.”(B.K.Passi & Lalitha M.S.).

Objectives of Microteaching
To enable teacher trainees to learn and assimilate new teaching skills under controlled    conditions.
To enable teacher trainees to master a number of teaching skills.
To enable teacher trainees to gain confidence in teaching.

 Characteristics of micro teaching
  •   Microteaching is relatively a new innovation in the field of teacher education.
  • It is a training technique and not a teaching method.
  •   It is scaled down teaching
a)      which reduces the class size 5 to10 pupils?
b)      which reduces the duration of period 5 to 10 minutes.
c)      which reduces the size of the topic.
d)     which reduces the teaching skill.
  • The content is divided into smaller units which makes the teaching easier.
  •   It is a real teaching, though the teaching situation is simulated.
  •  In micro teaching teacher trainee practices one a specific teaching skill at a time, till she/he attains mastery over the skill.
  • It operates on a predefined model. Plan, teach, feedback, re- plan, re- teach, re-feedback, etc.
  • It is not a substitute but a supplement to the teacher training programme.
  • It is a cyclic process. The pre decided model is repeated till the trainee achieves the expected level of mastery.
  • It provides adequate feedback.
  • Microteaching provides opportunity to select one skill at a time.
  • Microteaching is highly individualised training technique.
  • Microteaching permits a high degree of control in practicing a particular skill.
  • Use of video tapes and closed circuit television makes observation very objective.
  • Microteaching is an analytic approach to training.

Important features of microteaching

1                    Micro –element
Micro teaching reduces the complexities of the teaching situations in terms of :
a)      Number of students are to be taught [5-10]
b)      Duration of the lesson [5-10 minutes]
c)      Subject-matter to be taught [small content]
d)     Teaching skills to be concentrated upon [only one particular skill at a time].

2      Teaching skills and teaching strategies
  •   Teaching skills may be defined as a set of teacher behaviour which are especially effective in bringing about desired changes in student teachers.
  •       The activities and behaviours that facilitate learning in students are called teaching skills.
  •       Instructional techniques and procedures used by the teacher in classroom are known as teaching skills.

Components of teaching skills
Teaching skills is a set of strictly overt behaviours of the teacher (verbal and non- verbal) that can be observed, measured and modified. Its 3 components are:
  • Perception- teaching skills have a perceptual component for observing and receiving feedback.
  •    Cognition- it refers to the behavior or experience of knowing in which there is some degree awareness, as in thinking and problem solving.
  • Action- teaching skills demand every teacher to actually practice his/her perceived and acquired knowledge in an effective manner in the classroom.
Three types of skills are: 
a)       Pre- instructional skills
  These skills include writing instructional objectives, sequencing and organizing knowledge to be presented in order to achieve specific objectives, appropriate content, proper organization, selection of proper Audio-Visual aids etc.
b)     Instructional skills
  These include skills of introducing a lesson, skills of explaining and illustrating, reinforcement, probing questions, reinforcing pupil participation, diagnosing pupils difficulties, etc.
c)      Post-instructional skills
  These include skills of writing test items, interpreting pupil’s performance in a test, planning remedial measures, etc.
3.       Feedback element
  The feedback element is the third important feature of micro teaching. This term refers to giving information to the teacher trainee about his performance. The information includes the points of strength as well as weakness relating to his/her performance. This helps the teacher trainee to improve upon his/her performance in the desired direction. The following are the important elements of feedback,
a)      The simplest source is the oral feedback of the supervisor.
b)      Another source of feedback consists of questionnaires filled in by the pupils learning in the micro lesson.
c)      Audio tape recordings are an important source of accurate feedback.
d)     The most accurate and powerful source of feedback is the video tape recording.
4.   Safe practice grounds
  Providing a safe practice-ground is another important feature of micro-teaching. It provides a safe ground for practicing each skill. For this:
a)      A micro teaching laboratory seems to be one effective answer.
b)      Teaching is performed under simulated conditions with a small group.
c)      One skill at a time and reduced duration and topic makes it easy.
5.      The teaching models
  Demonstration lesson given by the supervisor or a tape or a film offer models for the desired pattern of behavior. The models help the trainee to develop a style of his /her work.

