Institute of Advanced Studies in Education CLUSTER UNIVERSITY SRINAGAR
M. A. Road Srinagar (J&K) NAAC ACCREDITED GRADE “A” : CGPA 3.52
All the rights reserved. No part of this microteaching lesson plan note book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means. Electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the principal.
Publisher:
Principal,
M.A. Road, Srinagar -190001
1 Fazl Illahi Microteaching: Concept & explication 5 Core Skills: Concept & theoretical explication for
each skill
2 Bashir Ahmad Bhat
3 Parveen Pandit
4 Huzaifa
Gurmeet Kaur
5 Nowsheena Zargar
6 Fazl Illahi
Skill integration: 2 lessons
Foreword The institution envisions to prepare teachers who are reflective professionals and
skillful in the art of teaching. In the course of preparation of teachers, developing competency
in skills of teaching becomes an essential and a necessary part of the programme. One of the
reflective thinking developmental tools used in this regard is Microteaching. In this simplified
approach, the prospective teachers, under the guidance of a mentor/teacher, engage in
observation and critiquing, followed by guided participation and practice until the skill is
mastered. Acquisition of these skills enables the student teachers to have an objective
evaluation of their own teaching. The evaluation helps them to identify and make up for their
shortcomings and also reinforce their positive aspects. The skill is practiced over & over again
till it becomes a habit. The objective to follow a rigorous microteaching programme at an
institutional level is to help the prospective teachers transfer theoretical learning into effective
practice in order to develop skills essential for being a successful teacher.
In our Institution we have the distinction of organizing a rigorous practice of different
skills of microteaching for both novice and in-service teachers at several stages. We begin
with developing theoretical basis, followed with modeling of skills (micro-lessons) by teacher
educators, where students observe and critique, followed by planning and demonstration of
micro-lessons by student teachers. The demonstrations are accompanied with writing of the
lessons in the microteaching journal by the pupil teachers with the help and guidance of
mentors. There are other distinct features of presentation of the whole concept of
microteaching as well that our diligent students and ardent readers would come to know as
they go through this manual.
The Micro teaching handbook that is in your hands is our attempt to provide our
students with a conceptual framework explaining five core skills in a simple and lucid
language, providing insight into the planning and preparation of a lesson, using one skill at a
time. This scaled down approach prepares our students face the complexities of the actual
classroom with greater confidence and success.
In preparation of this book I owe my sincere thanks and appreciation to Fazl Illahi
without whom it would not be possible. His in-depth understanding and sincere efforts has
helped us to publish this handbook. My sincere thanks are also due to the faculty who
contributed the micro-lessons on core skills. I am hopeful that this handbook will turn out to
be a genuine guide for our pupil teachers in giving them greater insight into the skills of
teaching and linking it all in the macro-lesson. The successful integration and mastery in the
art of teaching is the end objective of this handbook.
Dr. Seema Naz
Microteaching gets the classroom teaching under magnifying lens, lending us up-close view
of the teaching process. It takes the whole teaching behavior as an aggregation of skills (small
behaviors) harnessed by the teacher in meeting the necessities of effective mediation in the class. It
also informs us how this effectual transmission could take place between the traditionally held bipole
of education-the educator and the educand. For many decades now, microteaching, as a technique of
teacher training, runs parallel with usual practice of teaching.
Presently, microteaching is not taken as seriously as in earlier years. The shift in the
philosophy of teaching leaning from behaviorism to constructivism (post NCF 2005 and NCFTE 2009)
has lead to fall of microteaching from the fancy of many teachers and teacher educators in the whole
country. Microteaching keeps, as we all know, the whole initiative with the teacher, and loosening into
greater collaboration and participation is not diligently encouraged. The whole emphasis, it is alleged,
is on the „skill(s) and the learner is usually lost sight of. It is due to this fact that microteaching has
been dropped in many of the university syllabi in the country.
