Microteaching

 It puts the teacher under the microscope.  All the faults of the teacher are observed.  The observer gives a constructive feedback.

Complexities of learning to teach in a classroom situation are:  Scope and content of matter to be conveyed.  Need to teach for a relatively long duration of time.  Off which some students have a hostile temperament.  Pressure of length of the lecture.  Need to face large number of students.

Advantages of Microteaching  It focuses on sharpening and developing specific teaching skills and eliminating errors.  It enables understanding of behaviors important in classroom teaching.  It increases the confidence of the learner teacher.  It is a vehicle of continuous training for both beginners and for senior teachers.

 It enables projection of model instructional skills.  It provides experts with supervision and constructive feedback.  It provides for repeated practice without adverse consequences to the teacher or his students.

Disadvantages of microteaching  It involves increased time and effort.  The various teaching skills cannot be discriminated.  It cannot individualize the learning of the teacher.  No constructive feedback.  No opportunity to re-teach the lesson to implement what is learnt from the feedback.  It is adversial towards the students interest.

Mini teaching  A modified concept of microteaching that was propounded by Hargie et al in  Here teaching skills are practiced in a controlled low risk environment.  Mini teaching provides a simple form of teaching situation and aims at gradual integration of skills besides aiming to fit the mini lesson in the real teaching program.  Feedback is its essential component.

Differences between micro & mini teaching micro teaching:  It has reteach lesson.  It is for 5 to n10 minutes only.  It involves 3 to 4 students, a supervisor & a peer if necessary.  Each time only a few teaching skills are concentrated upon.

Mini teaching:  No reteach session.  It extends from 5 to 40 minutes.  It may involve either a small group or whole class.  It aims at gradual integration of teaching skills and to fit mini lessons into a real teaching program.

How to maximize students’ interaction  As a teacher, you must struggle to have an effective learning environment.  To create this effective learning environment, you should encourage your students to interact with you and their peers without hesitation.

 Here are some tips and guidelines for what you can do to maximize your students’ interaction:  Being honest with yourself.  Respecting your learners.  Seeing things from your students’ perspectives.  Being an encourager and encouraging hesitant and shy students to interact with you and their peers.  Creating a relaxed learning environment.

 Building strong rapport with your students so that they can communicate with you without fear.  Asking questions instead of giving lengthy explanations.  Asking relevant open-ended questions not simple yes/no questions.  Giving enough time for the students to listen, think and process their thoughts before speaking.

 Being an active listener to every student in class.  Listening carefully to their mistakes and making corrections.  Trying to understand what they want to say actually.  Taking necessary actions to increase their talk time and decrease his.  Being a part of class not head of it.

 Encouraging cooperation when needed and setting competitions at suitable time.  Increasing confidence level of students.