                                     Steps in micro teaching
1.      Orientation of the student teachers
   It involves providing necessary information and theoretical background about micro teaching on the following aspects: i. Concept of micro teaching. ii. Significance of using micro teaching. iii. Procedures of micro teaching. iv. Requirements and setting for adopting micro teaching technique.
2.      Discussion of teaching skills
  In this step the concept of teaching skill is clarified to the teacher trainee. He develops knowledge and understanding about: i. analysis of teaching into different component teaching skills, ii. Discussing the component teaching behaviours of teaching skills, iii. Significance of these skills in classroom teaching.
It is necessary to define the skills to be developed in terms of specific teaching behaviour
3.      Selection of a particular teaching skill
  The teaching skills are to be practiced by taking them one at a time. The teacher trainee selects a particular teaching skill for practice.
4.      Presentation of a model demonstration lesson
  A demonstration lesson in that particular teaching skill is presented before the teacher trainee. This stage is known as modelling. Demonstration can be given in a number of ways.
- By exhibiting a film or a video tape.
- By making them to listen an audiotape.
- By arranging a demonstration lesson from a live model i.e. by the teacher educator or some expert.
- By providing written material such as hand book, guide etc.
5.      Observation and  criticism of the model lesson
  At this stage, what is read, listened and observed through a modelling source is carefully analysed by the trainee. An observation schedule is designed for the observation of the lesson and is distributed to the teacher trainee. A critical appraisal of the model lesson is made by the student teachers on the basis of the observation and analysis.
6.       Preparation of micro lesson plan
   For practicing the demonstrated teaching skill the student teacher prepares a micro lesson plan on a topic. For this he/she may take guidance and help from the teacher educator, books etc. This involves the selection of the topic and related content of such a nature in which the use of components of the skill under practice may be made easily and conveniently. The topic is analyzed into different activities of the teacher and the pupils. The activities are planned in such a logical sequence where maximum application of the components of a skill is possible.

7. Creation of micro-teaching setting
  The Indian model of micro-teaching developed by NCERT gives the following setting. –
- no. of pupils - 5-10
- type of pupils - real pupils or preferably peers
- type of supervisors - teacher educators or peers.
- Time duration for micro-teaching lesson  – 6 minutes
- Time duration for micro-teaching cycle   36 minutes
This duration is divided as :
Teaching     6 minutes
Feedback  _     6 minutes
Re-plan        12 minutes
Re-teach        6 minutes
Re-feedback –6 minutes
8.   Practice of the Skill (Teach)
  Under this step the student teacher teaches a micro-lesson to a micro-class. This involves the attempts of the teacher trainee to use the components of the skill in suitable situations coming up in the process of teaching-learning as per his/her planning of activities. If the situation is different and not as visualized in the planning of the activities, the teacher should modify his/her behaviour as per the demand of the situation in the class. He should have the courage and confidence to handle the situation arising in the class effectively. This lesson is observed by the teacher educator and the peer group with the help of the appropriate observation schedule. The lesson can be recorded using an audiotape or video tape.
9. Feedback or The critique session
  Immediate feedback is given by the teacher educator and the peer group. The information includes the points of strength as well as weakness relating to his/her performance. This helps the teacher trainee to improve upon  his/her performance in the desired direction.
Possible mechanical gadgets like video-tape, audio-tape, CCTV may be used for getting feedback.
10. The Replanning Session
  On the basis of the feedback the student teacher re-plans the lesson incorporating the points of strength and removing the points that is not skillfully handled during teaching in the previous attempt either on the same topic or on another topic suiting to the teacher trainee for improvement. He/she is given 12 minutes for this purpose.
11. The Re-teaching Session
  The revised lesson is re-taught by the student teacher. This involves teaching to the same group of pupils if the topic is changed or to a different group of pupils if the topic is the same. This is done to remove boredom or monotony of the pupil. The teacher trainee teaches the class with renewed courage and confidence to perform better than the previous attempt.



12. Re-feedback 

  This is the most important component of Micro-teaching for behaviour modification of teacher trainee in the desired direction in each and every skill practice. The lesson is again observed and the feedback is again provided by the supervising teacher educator and the observers.
13. Repeating the Cycle
  This micro teaching-cycle is repeated by the teacher trainee till the skill is acquired.
MICRO-TEACHING CYCLE