We, at Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Srinagar are well aware of these
happenings on the educational canvas of the country, but some of our own education experts have
encouraged us to have it in the syllabi, both theory and practice, to give student teachers a broader idea
and expertise of handling heterogeneity in the teaching learning situation on ground. There are some
teaching skills that could be taken as global (core skills) helping teachers in any setting. These core
skills like the skill of probing question, set induction and stimulus variation etc can fit well in
behaviorist as well as constructivist setting by a slight shift in orientation from general to critical
pedagogy. In any case, our Institution painstakingly keeps educating the trainees about the pedagogy
compliant with aims and purpose of education in the 21 st century that crystallize in collaboration,
communication, critical thinking and creativity.
We have also labored to present before our audience our work in microteaching that may not
add anything new to the available literature but would surely provide a distinct perspective that our
institution holds on microteaching in general, and skills in particular. In this regard we have departed
from the mainstream interpretation of the skill of reinforcement in microteaching and argued to bring it
in line with the principles of reinforcement in psychology. Moreover, we have furnished our views
about the use of some components in set induction, probing questions etc. We would appreciate
pertinent suggestions from our worthy readers that could be incorporated in the subsequent editions.
Seema Naaz, the principal of our Institution, afforded me occasion to work on this project. I
thank her reposing trust in me. I thank the team of teacher educators of our Institution comprising of
Parveen Pandit, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Gurmeet Kaur, Rayees Andrabi, Sadaf Sanaullah, Mustafa
Maajid, Ulfat Jan, Shaheen Akhtar, Nowshina Zargar and Huzaifa Khan who prepared model skill
lessons, and contributed in bringing out this manual in the shape and style you find it now.
Fazl illahi
Editor
Certificate
This is to certify that this Microteaching Activity Book is maintained
by Mr./Mrs./Miss__________________________________________
Number____________ corresponding to the College Roll No._______
Section_________ Session_________________
Hand Book have been carried out by the teacher trainee
himself/herself in the Institution under my supervision and guidance.
It is further certified that activities recorded and reported in this
activity book are genuine to the entire satisfaction of the supervisor.
Supervisor Principal
4. Phases of microteaching 05
5. Microteaching workshop 06
7. Calculating scores 10
8. Microteaching merits 11
9. Microteaching demerits 12
11. Core skills in theory and practice 16
12. Skill of Set Induction:
Model Micro Lesson I
Model Micro Lesson II
Trainee Micro Lesson I
Trainee Micro Lesson II
Model Micro Lesson I
Model Micro Lesson II
Trainee Micro Lesson I
Trainee Micro Lesson II
Model Micro Lesson I
Model Micro Lesson II
Trainee Micro Lesson I
Trainee Micro Lesson II
2
INTRODUCTION
The professionals in education have been developing methods of teaching and training
since long. Microteaching is one such method of teacher training developed by educators
way back in 1963. It was an innovation then, not now; many texts still wrongly categorize
microteaching as innovation even today. It was D.W. Allen et al from the Standford
University who came up with this way of training. The term microteaching gives an
impression of teaching in „micro setting, but this statement is half correct because
microteaching is nothing more than micro-training, that is, training in a micro-situation.
You may ask „what is the need to train in a micro-setting when we have long sessions of
practice of teaching in schools that actually do train teachers in actual classroom
situation? This question begs for answer. We have a good analogy in cricket to answer
this. From the world of cricket we have the example of the actual match, and the nets
where players practice their cricketing skills. The actual match is many times over a
pressure cooker situation having complexities that test and tire the batsmen, like facing
pacers and spinners, coupled with chasing the target in a limited over format. We know
this situation is handled well by the professionals and expert batsmen, not the novice. Nets
are the better place for a novice to learn, as there are chances to focus on batting „skills
and hone them in a „controlled situation. The magnitude of complexity at the nets is
appropriately „scaled down by the coach to encourage optimum development of batting
skills. We can substitute the actual school classroom for the actual cricket match and the
microteaching for the net practice. And we can very well substitute the professional
teacher for the skilled batsman and the student teacher for the novice cricketer. This
should, hopefully, make the case clear.
