What is Micro Teaching & Why It Is Important?

Teaching is a tough job. Teachers need special skills to teach kids and keep them interested during class. In recent years, teaching courses have changed a lot, especially with online classes becoming common due to COVID-19.

Microteaching is a relatively new approach that helps teachers improve their skills and stay updated with the latest teaching methods. Since teaching can be quite complicated, micro-teaching breaks it down into simpler parts. This method often uses various teaching tools to make lessons more effective.

Teaching courses include a test called micro-teaching. Aspiring teachers must pass this test to become teachers. During micro-teaching, they’re judged by examiners, students, other teachers, and people from outside the school. Micro-teaching skills are super important for teaching courses. They decide if someone can become a teacher or not. There are different types of micro-teaching skills that future teachers need to learn to be good at their jobs.

In this blog, we’ll explore microteaching in detail, discussing its types, goals, and other important aspects. Let’s dive in!

What is Micro Teaching?

“Micro Teaching is a scaled-down teaching encounter in class size and time”
– D. W. Allen.

Micro Teaching is like a small-scale training for teachers to learn and improve their teaching skills. It’s a hands-on approach where teachers practice in a real setting, allowing them to understand their subject better.

During Micro Teaching, teachers watch recordings of their lessons and get feedback from peers or students. This helps them see what they did well and where they can make things even better. It’s like looking at a mini-version of teaching to become better at it.

In simple words, Micro Teaching is about practicing teaching with a smaller group of students and fewer tasks. This method helps teachers try out different teaching techniques, making learning better for students and improving the way teachers evaluate their teaching. Let’s dive deeper and take a look at its objectives.

Objectives of Micro Teaching

As mentioned earlier, micro-teaching is a great way for teachers to improve their teaching skills, and it can help students too. Here’s why it’s helpful:

1. It focuses on specific teaching behaviours and lets teachers practice in a controlled setting.
2. Teachers and students learn together, making the teaching process more effective.
3. It prepares teachers to teach confidently in real classrooms.
4. It helps teachers develop their knowledge and skills.
5. Teachers get instant feedback on how they’re doing, so they can get better.
6. It’s a safe way for teachers to test their skills without risking students’ learning.

Types of Micro Teaching

Microteaching can be divided into various types such as: 

Micro Teaching Cycle

As discussed earlier, micro teaching is a way for teachers to practice and improve their teaching skills. It’s like a circle because it goes through different stages over and over again. During micro teaching, teachers teach short lessons to their peers or supervisors and get immediate feedback.

A well-structured micro-teaching cycle lasts for 36 minutes.

This cycle helps teachers refine their skills and improve their teaching methods.

Let’s break down the steps of the micro teaching cycle:

1. 

   Planning

   First, the teacher trainee learns about the micro teaching cycle. They discuss the process, the skill they’ll practice, and the strategies to use. They also talk about the purpose and parts of the skill, using examples. Together, they decide on a skill to focus on, like writing on the blackboard. The trainee then plans a short lesson (a micro lesson) that shows off the skill. For example, if it’s blackboard writing, they might choose a topic like the cycle of photosynthesis or the five senses, making sure it fits the students’ age and understanding.

2. 

   Teaching

   After completing the initial step of micro-teaching, the teacher proceeds to deliver the lesson and demonstrate the skill. For instance, if the skill involves using the blackboard, the teacher might illustrate a concept while explaining it to the class. During this phase, the classmates typically act as students. This teaching segment of micro-teaching generally lasts around 5-7 minutes. Each trainee teacher typically has 1-2 supervisors assigned to assess their performance. Additionally, the demonstration can be recorded for the trainee teacher’s later review, allowing them to identify areas for improvement and note which aspects the class responded to positively.

3. 

   Feedback

   Feedback plays a big role in how well the micro teaching cycle goes. After a teacher-in-training gives a lesson and shows their skills, they get feedback from peers and supervisors. This feedback points out what the trainee teacher did well and where they can improve. For example, in a lesson about photosynthesis, feedback might mention that the handwriting wasn’t clear. On the positive side, it could also highlight good things like maintaining eye contact and using different tones of voice to keep students interested. Recording the micro teaching session can be helpful too. It allows the trainee teacher to see what worked best in their lesson and where they need to get better at demonstrating their skills.

4. 

   Re-Plan

   After getting helpful feedback from classmates, the trainee can go back to their lesson plan and make the needed changes. During this revising step, they might edit or add things to the existing plan or even come up with a whole new one.

