Unit III- Micro Teaching (B.Ed. Mathematics)

 

Unit III

Micro Teaching

Teaching

Teaching is a social process which is directly influenced by socio-political system, culture, philosophy and value. Teaching is a fascinating, important and complex process. It is a process intended for learning by inducing a behavioral change in the taught. It is an art of communicating a message with impact on audience. Teaching creates knowledge awareness and feelings in the taught and brings about behavioral change.

Definitions

Ø “Teaching is a system of action to include learning”-Smith

Ø “Teaching is the task of a teacher which is performed for the development of a child”-Thomas Green

Functions and characteristics of teaching

·        It essential involves an intellectual operation

·        It is an interactive process

·        It has a common code of ethics

·        It draws material from science

·        It essentially performs a social service

·        It has a high degree of autonomy

·        It generates in-service growth

·        It can be executed in various forms and styles

·        It is organized to achieve the learning objectives

·        It presents the basis for evaluating the student’s performance etc.

Criteria of good teaching

·        Good concept

·        Organized content

·        Good quality and optimum quantity

·        Sequence

·        Relevance

·        Learner oriented

Principles of teaching

·        Principle of activity

·        Principle of creativity

·        Principle of effect

·        Principle of flexibility

·        Principle of goal setting

·        Principle of group dynamics

·        Principle of individual difference

·        Principle of linkage with life

·        Principle of motivation

·        Principle of planning

·        Principle of remedial teaching

Phases of teaching

1.     Pre-active phase (Planning stage)

 This phase consists of two steps: - Fixing up the goals and fixing out the ways and means to achieve those goals.

2.     Interactive phase (Implementation stage)

This is the stage when actual learning takes place. This stage involves the execution and implementation stage of the planned lesson.

3.     Post active phase (Evaluation stage)

This is the stage of evaluation.it involves the clear cut assessment of the interaction process.it helps the teacher to teach better in future and also the students to learn things better.

Maxims of teaching

Maxims as a general truth drawn from experience.  The knowledge of different maxims helps the teacher to proceed systematically.

1.     From known to unknown

(Teacher link the new knowledge to the old knowledge in a sequential order)

2.     From simple to complex

(Teacher should take care to present simple tasks first and then to the complex tasks)

3.     From concrete to abstract

(A teacher must start with concrete things and as the students develop the ability to imagine she can gradually move on to the abstract)

1.     From analysis to synthesis

(The teacher should make her pupils first to analyse a problem through heuristic questions and then to systematically synthesize the results)

2.     From particular to general

(Teacher should take specific examples of the matter to be taught and based on those particular cases generalizations has to be made).

3.     From empirical to rational

(Empirical is based on first hand observations and rational is based on argumentative and logical reasoning)

4.     From induction to deduction

(Induction draws conclusion from set of examples whereas deduction moves on general rule to examples)

5.     From psychological to logical

(Teacher should keep in mind the psychological selection of subject matter to be presented and sequential arrangement of the content and then later to the logical arrangement of the content)

6.     From actual to representative

(As far as possible the teacher should show the real/ actual objects to the children in the primary classes and the representation of pictures, models can be used in higher classes)

7.     From near to far

(Teacher must keep in mind to present unfamiliar phenomena only on the basis of relevant examples selected from the immediate and familiar environment of the learner)

8.     From whole to part

(Presenting something in its totality and then making learner examine the specific parts in detail)

9.     From definite to indefinite

(In teaching, definite things should be taught at first then gave the knowledge of indefinite things)

Teaching skills

Teaching skill is a set of related overt behavior of the teacher (verbal and nonverbal) which are observable, definable, measurable, demonstrable and refinable through practice.

“Teaching skills are specific instructional activities and procedures that a teacher may use in his classroom. These are related to the various stages of teaching or in the continuous flow of the teacher performance”-N.L.Gage

Allen & Ryan (1969) of the Stanford University has suggested the following teaching skills. They are:-

Set induction Lecturing Reinforcing pupil participations Completing the communication Probing questions Planned repetition Higher order questions

Stimulus variation Silence and non-verbal cues Recognizing behavior Fluency in questioning Divergent questions Illustrating and the use of examples closure

Core teaching skills

Some of the skills are frequently used in teaching of atmost all the subject. These skills are known as core teaching skills.

1       Skill of introducing a lesson 2.     Skill of explaining      3.     Skill of using blackboard 4.     Skill of fluency in questioning     5.     Skill of stimulus variation       6.     Skill of illustrating with examples     7.     Skill of probing question         8.   Skill of reinforcement

1

Micro Teaching

Micro Teaching has been considered an effective technique for development of teaching skills in teachers. This technique was first adopted at Stamford University (USA) in 1963 by D. W. Allen and his co-workers. It is a miniature form of teaching in which teacher teaches a short lesson to a small group of students for a short period and one teaching skill is practiced at a time. 