The issue, therefore, according to the developers of the technique is about the
„magnitude of „complexity in the practice of teaching situation that makes it difficult for
the student teacher to handle. The presumption is that the normal classroom is „complex
and „scaled up in its magnitude, making the habituation of „teaching behavior difficult, if
not unmanageable. So, there is a need, first and foremost, to deconstruct and consequently
scale down the teaching behavior by dovetailing it with the simplified classroom setting.
Thus, the reduction is had at the two poles: one is that of the classroom situation, and
second is that of the teachers own teaching behavior. The developers, as already stated,
sought to reduce the complexity of this dipole to afford the trainee teacher be at
comparative ease during practice. For brevity we put the „scaling down process
hereunder:
Time reduction (6-8 minutes)
3
Behavior reduction (Breaking of teaching behavior into skills)
Therefore, Microteaching is a technique of teacher training that enables a trainee teacher to
engage in a deconstructed teaching situation that limits not only the class size and time but
also the content and teaching behavior. The whole process is supposed to provide training to
the teachers in a situation that is simpler than the normal classroom. As already stated, the
teacher chooses just one skill (behavior) and some small concept (content), and prepares a
lesson of 6-8 minutes (limiting duration), and teaches in front of around six students or peers
(limiting crowd). We can put the same process hereunder:
One skill (limiting behavior)
Small concept (limiting content)
6-8 minutes (limiting duration/time)
Six students (limiting crowd/students)
So, microteaching is a holds barred teaching situation where the bar is applied on behavior,
content, duration and crowd. It serves to downscale and deepen the teacher training at once.
The deepening of practice is achieved by detonating the composite teaching behavior into
smaller skills, and downscaling is achieved by the reduction in content, duration and class
size. According to Miltz R. J. (1978), „microteaching is an opportunity to present something
and then analyze the outcome; the two crucial elements are the ability to see oneself in action
and analyze what was done. So, it is self confrontation.
Historical background:
The introduction of microteaching in India is traced back to early 1970s, first at
Technical Teachers Training College, Madras, Calcutta and Chandigarh. The initial trainings
in microteaching began in the Secondary school Teachers Institutions like Andara
Comprehensive College of Education Pune, Government College of Education Ratnagiri,
DAV College of Education Abhor, and College of Education Bombay. These Institutions
toiled to put into practice microteaching on experimental basis. In 1974 the Department of
Teacher Education, NCERT, New Delhi in collaboration with CASE, Baroda and Department
of Education, Indore University initiated a long term program of microteaching. The British
High Commission conducted a series of workshops for teachers in south India in 1975 to
impart training in microteaching. Later the institutions in north India caught up with the new
idea. Presently, microteaching is not taken as seriously as in earlier years. The shift in the
philosophy of teaching leaning from behaviorism to constructivism post NCF 2005 and
NCFTE 2009 has lead to fall of microteaching from the fancy of teachers and teacher
educators in the whole country. Microteaching keeps the whole initiative with the teacher and
laxity into greater collaboration and participation is not encouraged. The whole emphasis is on
the „skill(s) and the learner is usually lost sight of. It is due to this fact that microteaching has
been dropped in many of the university syllabi in the country.
4
At our Institution we organize a rigorous practice of different skills of microteaching for both
novice and in-service teachers at several stages. We begin with developing a theoretical basis,
followed with modeling of skills (micro-lessons) by experts, where students observe and
critique, followed by planning and demonstration of micro-lessons by student teachers. The
demonstrations are accompanied with writing of the lessons in the microteaching journal by
the pupil teachers with the help and guidance of mentors. In case the rating is below average
the skill lessons are repeated until the mastery is gained.