5. 

   Re-Teach

   Once the lesson plan is updated, the trainee gets a new group of classmates. The teacher shows the same skill or lesson to this new group, giving the trainee another chance to teach it.

6. 

   Re-Feedback

   After the lesson, the trainee gets more feedback. The supervisor makes sure it’s detailed and helpful. If there are things to improve, they start the teaching process again from the beginning.

   This cycle of teaching and feedback happens many times until the trainee becomes really good at the skill they’re learning. Practicing the skill over time helps the trainee become an expert at it. Once they’ve mastered that skill, they can move on to learning something else.

Types of Micro Teaching Skills

1. Skill of Introduction

   Starting a lesson is an important skill in teaching – it’s called the introduction skill. Teachers need to be good at introducing a lesson in a way that grabs students’ attention. It’s like setting the stage for what’s coming up. This skill helps students know what to expect and gives them a framework to understand the lesson. Teachers use interesting words to get students interested right from the start. Without a good introduction, students might not pay attention.

   The introduction skill in micro-teaching includes using what students already know and choosing the right tools to start a lesson. Teachers should avoid saying things that don’t relate to the lesson or cause confusion.

   The key parts of the introduction skill in micro-teaching are:

   • Using what students already know.
   • Choosing the right tools.
   • Keeping the flow of the lesson.
   • Saying things that matter.

2. Skill of Explaining

   Moving on to another crucial teaching skill in microteaching – the skill of explanation. This skill involves the ability to communicate ideas, phenomena, and concepts effectively to students. Teachers play an important role in ensuring that students grasp a topic well. One way to do this is by providing clear examples that highlight the relationships among different events and ideas.

   A skilled teacher should connect facts with other sets of facts to enhance understanding. Learning microteaching skills, especially the skill of explaining, is essential for teachers. It helps them ensure that students comprehend concepts and ideas thoroughly. A teacher proficient in explanation can make a topic or lesson more impactful.

3. Skill of Questioning

   Asking questions is a vital skill for teachers to have when they’re teaching. It means they can ask students questions that are clear, specific, and really get to the heart of what they’re learning. By asking questions, teachers can check if students understand the lesson and know their stuff. It’s a way for teachers to see if they need to explain something better or try a different teaching approach if students seem confused. If students don’t get it after the questions, teachers can try explaining things in simpler ways to help them understand better.

4. Skill of Demonstration

   When teachers demonstrate, they make learning easier by showing real-life examples. They connect lessons to things students can see and understand. Teachers use demonstrations to explain ideas and concepts by showing experiments, objects, or examples. It makes the classroom more exciting and helps students grasp ideas better.

5. Skill of Reinforcement

   Another important part of teaching is reinforcement. Teachers use this skill to encourage students to participate. They might nod, smile, or praise students to show they’re doing well. It’s all about giving positive feedback to students to keep them engaged and motivated, instead of using negative feedback. Reinforcement helps boost student involvement and keeps the learning atmosphere positive.

6. Skill of Illustration

   The illustration skill, also known as interpretation, comes into play when explaining doesn’t quite do the trick. If a teacher finds it challenging to make students understand something with words alone, they turn to illustration. Using examples and visuals, teachers can inspire students and help them grasp the ideas being taught. Personalizing examples can make a topic more relatable and easier to understand.

7. Skill of Closure

   Just like starting a lesson, ending it well is important too. Closing a topic systematically and clearly is key. Teachers should make sure to wrap up a lesson effectively, providing enough assignments for students to remember without overwhelming them. A good closure ensures that students leave with a solid understanding of the topic.

8. The skill of Stimulus Variation

   In microteaching, a crucial skill for teachers is using something called “stimulus variation.” It’s a technique to keep students interested by changing how the teacher teaches. Stimulus variation means using different ways to grab students’ attention for the best response.

   Doctors explain that a stimulus is something that makes learners react. Knowing what to change, when to change it, and how to change it requires skill from the teacher to keep students focused and interested. This skill is called the skill of stimulus variation.

   The important parts of stimulus variation skills include:

   • Moving around in the classroom
   • Using gestures to communicate
   • Changing speech patterns
   • Making sure students stay focused
   • Switching how the teacher interacts
   • Mixing oral and visual elements
   • Taking short breaks while teaching
   • Encouraging students to participate actively

9. Skill of Blackboard Writing

   The skill of writing on the blackboard is important in micro-teaching. It helps teachers redirect focus, capture interest, and emphasize important ideas. With blackboard writing, teachers can highlight key terms and concepts, making them clearer for students to understand. It’s a useful technique for bringing clarity to lessons and adding diversity to teaching methods.