Teaching -      6 minutes
Feedback -     6 minutes
Re-plan  -      12 minutes
Re-teach  -      6 minutes
Re-feedback -6 minutes
                   =  36 minutes
       The components of the microteaching cycle are shown in Figure. The Microteaching cycle starts with planning. In order to reduce the complexities involved in teaching, the student teacher is asked to plan a "micro lesson" i.e. a short lesson for 5-10 minutes which he will teach in front of a "micro class” i.e. a group consisting 5-10 students, a supervisor and peers if necessary.  The student teacher is asked to teach concentrating one or few of the teaching skills enumerated earlier. His/her teaching is evaluated by the students, peers and the supervisor using checklists to help them. Video recording can be done if facilities permit. At the- end of the 5 or 10 minutes session as planned, the teacher is given a feedback on the deficiencies noticed in his teaching methodology. Feedback can be aided by playing back the video recording. Using the feedback to help himself, the teacher is asked to re-plan  his/her lesson keeping the comments in view and reteach immediately the same lesson to another group. Such repeated cycles of teaching, feedback and re-teaching help the teacher to improve his/her teaching skills one at a time. Several such sequences can be planned at the departmental level. Colleagues and postgraduate students can act as peer evaluators for this purpose. It is important, however, that the cycle is used purely for helping the teacher and not as a tool for making a value judgment of his teaching capacity by his superiors. Time duration for micro-teaching cycle – 36 minutes. This duration is divided as: teaching – 6 minutes, Feedback –6 minutes, Re-plan – 12 minutes, Re-teach – 6 minutes, and Re-feedback –6 minutes.
Phases of Micro Teaching
 Clift (1976) described the following as the phases of micro teaching.
1. Pre-active phase (knowledge acquisition phase)
2. Interactive phase (skill acquisition phase)
3. Post-active phase (Transfer phase)

Phase I. Pre – Active Phase ( Knowledge Acquisition Phase)
  It emphases the understanding of the teaching skill that is to be learnt by the teacher trainee. Besides, a teacher trainee has to acquire certain knowledge from the demonstrator/ supervisor/teacher educator to observe the details of the skill to be demonstrated. Further, the trainee has to sharpen his/her vision to understand the components/ingredients of the skills during demonstration. It envisages the following steps
§ Orientation to micro teaching.
§ Discussion of teaching skills with their components and teaching behaviour.
§ Presentation of modern demonstration lesson by the teacher educator.
§ Observation of the model lesson and criticism by the teacher trainee.

Phase II. Interactive Phase (Skill Acquisition Phase)
  The main objective of this phase is to enable the teacher trainee to practice the teaching skill following micro teaching cycle. During this phase a teacher trainee on the basis of the model demonstration presented , plans a micro lesson for practicing the demonstrated teaching skill and carries out micro teaching cycle till he/she acquires the desired level of mastery. The steps are:
§ Preparation of micro- lesson plan for the related teaching skill.
§ Creating microteaching settings.
§ Practice of teaching skill.
§ Feedback.
§ Re-planning.
§ Re-teaching.
§ Repetition of the micro teaching cycle.

Phase III. Post active phase (Transfer phase)
  The main objective of this phase is to enable the teacher trainee to integrate the teaching skill in real or normal class room situation. Integration of teaching skill may be defined as process of selections organization and utilization of different teaching skills to form an effective pattern for realizing the specified instructional objectives in a teaching learning situation.
   Link Practice
When mastery has been attained in various skills, the teacher trainee is allowed to teach the skills together. This separate training programme to integrate various isolated skills is known as ‘Link Practice’.
·         It helps the trainee to transfer effectively all the skills learnt in the micro teaching sessions.

·         It helps to bridge the gap between training in isolated teaching skills and the real teaching situation faced by a student teacher.

·         Desirable Number of Pupils :  10-15

·         Preferable Duration:  10-15minutes.

·         Desirable Number of Skills : 3-4 Skills

The integration of teaching skills or the link practice can be done in two ways:
i.                    Integration of teaching skills in parts
During this stage the individual teaching skills acquired by the pupil teacher are integrated in parts and not as a whole.  The time duration of the teaching exercise for integration depends upon the number of teaching skills to be integrated. Hence after practicing three sub-skills separately, the trainee may combine all the three sub skills in a lesson of 10-15 minutes. Then the trainee practices another set of three sub-skills separately and links them. He/she then combines all the six skills in a single lesson. This sequence is continued till the entire sub-skills are combined in a macro lesson of 40 minutes. Time is increased four times, if there are four skills to be integrated i.e.  3 or 4 teaching skills are integrated and transferred them into a lesson of 15-20 minutes duration. And again 3 or 4 skills are integrated and are transferred all the skills to one lesson. After acquiring mastery in the integration of skills the teacher trainee is required to apply the integration of skills in a real classroom setting.
ii.                  Integration of teaching skill as whole
In this approach, opportunity is provided to integrate all the individual teaching   skills by taking them as a whole and not in parts
Advantages of micro teaching
Ø  Helps in reducing the complexities of the normal class room teaching.
Ø   Helps the teacher trainee gain more confidence in real teaching.
Ø  It helps in developing important teaching skills.
Ø  It creates among the teacher trainees an awareness of various skills of which teaching is composed of.
Ø  Provides safe practice ground.
Ø  Simulated teaching- It simulates the class room scene and gives the teacher trainee an experience of real teaching.
Ø  It helps in systematic and objective analysis of the pattern of class room communication through specific observation schedule.
Ø   It is more effective in modifying teacher behaviour.
Ø   It is an effective technique for transfer of teaching competencies to the class room.
Ø   It helps in getting acquainted with class room manners to a certain extent.
Ø  Feedback enables the teacher trainee to consciously concentrate on specific behavioural modification.
Ø   It helps the teacher trainees in better understanding of the meaning and concept of the term teaching.
Ø  Immediate feedback
Ø 
Demerits
Ø  Micro teaching is skill oriented and not content oriented. It does not emphasise content.
Ø  It covers only a few specific skills.
Ø  Micro teaching can be carried on successfully in a controlled environment only.
Ø  Micro teaching is very time consuming.
Ø  Lack of material resources like video recording facility.
Ø  The question of integrating the skill is quite challenging.
Ø  Teaching is not just a summation of isolated teaching skills.
Ø  Sufficient literature on micro teaching is not yet available.
Ø  Strict scheduling of time affects the creativity of teachers.
Ø  Lack of trained supervisors:-For successful execution micro teaching requires competent and trained teachers.
Micro teaching and Macro teaching
Micro teaching is a technique of imparting training to would be teachers in the art of teaching by practicing specific teaching skills through scaled down teaching encounter i.e. reducing the complexities of teaching in terms of the size of the class, time and content.
By macro teaching we mean the teaching in regular classes consisting of 40 or more students for 45 minutes. In macro teaching all the skills of teaching are to be integrated.
Comparison between Micro teaching and Traditional teaching:

