MICROTEACHING

Dr.Madhuri S Kurdi
Professor
Department of Anaesthesiology
Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences
Hubli, Karnataka
Lecture objectives :
The participants should be able to :
1. Define Microteaching.
2. Define teaching skills.
3. List important components of teaching skills.
4. Understand what is Microteaching.
Explain microteaching cycle.
List the advantages of microteaching.
5. Be able to practise microteaching

Teaching Skills:
 It is that art of the teacher (both verbal & non-verbal commands) which makes
communication between the teacher & the pupils more effective.
 Australian Advisory Committee has analyzed 140 skills. Out of these, few are practised.
These are part of the component skills approach:
a. Lesson planning
b. Set induction – skilll of gaining pupil attention.
c. Presentation – skill of describing, narrating & making the topic interesting as to
make the lesson a memorable one.
d. Stimulus variation.
e. Proper use of AV aids.
f. Reinforcement of student participation.
g. Fluency in questioning.
h. Body language.
i. Teacher’s liveliness – A lively teacher can replace all audio-visual aids.
j. Closure – Method of concluding a lesson summarizing & highlighting the important
points is useful.
k. Take home message.

Need for microteaching:

 We need highly competent & efficient teachers who must be able to communicate
effectively & get his ideas across. For achieving this purpose, the teachers need to acquire
these competencies themselves.

Goal of microteaching- To develop pre-service teachers’ presentation skills.

History:
  The idea of microteaching originated at Stanford University in the USA in the early & mid
1960s by Dwight Allen & his colleagues. It included only 3 steps.

Definition of Microteaching:
 Microteaching is defined as a system of ‘ organised practice teaching’ that makes it possible
to concentrate on specified teaching behaviour & to practice teaching under controlled
conditions.
 Microteaching is a technique aiming to prepare teacher candidates to the real classroom
setting.

What is Microteaching?
Methodology ( How to practice Microteaching?)
 The teacher teaches a small topic ( microlesson) to a class of 8 to 10 students( a microclass)
for a short duration of 5 to 10 minutes(microlesson). During this class, he/she concentrates
on his one/two of his teaching skills.
 The class includes a group of peers & a supervisor. The peers & supervisor give a feedback to
the teacher after the presentation.
 The teacher uses this feedback, analyses the strengths and weaknesses of his teaching skills,
re-plans the lesson & re-teaches it.
Why , When & Where to start microteaching?
― To do better teaching
― Best at the beginning of the profession.
― In a department / College/ University.

Tips to give feedback:

 Always begin and end with strengths of the presentation.
 Points to improve / suggestions.
 Behaviour – amenable to change.
 Be specific.
 Do not comment personally.
 Don’t be judgemental, give suggestions.
 Give few suggestions at a time.

How to give a feedback?

 Sit as a roundtable.
 Presenter opines on his teaching first.
 Other colleagues opine.
 In the end, supervisor gives a constructive feedback.

Tips to receive a feedback:

 No one is expecting perfection!
 Be open!
 Just listen!(quietly!)
 Take notes.
 Ask specific questions/examples if needed.
 Judge the feedback by the person who is giving it.

Advantages of Microteaching:
 It builds up confidence in the teacher.
 Positive criticisim taken in the right spirit heightens a teacher’s potential & helps him to
evolve as an effective teacher.
 Microteaching can be done anywhere.
 It is an efficient , proven & fun way to help teachers get off to a strong start.
 A microteaching session is much more comfortable for the microteacher than a real
classroom situation because in microteaching session , the length of lecture is less and there
is no need to face the chaotic environment of a crowded class .
 The teacher candidate can learn each of the teaching skills by breaking them into smaller
parts.

Limitations of Microteaching:
 Many teachers may resist microteaching sessions as one may not like to be put under
scrutiny.
 Some feel that microteaching creates a highly artificial situation.
 Lack of time & resistance from seniors could be factors responsible for not internalizing it.
 This type of teaching needs somebody to supervise.
 Some say that Microteaching is ‘ Robotic’ i.e. it destroys creativity.
Conclusion:
 Every department must have microteaching sessions for new comers.
 Microteaching helps to build up confidence in the teacher & improve his teaching.

Microteaching : Peers/Students observations:

Skill Teacher’s action Yes To some No

extent

1. Set induction 1.1 Aroused interest in the beginning by

relation to previous learning, throwing a
new idea, questioning etc.

1.2 Specified the objectives of presentation

2. Planning 2.1 Organized material in a logical sequence

2.2 Used relevant content matter

3.Presentation 3.1 Changed the pace of presentation by

shifting emphasis, jokes etc.

3.2 Used specific example to illustrate main

ideas

3.3 Used non-verbal cues, eye contact etc.

4. Pupil 4. Allowed questions from students

Participation 1

4. Asked questions
2

4. Solicited/ raised questions

3

4. Rewarded pupil effort

4

5. Use of AV aids 5. Used proper AV aids

1

5. Used the aid(s) effectively

2

6. Closure 6. Summarized most important points at

 1 the end of the session

7. Any other suggestions for the speaker:

Microteaching: Self-analysis form:

Name: Date:
Guidelines:Complete questions 1,2& 3 before your first session.
Complete questions 4 & 5 before your re-teach lesson
Complete question 6 after your re-teach lesson.

1. List the objectives of your lesson

2. How do you intend to accomplish these objectives?

3. What skill do you intend to specially practice?

4. How successful was the lesson? Cite positive & negatives aspects.

5. What changes do you intend to make for the re-teach lesson in view of the feedback?

6. How effective were the changes you made from the first lesson?
References-

 Allen, DW, Ryan KA. Microteaching. Massachusetts: Addision-Wesley Publishing

Company; 1969.
 Brown G. Microteaching - a programme of teaching skills. Philadelphia: Harper &
Row Publishers Inc; 1975.
 Brusling C. Microteaching: a concept in development. Stockholm: Almqvist &
Wiksell; 1974.
 Döring, KW. Lehren in der Weiterbildung. Weinheim; 1988.
 Gregory TB. Encounters with teaching; a microteaching manual. Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey: Prentice Hall; 1972.
 Hargie O, Maidment P. Microteaching in perspective. Dundonald: Blackstaff Press;
Newtownabbey: Ulster Polytechnic; 1979.
 McGarvey G, Swallow D. Microteaching in teacher education and training. London:
Croom Helm; 1986.
 McIntyre D, MacLeod G, Griffiths R, editors. Investigations of microteaching.
London: Croom Helm; 1977.
 Perrott E. Changes in teaching behaviour after participating in a self-instructional
microteaching course. Educational Medica International 1976;1:16-25.
 Perrott E. Microteaching in higher education : research, development, and practice.
Guildford (Eng.): Society for Research into Higher Education at the University of
Surrey; 1977.
 Turney C, Clift JC, Dunkin MJ, Traill RD. Microteaching: Research, theory and
practice. Sydney: University of Sydney. Wagner, AC; 1973.
 Various journal and internet sources.