After the mastery in singular skills the student teachers plan and practice integrated
microteaching lessons. This helps in the transfer of the skills in the real life classroom
situation. The whole program of microteaching is structured in order to facilitate student
teachers to acquire mastery in skills and teaching learning.
Basic assumptions and features of microteaching:
No compromise on the reality of teaching situation:
Performed in near real or simulated situation, it is said that real teaching takes place
during microteaching sessions. Since it is a training situation that uses same conditions as
normal teaching therefore it does not compromise with the reality of the teaching setting.
However, the scaling down strategy does make it a slightly different from normal teaching in
as far as the focus on singular skill is concerned. In any case the scaling down of the teaching
process is meant to simplify and deconstruct the teaching learning process.
Deconstruction of the teaching process:
As already discussed it is believed that micro-teaching reduces the complexities of the
normal teaching in terms of class size, range/scope of activities and time. A teacher in a
normal teaching situation grapples with the labyrinthine process which is difficult to cope
with. Microteaching allows trainee teachers to not get bogged down by the sheer complexity
of the teaching process. Therefore, the trainees in microteaching sessions focus more on the
practice of skills than be befuddled by the enormity of the normal teaching situation.
Technique of training not teaching:
Microteaching, as the name indicates, tends to confuse the reader about it being a
teaching technique. Far from that, micro-teaching is actually a micro-training technique that
hones the skills of the trainee teachers.
This technique is not meant for teaching but for training teachers. The normal practice of
teaching that is usually conducted in all schools of the State works as training as well as a
teaching method. Micro-teaching, however, wholly focuses on training.
Greater control:
As in scientific method where control is achieved in variables, in the same manner
micro-teaching achieves control in behavior by scaling it down to a singular skill. In addition
to this the class size and time duration is also brought down. This reduction enables the trainee
negotiate and steer a simplified teaching situation. It deepens his/her understanding and
practice of the teaching process.
5
Result oriented training:
Result oriented training is far better than the training that has lesser control over results. One
microteaching session is a stepwise cyclical process, granting two small sessions of „teach to
a trainee with the immediate feedback on both the sessions. The first part of the cycle begins
with planning, moving through the first small teaching session and ending in the first
feedback. The second part of the cycle begins from re-plan moving through the second small
teaching session and culminating in the re-feedback. Hence, one microteaching cycle
accommodates two teach sessions and two feedback sessions resulting in robust training in a
chosen skill. The training in a particular skill continues until the mastery is achieved based on
the feedback from the educator.
Phases of Micro teaching:
Microteaching, according to Clift, et al (1976), has three phases:
1. Knowledge phase:
No practice is possible without an underlying theory. Before any fruitful practice is done
we need to go through theoretical foundations and frameworks. Microteaching too has its
knowledge base that the trainee must be conversed with. The trainee must know about the
concept and cycle of microteaching before he/she delves into the knowledge about the
assortment of skills that make up a consolidated teaching behavior. Here, watching
demonstrations from the learned peers or educators and follow-up discussions could help
reinforce the knowledge. The following are the important steps in knowledge acquisition
phase:
demonstrations could be also used.
Analyses of the demonstrations and raising queries.
Discussions about the demonstrations.
2. Skill phase:
No theory has any merit unless it blossoms into a fruitful practice. After the knowledge
base is built we can harness it for developing the skills. To do this the trainee practices the
skill, using an atomic concept from any subject (science, social science etc.), in front of a
small number of students or peers for a small time duration of around six minutes. The whole
practice is overseen by an expert educator who provides the feedback at the termination of
each teach session. The trainee re-plans the lesson based on the feedback provided by the
educator and the practice is repeated until the skill is mastered. Other skills are acquired in the
same manner. The steps involved are:
Choose a small concept from any subject (science, social science, languages etc)
Plan and prepare a micro-lesson on a particular skill
Practice the skill in a microteaching setting of reduced class size and time
Feedback of performance from the educator
Re-plan and re-teach, if need be
Master all the skills in the same manner
Integrate the skills in the end
6
3. Transfer phase:
Microteaching may be taken as a technique of training the student teachers in a
situation not very different from the actual classroom, but the very nature of the technique
necessitates the need for transferring the learning into the actual classroom learning. Sustained
practice in microteaching graduates into learning of skills necessary for classroom teaching.
