Micro-Teaching: Definition, Cycle and Principles

Micro-Teaching Definition

• Micro-teaching is a scaled-down teaching encounter regarding class size and duration.
• It's a teacher training program where student teachers improve their teaching skills through practice.
• The practice involves reducing class size, lesson duration, and topic size under controlled conditions.
• Micro-teaching was invented in 1963 at Stanford University.
• The inventor was Dwight W. Allen.
• In India, Micro-teaching was introduced by D.D. Tiwari in 1967.
• It was introduced at the Government Central Pedagogical Institute at Allahabad.

Micro-Teaching Cycle Stages

• Plan
• Teach
• Observe
• Re-plan
• Re-teach
• Re-observe

Micro-Teaching Principles

• Focus on one skill at a time.
• Use small-scale content.
• Reinforce that practice makes perfect.
• Allows for experiments.
• Features instantaneous feedback.
• Provides self-evaluation opportunities.
• Requires continuous effort.

Advantages

• Provides elasticity of practice.
• Boosts confidence.
• Improves attitude.
• Budget-friendly.
• Helps in mastering skills.
• Allows more learning and less damage.
• Develops communication skills.
• Promotes systematic lesson planning.

Disadvantages

• Hampers creativity.
• Affects training staff.
• May result in lesser student interest.
• Wastes time.
• Involves training period timing.
• Only focuses on one thing at a time.

Conclusion

• Micro-teaching is a focused tool for practicing essential teaching skills safely and effectively at any age.
• Learning changes behavior through activity, training, or experience at any age.
• More experienced learners become more effective.
• An important quality of participants is the ability to give and receive constructive feedback with an open mind.
• It helps achieve appropriate teaching-learning goals.
• It increases teacher self-confidence in a friendly and equitable atmosphere.