MICROTEACHING

INTRODUCTION:

Microteaching is one of the most important development in the field of teaching

practice. It is originated in Stanford University in 1963. It is considered a mechanism of
feedback device for the modification of teacher trainees. Microteaching is a very complex
teaching activity that involves simultaneous application of multiple skills.

MEANING:

Basically, microteaching is a ‘scaled down teaching encounter’ in which a teacher

teaches a small unit to a group of 5 to 10 students for a small period of 5 to 10 minutes and
one teaching skill is practiced during the teaching.

DEFINITION:

1. “Microteaching defined as a ‘scaled down teaching encounter ‘in class size and class
time”.
-Allen (1966)
2. “Microteaching as a teacher training procedure which reduces the teaching situation to
simpler and more controlled encounter by limiting the practice teaching to a specific
skill and reducing teaching time and class size”.

-Chift and others (1976)

CHARACTERISTICS:

1. It is a real teaching but focuses on developing teaching skills.

2. It is a scaled down teaching.
a. To reduce the class size 5 to 10 pupils.
b. To reduce the duration of period 5 to 10.
c. To reduce the size of the topic.
d. To reduce the teaching skill
3. It is a highly individualized training device.
4. It provides the feedback for trainee’s performance.
5. It is a training device to prepare effective teachers.

PURPOSES OF MICROTEACHING:

1. To improve teachers teaching skill.

2. To improve skill of public speaking.
3. To review a topic
4. Update knowledge
5. To enable the teacher to concise
6. An organized way of planning
 7. To master a topic
8. To improve specific skills
9. To master specific knowledge
10. To change a routine
11.To cover syllabus
12.The teach time management, A. V. Aid management
13. Incidental health education

TEACHING SKILLS:

Microteaching is used for developing certain teaching skills.

A teaching skill is defined as a set of teacher behaviours which are especially

effective in bringing about desired changes in pupil-teachers.

Allen and Ryans (1969) suggested the following fourteen teaching skills:

(1) Stimulus Variation

(2) Set induction
(3) Closure
(4) Silence and non-verbal cues
(5) Skill of reinforcement
(6) Fluency in questioning
(7) Probing questions
(8) Recognizing and attention behaviour
(9) Stimulating and use of examples
(10) Skill of explaining
(11) Skill of increasing pupil participation
(12) Skill of writing objectives
(13) Skill of using blackboard
(14) Skill of class management
(15) Skill of using audio
(16) Skill of giving assignments
(17) Skill of pacing lesson
(18) The use of higher order questions
(19) Divergent question
(20) Lecturing
(21) Planned repetition
(22) Completeness of communication
PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING MICROTEACHING:-

1. Psychological theory of reinforcement:- In microteaching , the student teacher is given

encouragement from time to time for his better performance with the feedback.
2. The pedagogic principle of practice and drill:- Teaching is a complex shell which
needs constant practice.
3. Principle of evaluation:- evaluation by supervisor and evaluation of own experience.
4. Principle of experimentation
5. Principle of microscopic supervision:-pay full attention to a particular skill.
6. The principle of continuity:- Teaching feedback re-teaching feedback.

PHASES OF MICROTEACHING :-

Clift and others(1976) have given three phases of microteaching procedure:

I. Knowledge acquisition phase:- it involves two major activities:

a. To observe demonstration skill
b. To analyse and discuss demonstration
II. Skill acquisition phase:- three activities are performed under this phase in the
following sequence:
a. To prepare micro-lesson
b. To practice teaching skill
c. To evaluate the performance

ACTIVITIES OF MICROTEACHING:-

The three phases involves certain steps:

1. Orientation of the student teachers:

This involves providing necessary information and theoretical background about
microteaching of the following aspects like:
a. Concept of microteaching
b. Rationale or significance of using microteaching
c. Procedures of microteaching
d. Requirement and setting for the adoption of microteaching technique
2. Discussion of teaching skills, knowledge and understanding of the following steps is
developed:
 Analysis of teaching into components teaching skills
 Discussion of the rationale and role of these skills in teaching
 Discussion regarding the component teaching behaviour comprising various
teaching skills
3. Selection of particular teaching skill:
 Each skill needs to be practiced at a time
  It is necessary to observe a model of demonstration lesson on the selected
particular skill.
4. Presentation of a model demonstration on a particular skill
5. Observation of the model lessons
6. Criticism of the model lesson
7. Preparation of the micro-lesson plan
8. Creation of microteaching setting:- the model of microteaching developed by NCERT
gives the following setting:
a. Number of pupils: 5-10
b. Types of pupils: real pupils or preferably peers
c. Type of supervisor: teacher and peers
d. Time duration of microteaching cycle: 36 min. Teach 6 min.
 Feedback: 6 min.
 Re-plan: 12 min.
 Re-teach: 6 min.
 Re-feedback: 6 min.
9. Practice of the skill(teaching session):
 The student teacher teaches the prepared lesson for 6 min. to a micro class of 5
to 10 pupils or peers.
 The teaching activity is supervised by the teacher and other student teachers.
10. Providing feedback:
 Peers and teacher observing the micro lesson may provide immediate feedback
 Where possible mechanical gadgets like the videotape, audiotape, TV may be
used for providing feedback
11. Re-planning (Re-planning session):
 The student teacher re-plans his microteaching based on the feedback received
 He is given twelve minutes for this purpose
12. Re-teaching session:
Lasts for 6 min. The student teacher re-teaches his micro-lesson on the basis of his re-
planned lesson
13. Providing re-feedback(re-feedback session
14. Integration of teaching skills

STEPS OF MICROTEACHING:

It is also known as the MICROTEACHING CYCLE and includes the following six steps:

1. Plan
2. Teach
3. Feedback
4. Re-plan
5. Re-teach
 6. Re-feedback

ADVANTAGES OF MICROTEACHING:-

 It is an effective feedback device for the modification of teacher behaviour

 The knowledge and practice of teaching skills can be given by the use of
microteaching
 It is useful for developing teaching efficiency in pre-service and in-service teacher
education programme
 The specific teaching skills are developed by the microteaching experience. Eg- Re-
inforcement skill
 It is a training device for improving teaching practice and prepare effective teachers
 The mechanisms of feedback device can be combined with other devices which
provide continuous re-inforcement to the trainee performance
 The training of teacher become individualized
 It permits increased control and regulates teaching practice
 Microteaching can be done either in real classroom conditions or in simulated
conditioned
 It is an economical device and to use of videotape enables the trainee to analyze his
own teaching performance
 It lessens the complexities of the normal classroom teaching by ‘scaled down teaching’
 It focuses attention on teaching behaviour to modify and improve in the desired
direction

DISADVANTAGES OF MICROTEACHING:

 Putting total skills(14-20skills) is difficult in microteaching

 5 to 10 min not sufficient to give full lesson
 It is not feasible actual practice 50-60 students in class not 4-10
 It is costly needs tape recorder, video tape, CCTV

CONCLUSION:

In the conclusion I would like to say that microteaching can be and is most effective in
having the teachers skills of a novice teacher and with the effective use of education
technology than this method can help the student teacher gain a lot of confidence in teaching
therefore making a good teacher and importantly conveying the information to the students
effectively.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Medical Publishers.pg-288-294
3. Sharma Suresh K. and Sharma R. “communication and educational technology
in nursing” I edition 2012 Elsevier publishers.pg-267-272
4. Sudha R. “Nursing Education ,principles and concept ’’I edition, 2013, Jaypee
Brothers medical publishers.pg- 102-104
5. Nima Bhaskar “Text Book of Nursing Education” I Edition, 2013, EMMESS
Publication, Pg- 162-169