Before this happens the individual skills are to be woven together into the sets of three skills
(or more) to begin with, and then integrated into the sets of six skills each (or more) and so on
until all skills are practiced in a session that compounds into a normal class. If deemed fit,
more skills could be integrated at a same time. Our institution has, in fact, chosen five core
skills that are integrated together at the same time. The integrated lessons to this effect are
appended in this handbook in the end. Once this has been done the trainee is ready to transfer
the learning to the real classroom setting.
Microteaching Workshop:
The teacher educator may conduct a Training Workshop on the following lines to
thoroughly impart the theoretical and practical knowledge of the microteaching.
Diagram from Google
Steps in the theoretical part:
The concept: To introduce microteaching to the trainees the teacher educator could give an
overall idea of the technique. He or she may orient and give them the knowledge about the
concept, rationale, significance and procedure of microteaching.
The skills in detail: Here, it would be beneficial to go deeper into the knowledge of the myriad
skills of microteaching. The individual skills could be discussed threadbare, including the
components comprising a skill. This would include information about the observation
schedule and rating scale specific to the particular skill.
Steps in the practical part:
Skill selection and modeling: From the group of five core skills that our institution has chosen
the teacher trainees select a particular skill (one skill at a time) for practice and observe the
recorded video demonstration
or a live demonstration of an expert. The expert models the skill before the trainees so that
they are able to reinforce the theoretical learning further and mount onto the saddle of
practice.
Discussion and critique: The modeling session shall definitely clear some doubts and raise
some more. The review of the modeling session is done by the trainees with the expert
educator who answers the queries of the trainees dispelling their doubts. The discussion
becomes more fruitful if the observation schedules are used by the trainees to rate the micro-
lesson by the expert educator.
Micro-lesson planning: Here the student teachers begin to prepare the micro-lesson. A small
concept is chosen and transacted using a particular skill. The demonstration is prepared
keeping in mind all the components of the particular skill.
Now the stage is set for the trainee to engage with the microteaching cycle.
Teach: This is the microteaching practice session where the lesson is delivered before small
number of pupils or peers (5-10), for around 6 minutes in front of the expert educator. The
trainee takes due care that his or her demonstration covers all major and relevant components
of the skill.
Feedback: During the demonstration the educator observes the micro-lesson using the
observation schedule. Video or audio recordings could be taken for more objective analyses
and critique. The student teacher should--it is recommended--review his/her lesson as well so
that self-critiquing and self-reflection is encouraged. The feedback time in the microteaching
cycle is 6 minutes.
Re-plan: On the basis of the feedback received and filtration from the different sources, the
student teacher re-plans his or her micro-lesson. He or she is provided 12 minutes time for this
purpose. The feedback and review of the previous „teach session enables the student teacher
to redesign and re-plan his/her lesson.
8
Re-teach: After the re-plan the student teacher proceeds to the second teach session (re-teach).
The time allotted for re-teach is again 6 minutes.
Re-feedback: The re-teach necessitates the re-critique for 6 minutes. Again the educator
provides the feedback using recordings from devices to serve up-close analyses of the session.
The trainee may watch his own recorded demo and see for himself/herself the modifications,
if any, required.
Redo the cycle: The microteaching half cycle of 18 minutes or full cycle of 36 minutes
duration may be required to be redone as the case may be. Needless to say that the cycle
would be repeated until the required level of mastery is not achieved.
Skills Integration: After mastering the skills individually there is a need to integrate them.