Phases of Microteaching

The phases of microteaching can be classified into three main types such as:

• 

  Knowledge Acquisition Phase

  In the knowledge acquisition phase, the skill is introduced and explained to the students, often with guidance from a supervisor. During this time, students can ask questions to better understand the purpose and application of the skill in the classroom. A demonstration of the skill is also provided.

• 

  Skill Acquisition Phase

  During the skill acquisition phase, the trainee creates a small lesson plan and teaches it to practice the skill. This phase includes three parts: planning the lesson, teaching it, and then receiving feedback on how it went.

• 

  Transfer Phase

  In the transfer phase, the trainee combines different skills and applies them in a real classroom setting. This is where all the individual skills learned come together to form a complete teaching approach.

Importance of Micro Teaching

Microteaching, when used, always makes a good impact on both teachers and students. Here’s why:

Tips for Your Microteaching Session

Here are some tips to help you with your microteaching session:

• 
  Set Clear GoalsDecide what you want your learners to achieve by the end of the session. Stick to one or two main points to keep it focused.
• 
  Prepare Your Lesson WellOrganize your lesson with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Include activities that keep students interested and involved.
• 
  Manage Your TimeMake sure your session stays within the time limit. Practice ahead of time to ensure your material fits.
• 
  Engage Your LearnersAsk questions, encourage students to participate, and use interactive methods to keep them interested.
• 
  Use Visual AidsAdd things like slides, diagrams, or videos to support your teaching and make ideas clearer.
• 
  Body Language and ToneUse confident gestures and change the tone of your voice to keep students’ attention and highlight important parts.
• 
  Be Open to FeedbackListen to your students during the session and be ready to make changes if needed.
• 
  Stick to One ConceptFocus on teaching one idea or skill at a time, so students don’t feel overwhelmed.
• 
  Allow for QuestionsGive your learners time to ask questions or share their thoughts at the end of the session.
• 
  Reflect AfterwardOnce the session is over, think about what worked well and what you could improve on next time.
• 
  Give Real-Life ExamplesUse practical examples or case studies to help students relate to the material.
• 
  Encourage Group WorkIf possible, add group discussions or pair activities to help students learn together.

Closing Thoughts

Micro-teaching isn’t just a test; it’s a transformative journey for teachers, shaping them into effective educators. As they navigate the micro-teaching cycle, teachers develop the skills needed to create dynamic and engaging learning environments. It’s not just about passing a test; it’s about becoming a teacher who can inspire, engage, and make a lasting impact on students’ lives. Cheers to the magic of micro-teaching, where every lesson is a step toward greatness in the world of education.

FAQs Related to Microteaching

1. What is the difference between micro and macro teaching?

Macro teaching is when a teacher gives a lesson to an entire class over a longer time, such as during a regular class session or lecture. It usually covers larger topics, and students are often tested or given projects to show what they’ve learned. Micro teaching, however, is much shorter and more focused. It’s done with a small group or even just one student and typically lasts only a few minutes.

2. What are the characteristics of micro teaching?

Micro teaching is a method where teachers practice specific teaching techniques in a controlled, short session. It’s designed to help them improve specific skills.

3. What are the components of micro teaching?

The key parts of micro teaching include planning the lesson, delivering it in a short time frame, getting feedback, and reflecting on how to improve for next time.

4. What are the features of micro teaching?

Micro teaching allows teachers to focus on a small part of a lesson, practice teaching techniques in a safe environment, and receive constructive feedback to help them improve

5. Who is the father of micro teaching?

Dr. Dwight W. Allen is often credited as the father of micro teaching for developing this method in the 1960s.

6. What are micro-teaching skills?

Micro-teaching skills are specific teaching techniques that teachers learn and practice through the micro-teaching approach. These skills are meant to improve how they teach and interact with students.

Last Updated on November 14, 2024

Reviewed by

Prachi Singh | VP - Academics

Prachi Singh is a highly accomplished educationist with over 16 years of experience in the EdTech industry. Currently, she plays a pivotal role at Extramarks, leading content strategy and curriculum development initiatives that shape the future of education...read more.