Micro teaching is a teacher training technique for learning teaching skills. It employs real teaching situation for developing skills and helps to get deeper knowledge regarding the art of teaching. It revolves around certain principles to improve its reach in all round development of the teachers.
Microteaching can be defined as a system of controlled practice that makes it possible to concentrate on specified teaching behavior and to practice teaching under controlled conditions.
The two major purposes of microteaching are
(a) for student- teachers to develop teaching skills under controlled conditions without risking the learning of the pupils, and
(b) for experienced teachers to examine and refine their techniques.

Phases of micro- teaching

According to J.C. Clift and others, micro-teaching procedure has three phases:

Knowledge acquisition phase: In this phase, the student teacher attempt to acquire knowledge about the skill- it’s rational, its role in class room and its component behaviours. For this he reads relevant literature. He also observes demonstration lesson-mode of presentation of the skill. The student teacher gets theoretical as well as practical knowledge of the skill.

Skill acquisition phase: On the basis of the model presented to the student-teacher, he prepares a micro-lesson and practices the skill and carries out the micro-teaching cycle. There are two components of this phase:
(a) feedback
(b) micro-teaching settings.
Micro-teaching settings include conditions like the size of the micro-class, duration of the micro-lesson, supervisor, types of students etc.

Transfer phase: Here the student-teacher integrates the different skills. In place of artificial situation, he teaches in the real classroom and tries to integrate all the skills.

Procedure of Micro teaching:

1. Skill definition:
The pupil teacher or the supervisor defines a certain skill. The skills of micro teaching are defined regarding the teaching behaviors in order to procure knowledge of required skills, which they have to focus on

2. Demonstration:
Demonstration is the second step in the process. Experts demonstrate the specific skill by themselves or with the help of audio/video tape recordings to the teacher trainee. This gives an idea to the teachers to work accordingly.

3. Lesson planning:
This step is the first action by the student teacher. The trainee teacher plans a short lesson through which he/she could practice the skill. This microteaching lesson plan is done with the help of his supervisor.

4. Conducting lesson:
Once the planning is done, according to the targeted skill the pupil-teacher teaches the planned lesson to the group of students. These lessons are observed by supervisor and pupil teachers. Further, they are video-taped, audio-taped, or televised through a CCTV camera. These tapes are later used for self-evaluation as well.

5. Discussion and conclusion:
Once the teaching session comes to an end it is followed by a concluding session. Concluding session consist of feedback by the supervisor. During this session, the audio or video recording may also be displayed in order to give an opportunity to evaluate oneself. Moreover, it also boosts the confidence level of the trainee. It is the best way to reinforce the trainee to work better the next time.

6. Re-planning:
Mastering a skill is an ongoing process. Thus, once the cycle of micro teaching revolves, the process is repeated. This repetition involves re-planning of the lesson plan. The aim of this re-planning is to master the skill mentioned earlier.

7. Re-teaching:
On completion of the re-planning of the lesson, it is again taught to another group of students from the same class. The time duration is kept as same as the previous class. This method contributes in practicing the skill repeatedly.

8. Re-discussion:
At the end of re-teaching session, the discussion and conclusion step is repeated. These discussion and suggestions encourages the performance of the trainee. Thus, the process of feedback is procured to enhance the performance further more.

9. Redoing:
After the end of every session, this cycle is repeated. The repetition is continued until the required skill is mastered. This process is repeated while attaining all the required skills.
Thus, we can conclude that micro-teaching involves the 4R’s viz, Recording, Re-teaching, Re-discussing and Redoing.

1. Objectives are specified in behavioural terms.	1. Objectives are general and not specified in behavioural terms.
2. Class consists of small group of 5-10 students.	2. Class consists of 40-60 students.
3. The teacher takes up one skill at a time.	3. The teacher practices several skills at a time.
4. Duration time for teaching is 5-10 minutes.	4. The duration is 40-50 minutes.
5. There is immediate feed-back.	5.Immediate feed-back is not available
6. Teaching is carried on under controlled situation.	6. There is no control over situation.
7. Teaching is relatively simple.	7. Teaching become complex.
8. The role of supervisor is specific and well defined to improve teaching.	8. The role of the supervisor is vague.
9. Patterns of class room interaction can be studied objectively.	9. Patterns of classroom interactions cannot be studied objectively.

Advantages of Micro teaching:

Micro-teaching is a platform for beginner teachers to improve teaching competencies.

1. Elasticity of practice:
Micro-teaching helps in developing various skills in trainees as well as the current teaching staff. It helps in improving the handling skills of the teachers. It gives better opportunity due to small-scale teaching. Moreover, it broadens the knowledge of various techniques of teaching.