This last step is meant for integrating various teaching skills individually mastered by a
student teacher. The integrated lesson is to be prepared and delivered in front of the teacher
educator. This level is a bridge between training in isolated teaching skills and the real
teaching situation faced by a student teacher.
Microteaching Workshop
Observe & critique
demonstrated by the expert teacher educator.
P ra
ct ic
skill (PLAN).
teacher educator (TEACH).
Appraise/evaluate use of
(a) Evaluate the use of skill(s) by feedback from the
peers/teacher educator (FEEDBACK).
ASSESSMENT).
Integrate of skills &
skills.
9
Appraisal schedule and Rating scale:
Appraisal schedule: It constitutes a list of items reflecting the component behavior(s) of the
skill, tallies and the ratings against each component.
Rating scale: A recording device used in evaluation to determine the degree to which an
individual or thing possesses a given characteristic. Evaluation is done on seven point rating
scale (1-7) and the corresponding criteria.
Score: Total points received or given on the teacher appraisal schedule.
Appraisal schedule
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Very poor Poor Average Good Very Good Excellent
We have preferred to start the ratings from one „1. Firstly, it is believed that there can be no
absolute zero in social science even when microteaching is an objectivised technique that
breaks down the composite behavior into skills and then into atomic components that can be
clearly observed and numbered for each skill. Secondly, appropriateness would count more
than just frequency of use of a component. If, for example, „refocusing question is used two
times appropriately, it could very well be rated at 6 or 7. That means quality than quantity of
rating must be kept in mind. Needless to say that appropriateness of use of any component
would largely depend on the content/concept.
“Rating scales must meet the same criteria of any other evaluation device: objectivity,
reliability, and validity. Objectivity is obtained when stimulus variables, which are qualities to
be rated, and response options, which arc the ratings to be given, are well defined. Objectivity
means that a rating scale will produce similar results when used by different judges rating the
same object. The coefficient of objectivity, describes the accuracy of a rating scale. The
higher the objectivity the more meaningful are the ratings based upon it. Reliability of a
rating scale means that the instrument should yield the same values within the limit of
allowable error under the same set of conditions. Reliability is increased when raters
understand the scale and observe and rate at the same time. Reliability also increases when
the number of judges increases and the length of the observation increases.
10
In a planned observation program, the observer must be actively screening what he sees and
its importance. Observing is a complex skill. The good observers must be trained to be active
and systematic, to control biases, and to use specific techniques. Training is necessary not
only to increase ability to perceive, but also to increase reliability in the use of a rating
instrument. An observer must have repeated experiences with an observation guide before it
can serve him with consistency.
One method for overcoming difficulty in the use of rating scales was suggested by
Musella: „One must rely upon the rater's perceptual cognitive view of the ratee, the criteria,
and the relationship between the two. All must be aware of, accept, and comply with the stated
criteria. The responsibility lies in the development of common criteria for teacher
effectiveness for a specific situation in which rater and ratee are active participants.
How to calculate the score for a particular skill:
Let us take an example of skill of Set Induction. Suppose the teacher has marked the rating for
each component in the Appraisal Schedule by marking „tallies and „rating scale in bold as
depicted hereunder:
Appraisal schedule
Component behavior used Tallies Rating Scale
Use of appropriate technique/device //// 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of previous knowledge/experiences /// 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Maintenance of continuity //// 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Relevancy of verbal or non-verbal behaviors // 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:= Total tallies for all components = 4+3+4+2 = 13 = 3.25
No. of components 4 4
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Very poor Poor Average Good Very Good Excellent
The score of 3.25 falls in “poor” rating in the given rating criteria, therefore, the micro-lesson
needs further practice by „Re-planning, „Re-teaching, „Re-feedbacking and „Re-scoring. If
the score is low even after the re-teach the micro-lesson is to be repeated again, and as many
times until the score crosses the average mark. The calculations are to be done in the same
manner for each skill. In case of skills mentioning „undesirable components like in the skill
of reinforcement, in all such cases the final score could be calculated by calculating the scores
separately (as shown above) for both desirable and undesirable behaviors. The two scores thus
obtained could be subtracted to get the final score and rating thereof.