Definitions

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

•      “micro teaching is a training technique which require of student teacher to teach a single concept using specified teaching skill to a small number of pupils in a short duration of time”- B.K. Passi & M.S Lalita

Characteristics of micro teaching

•      It is a real teaching but focuses on developing teaching skills

•      It is a scaled down teaching

 Which reduces the class size 5-10 pupils, duration of period 5-10 minutes, the content and the teaching complexities

•      It provides the feedback of teacher’s performance

•      It is highly individualized approach to training.

•      It is a teacher training technique not a teaching method.

Phases of micro teaching

Clift (1976) described the following as phases of micro teaching

Ø Pre-active phase / knowledge acquisition phase

It includes the three activities such as to provide knowledge and awareness of practical teaching skill, observe the demonstration of teaching skill and to analyse and discuss demonstration.

Ø Inter-active phase / skill acquisition phase

This phase includes the activities such as preparation of a micro lesson for teaching skill, practice the teaching skill in the real classroom situation and evaluate the performance of the skills practiced.

Ø Post-active phase / Transfer phase

This phase enable the teacher trainee to integrate the teaching skill in normal classroom situation.

Steps in micro teaching

1.     Orientation

2.     Discussion of teaching skills

3.     Selection of a particular teaching skill

4.     Presentation of a model demonstration lesson

5.     Observation of the model lesson and criticism

6.     Preparation of micro lesson plan

7.     Practice of the skill( Teach session)

8.     Providing feedback

9.     Re-planning(Re-plan session)

10.                        Re-Teaching(Re-Teach session)

11.                        Providing Re-feedback(Re-feedback session)

12.                        Repetition of the micro teaching cycle

13.                        Integration of teaching skills

Indian model of micro teaching  

•      Teaching 6 minutes

•      Feedback 6 minutes

•      Re-plan 12 minutes

•      Re-teach 6 minutes

•      Re-feedback 6 minutes

•      Total 36 minutes

Link practice

•      The link practice sessions are normally arranged with about 15-20 pupils for about 20 minutes duration. The trainee prepares a link practice lesson plan by selecting a single concept, using 3-4 appropriate skills particular to content.

Advantages of micro teaching

Ø     It is a real teaching

Ø     It focuses on training for accomplishment of specific skills

Ø     It provides immediate feedback to the trainee

Ø     It gives guidelines for improvement in teaching

Ø     One skill is developed in one time by reducing the complexity of teaching process.

  Limitations of micro teaching

Ø     It needs more time for training

Ø     It covers only a few specific skills

Ø     A large number of trainees cannot be given such opportunities of re-teaching and re-planning.

SI No.	Core teaching skills	Components
1	Skill of introducing a lesson	•  Gaining attention • Use of Previous Knowledge   •  Use of Appropriate Devices/ techniques ( Questioning, narration, story-telling, demonstration, role playing use of examples, creating problematic situation)
2	Skill of explaining	•      Use of Beginning Statement •Use of Explaining Links  (Eg: Therefore, because, why etc.) •      Use of Mediator •      Use of Concluding Statements •      Testing Pupil’s  Understanding
3	Skill of using blackboard	•      Legibility of handwriting ( Adequate spacing between letters, words, all small /capital letters of same size , thickness of the line in uniform etc.) •      Neatness in BB work ( adequate spacing between lines, no overwriting, focused on relevant matter, line parallel to the base of the board) •      Organization of BB work ( systematic, adjustment of space for presenting related items) •      Appropriateness of BB Work ( continuity in points, brief, proper use of color chalk, underline only the important points)
4	Skill of stimulus variation	•      Teacher Movements •      Teacher Gestures •      Change in Speech Pattern ( change in tone, volume/speed) •      Change in Interaction Style. ( Teacher-class interaction, teacher-pupil interaction and pupil-pupil interaction) •      Focusing •      Pausing •      Oral-Visual Switching
5	Skill of fluency in questioning	•      Structure (Grammar, Concise, Relevant,Specific) •      Process (Speed, Voice, Pause, Style) •      Product (Answer to the question)
6	Skill of reinforcement	•      Positive Verbal Reinforcement  (very good, fine, yes, well done etc.) •      Positive Non - Verbal Reinforcement (Smiling, nodding of head, moving towards student etc.) •      Extra Verbal Reinforcement (Wah, hum, aha, aaah etc.)
7	Skill of probing questions	•      Prompting •      Seeking further Information •      Refocusing •      Redirecting (asking the same Qn to another pupil ) •      Increasing Critical Awareness  (eg:-how can you prove it?)
8	Skill of illustrating with examples	•      Formulating Simple Examples •      Formulating Relevant examples •      Formulating Interesting Examples • Using Appropriate Media for examples •  Use of Inductive- Deductive approach