2. Confidence booster:
Micro teaching is a personality enhancer too. Due to several micro teaching activities and practices, micro teaching effectively increases the confidence level of the teachers. Moreover, the experience of teaching enables them in better classroom management.

3. Budget oriented:
Unlike other various programs and seminars that are very costly, micro teaching program is budget oriented. Teachers can practice within the real class or at any other place.

4. More learning and less damage:
Micro teaching program is conducted with not more than 3-4 students at a time. This makes it possible to acquire a better teaching experience. In addition, it lessens the chances of mistakes.

5. Improves attitude:
A positive attitude contributes to better results. Thus, one of the objectives of this program is to guide the trainees to attain a positive attitude towards any criticism. As a result, negative feed backs also motivate the trainees to strive for betterment.

6. Promotes systematic lesson planning:
Lesson planning is one of the skills that a teacher needs to master. Micro teaching program, within a given content, helps the trainee to prepare systematic lesson plans.

7. Instant feedback:
Feedbacks are the best way to improve. Micro teaching enables the teachers to gain instant feedbacks from the supervisors. An instant feedback gives more potential for rectifying mistakes.

8. Mastering skills:
This program helps in mastering micro teaching strategies and skills like lecturing, questioning, probing and initiating discussions. Further, it helps in improving a separate teaching style.

Limitations

1. Hampers the creativity: Creativity is the core of any job. It flows along with the task. However, in process of micro teaching, due to limited period, it becomes difficult to bring out that creativity. Thus, micro teaching does not contribute in increasing the bars of creativity.

2. Training Staff:
Better teaching promotes better learning experience. Similarly, for better teaching one needs to undergo better training as well. Micro teaching course benefits teachers in gaining that experience, but it requires well-trained educators to train the teachers. Without a proper educating staff, it is impossible to implement micro teaching course.

3. Lesser student lesser interest:
Teaching is an art. However, not everyone is capable of teaching. Any job needs passion and interest. They play a key role in driving the person to strive for improvement. In micro teaching program, there are maximum 3-4 students therefore lesser students fail to motivate the teacher to improve. Instead there are chances of teachers losing their interest altogether.

4. Wastes a lot of time:
Micro teaching is teacher oriented activity. Here in, the focus is on improving efficiency in teaching techniques. Each session lasts around 5 – 10 minutes minimum. During this period, the aim is to develop teaching skills and thus student learning is ignored. It certainly wastes the time of student, as it does not benefit him. Further, for practicing several times, various students are called at different period. This may also hamper their overall academic performance. Thus, it is advisable to conduct the training program keeping in mind all the factors.

5. Training period timing1:
Micro teaching program is undoubtedly a benefiting course to the teaching staff. It is a promising method for the holistic development of the teachers in the teaching field. However, there is one minor drawback of this program. The training period is not enough to develop all the required skills properly. In addition, one trainee needs approximately 35 minutes to practice once. Not more than ten trainees can practice once within five hours. It is certainly a time consuming program.

6. Not realistic and practical:
Micro teaching is a very advanced form of learning however; it does have its own limitation. When it comes to teaching a diverse level of students at once, it becomes a hassle. During the training, the strength of the students is limited however when the strength of students is increased it seems like a problem. This program manages to keep the teachers away from the real classroom problems. As a result, trainees struggle in maintaining classroom behavior. Moreover, artificial situation do not help in preparing teachers for real time situation.

7. One alone is not sufficient:
Micro teaching is a concept innovated at Stanford University by Professor Robert Bush and Dwight Allen. One of the principle of micro teaching is skill enhancement. However, these skills are targeted one at a time and so not all skills are developed within the given period. Thus, integration of different micro teaching techniques is needed.

8. One at a time:
Apart from the skills, micro teaching involves only one trainee at a time. For a single session of training, it requires approximate 35 minutes. Thus, single trainee can practice only once in 35 minutes. It is not only time consuming but also an irritating process for the supervisors if there are more then ten trainees in a batch.
Micro teaching is indeed an advanced level of teaching program that enables the teachers to gain confidence before stepping into the profession of a teacher. With the vast impact of globalization on every aspect of the world, there is certainly need of various schools. Efficient and effective teaching is one of the major factors parents look at before enrolling their children into a school. Thus, implementing a micro teaching programs for new teachers as well as in service teachers are an ideal way to set foot with the world. Pros and cons are a part of every innovation and thus keeping in mind those aspects one should opt for the suitable program. Micro teaching is a widely accepted technique adopted and approved by various institutions.

References

Assignment

1. Plan a lesson with micro teaching method.
2. Refer research articles focused on the impact of micro teaching and write empirical conclusions.