11
Deconstruction of teaching process: Microteaching provides an analytical lens into the
theoretical and practical part of the teaching process. It enables the student teachers to deepen
the understanding of the teaching behavior by delving into individual skills, and integrating
thereafter into a composite teaching behavior.
Ease in practice: The very nature of microteaching grants us ease in practice since the student
teacher engages with a singular skill accompanied with situational scaling down. This setting,
it is said, makes teaching far more practice friendly than the normal teaching.
Hassle free: For the novice teacher the microteaching setting is hassle free and far less
irksome than the normal teaching situation. It affords the trainees to feel comfortable and
more confident, having to tackle the reduced complexity of a teaching situation.
Cost efficient: Microteaching program does not require any high cost infrastructure and
gadgets. Teachers can practice within the real class or at any other place.
Flexibility: Microteaching is quite flexible in as far as the organization of the practice is
concerned. It can be organized with real students or away in a teacher training institute with
peers. In fact, it better works in the latter because of the fact that the peers could be good
source of critique in addition to the educator.
More feasible: Microteaching program, if conducted more frequently with peers in the teacher
education institutions, helps in reducing the dependence on schools. Schools are usually hard
pressed to accommodate trainee teachers for routine practice of teaching, making the students
in the school suffer due to breakdown of routine classes. During teaching practice in schools,
sometimes students are taught all over again what they have already been through leading, in
the end, to wastage of time. Microteaching does not put our schools and students to such
discomfort.
Constructive criticism and meta-cognition: Since microteaching encourages critiquing the
performance of teaching far too frequently and deeply, therefore, it develops positive attitude
towards criticism on the part to the demonstrator, in our case the pupil teacher. The peers too
develop a habit of constructive criticism in addition to meta-cognition of the teaching process.
Aid to lesson designing: Lesson designing/planning is an integral part of the teaching process.
Microteaching, besides helping trainees to develop the teaching skill, gives them insights into
lesson planning as well. It teaches appropriate selection, planning and use of content together
with singular skills. In fact, the process of microteaching after meeting skills in a scaled down
situation, upscales later to an integrated lesson, requiring lesson planning, using each mastered
skill in an appropriate manner.
12
Rooted in behaviorist model: Microteaching is rooted in the behaviorist psychology
consequently the behavior is sought to be altered by way of reinforcement given by the
teacher. This gives teacher greater control but in a mechanical manner. The passivity of the
learner here is a biggest downside. The constructivist teaching learning psychology would
hurl a scathing attack on this one sided teaching technique, where the learner participation is
almost wholly dispensed with. For constructivism, teaching is not skilful funneling of
information into the minds of the children; it is rather an engagement of the observant and
cognizant mind with what is learnable. Here the teacher is the capable assistant and child is
the artist. Microteaching, in fact, reverses this order.
Mechanistic technique: Microteaching looks good until the analytical approach it maintains
about the teaching process is sought to be merely understood. It looks enticing as well. But the
moment this analytical approach runs into practice through demonstrations, it becomes
lethally mechanistic and far removed from reality. Many a times the whole process looks like
a purposeless drill.
Behavioral scaling down may increase the complexity: It is argued that microteaching
technique makes practice simple in the wake of situational and behavioral scaling down.
Making a trainee teacher go for the ostensible behavioral scaling down by selecting and using
one skill at a time to teach a small concept to a small number of peers does not seem to
simplify but complicate the whole thing. How do we expect it to be relatively simple practice
than the normal class for the trainee teacher when he/she is restricted in terms of teaching
behavior to one skill at a time? The restriction to one skill actually scales up the
microteaching process. The situational scaling down, no doubt, reduces the complexity, but
the behavioral scaling down, on the other hand, seems to escalate it. Many teachers who are
usually comfortable with normal classroom teaching at school find it quite difficult to practice
skills in a microteaching setting. Even the teacher educators who normally teach in the
colleges and universities and have good years of experience at their back do not find
microteaching demonstration easy. That may be the reason why microteaching is restricted to
the formality of making microteaching notebooks in many teacher education programs of the
country.
