Microteaching - A Teacher Training Technique

Highlights: Microteaching

1. Definition:
   Microteaching is a teacher training technique where a teacher practices a specific teaching skill in a controlled, short-duration, and small-class setting.

2. Origin:
   Developed in 1963 at Stanford University, USA, by Dwight W. Allen and his team.

3. Purpose:
   To help trainee teachers master one teaching skill at a time, receive feedback, and improve performance through repetition.

4. Structure:
   Microteaching follows a teach → feedback → re-teach cycle.

5. Duration and Class Size:
   Usually 5 to 10 minutes of teaching to a group of 5 to 10 students.

6. Key Features:

   • Focuses on specific teaching skills
   • Uses real or simulated classroom conditions
   • Allows immediate feedback
   • Encourages repetition and improvement

7. Common Skills Taught:

   • Introducing a lesson
   • Explaining content
   • Asking questions
   • Reinforcement techniques
   • Use of blackboard or teaching aids
   • Classroom management

8. Importance:
   Microteaching improves a teacher's confidence, communication, classroom handling, and reflective thinking before facing a real classroom.

Detailed Notes on Microteaching

Microteaching is an innovative and scientific technique used in teacher education to develop and refine specific teaching skills in a structured, controlled, and simplified setting. It allows teacher trainees to practice teaching in a “micro” or small environment where the focus is on improving one teaching skill at a time.

The method was introduced in 1963 by Dwight W. Allen and his team at Stanford University, United States. Since then, microteaching has become a fundamental part of teacher training programs all over the world, including India.

Key Features of Microteaching

Microteaching is different from full-scale classroom teaching in several ways. It reduces the class size, lesson duration, and content load to allow for focused and manageable learning. The aim is to break down complex teaching tasks into smaller units so that they can be practiced and perfected step-by-step.

The core idea is to teach for a short time, usually 5 to 10 minutes, in front of a small peer group of 5 to 10 students. The teacher educator or peer group observes and then gives immediate and constructive feedback. After that, the teacher re-teaches the same topic or skill with improvements.

This method works on a cycle of:

• Planning and teaching a micro lesson
• Receiving feedback from observers
• Re-teaching after incorporating feedback
• Reflecting on one's own performance

This cycle may be repeated several times to ensure mastery of a skill.

Steps of Microteaching

1. Skill Identification: Choose a specific teaching skill (e.g., questioning, reinforcement, explaining).
2. Planning a Micro Lesson: Prepare a brief lesson plan focusing on that skill.
3. Teaching Session: Teach the lesson to a small group for 5–10 minutes.
4. Observation and Feedback: Observers provide feedback using observation tools.
5. Re-planning and Re-teaching: Based on feedback, the trainee modifies and re-delivers the lesson.
6. Re-feedback: A second round of observation and feedback follows.

Common Teaching Skills Practiced

Microteaching sessions help trainees improve a wide range of teaching skills, including:

• Skill of introducing a lesson
• Skill of explaining
• Skill of questioning (asking thought-provoking or relevant questions)
• Skill of reinforcement (using praise and positive feedback)
• Skill of blackboard writing
• Skill of using teaching aids
• Skill of stimulus variation (changing voice, using gestures, etc.)
• Skill of closure (summarizing or concluding a lesson)

Benefits of Microteaching

• It reduces the complexity of teaching by focusing on one skill at a time.
• Provides a safe space to practice without fear of failure.
• Enables personalized feedback to improve performance.
• Encourages self-reflection and peer evaluation.
• Builds confidence and competence before entering a real classroom.
• It is flexible and adaptable to various teaching methods and subjects.

Limitations of Microteaching

• It may not fully simulate the challenges of a real classroom.
• Time-consuming if many skills are practiced individually.
• Feedback quality depends on the expertise of observers.
• Some trainees may feel nervous or judged in peer teaching environments.

Conclusion

Microteaching is a powerful teacher training tool that helps new educators develop essential teaching skills in a focused and systematic way. By offering repeated practice and targeted feedback, it plays a critical role in improving teaching quality. While it cannot replace real classroom experience, it greatly enhances preparedness, self-awareness, and instructional effectiveness.