Micro teaching
Traditional teaching
Objectives are specified in behavioural terms
Objectives are general and not specified in behavioural terms
Class consists of a small group of 5 to 10 students

Class consists of more than 35 students
Duration of time for teaching is 5 to 10 minutes

Duration of time for teaching is 40 to 45 minutes
There is immediate feedback

Immediate feedback is not available
Teaching is relatively simple

Teaching is complex activity
Takes up one skill at a time

Teacher practices several skills at a time
Role of supervisor is specific and well defined to improve teaching
The role of supervisor is not certain
Teaching is carried out in controlled situation

Carried out in uncontrolled Situation


Teaching skills
The analytical concept of teaching considers teaching as a complex skill comprising of various specific teaching skills. These teaching skills can be defined as “a set of teacher behaviour which are especially effective in bringing about desired changes in student teachers.” (Passi 1981).
According to Gage (1968) “teaching skills are specific instructional activities and procedures that a teacher may use in his classroom.”
A teaching skill is that art of the teacher which makes communication between the teacher and pupils sufficiently.
Attempts have been made to list teaching skills. Allen and Ryan listed the following teaching skills at Stanford University in the U.S.A.
1.  Stimulus Variation
2. Set induction
3. Closure
4. Teacher silence and non-verbal cues
5. Reinforcing pupil participation
6. Fluency in questioning
7. Probing questioning
8. Use of higher questions
9. Divergent questions
10. Recognizing and attending behaviour
11. Illustrating and use of examples
12. Lecturing
13. Planned repetition
14. Completeness of communication

B.K. Passi has given the following list of Teaching Skills in his book “Becoming Better Teacher; Micro-teaching Approach”:
1. Writing instructional objectives
2. Introducing a lesson
3. Fluency in questioning
4. Probing questioning
5. Explaining
6. Illustrating with examples
7. Stimulus variation
8. Silence and non-verbal cues
9. Reinforcement
10. Increasing pupil participation
11. Using black board
12. Achieving Closure
13. Recognizing attending behavior

NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) in its publication Core Teaching Skills (1982) has laid stress on the following teaching skills…
• writing instructional objectives
• Organizing the content
• Creating set for introducing the lesson
• introducing a lesson
• Structuring classroom questions
• Question delivery and its distribution
• Response management
• explaining
• illustrating with examples
• Using teaching aids
• Stimulus variation
• Pacing of the lesson
• Promoting pupil participation
• Use of blackboard
• Achieving closure of the lesson
• Giving assignments
• Evaluating the pupil’s progress
• Diagnosing pupil learning difficulties and taking remedial measures
• Management of the class

Core Teaching Skills
             It is not possible to train all the pupil teachers in all these skills in any training programme because of the constraints of time and funds. Therefore a set of teaching skills which cuts across the subject areas has been identified. They have been found very useful for every teacher. The set of these skills are known as core teaching skills. Experts in this field listed different skills as core teaching skills as they have different perspective or opinion. But many of them have listed the following teaching skills as Core Teaching Skills:
1. Skill of introducing a lesson.
2. Skill of Probing Questions
3. Skill of Explaining
4. Skill of Illustrating With Examples
5. Skill of Stimulus Variation                                                                                                                                 

6. Skill of Fluency in Questioning
7. Skill of Reinforcement
8. Skill of Using Blackboard