Lack of expert educators: Microteaching requires experienced and expert educators well
versed in preparation of micro-lessons and demonstrations thereof. Many of the teacher
educators shy away from demonstrations usually due to lack of practice. Mere preparation of
microteaching lessons does not qualify someone to be an expert in microteaching unless
he/she has demonstrated the lessons and earned good experience. Even using the observation
schedules to rate the lessons is not as easy as it seems. If the evaluator of the microteaching
lessons is not well versed with the practice and the content used during demonstrations he/she
will terribly compromise on the quality of evaluation too.
13
Time consuming: Microteaching is quite time consuming. Presuming that we have twelve
skills to acquire and each skill takes more than one cycle to master, then, we can well
imagine, how much time it would take to train just one trainee. This is without reserving any
time for integration of all skills into a composite lesson.
Students as guinea pigs: If we organize the microteaching sessions with real school students it
turns out to be a total wastage and headache for them. Since the technique is only for training
teachers without having any real teaching output, therefore, it only treats school students as
guinea pigs. This amounts to sheer wastage.
Disregard to diversity: In the scaling down exercise the number of students is kept at 5-10 to
make the trainee feel at home. This is a normal standard in microteaching setting. But it
negates diversity. In reality our classes are diverse and it is a great plus to enable different
worlds be a part of the same class, and different worlds of knowledge to cross one another in a
meaning making process. Microteaching does not factor in diversity in education.
Disconnect with the real: Microteaching is usually conducted with peers away from the
precincts of the real classroom. This disconnects the trainee teacher from the real. Healthy
practice is always grounded in the real. Away from the real it defeats the purpose of teaching
learning process.
Microteaching skills:
The researchers in microteaching have identified various skills and components
thereof comprising the compound teaching behavior. The originators of the technique, Allen
and Ryan, have identified 14 skills; Borg et al in 1970 increased the number to 18. BK Passi
in 1976, in Indian context, took the list to 21 skills; Jangira and Singh in 1982 identified 20
skills in total. This indicates that there is no consensus on the number of teaching skills. Even
there could be difference of opinion about the nature of a particular skill. Our Institution too
has its own opinion about the nature of some skills particularly reinforcement and difference
of opinion about the observation schedules.
Each skill is subdivided into component behaviors, the number and kind varies for each skill.
These components are used and practiced to master any particular skill.
List of skills:
Allen and Ryan listed the 14 teaching skills at Stanford University in USA. The list is given
hereunder:
5. Reinforcing pupils participation (also termed as Reinforcement)
6. Fluency of questioning
14
12. Lecturing
14. Completeness of communication
Microteaching skills are quite amenable to Herbats school, therefore, we will provide a
break-up of skills into different stages in the Herbation lesson.
“We have hereunder arranged these Teaching skills
with different stages of the Herbatian lesson format”
Lesson stage Name of the skill
Introduction Set induction
Presentation Stimulus variation
Lecturing
15
Note: The above break-up is suggestive and does not set the skills in the sequence and the
tight compartments as above. Some skills may be used in all stages of the lesson, for example
„Stimulus variation, „reinforcement, „recognizing attending behavior etc could break into all
the steps of a lesson plan.
The skill list is not the exhaustive. As already said, the number of skills has been increased in
India by NCERT (1982). We wont be reproducing that list here. It is not possible to practice
all these skills due to constraints of time, therefore, a list of teaching skills that overlap to
some extent, and cut across into a larger teaching behavior and subject areas do find place in
our institutional scheme. The core skills we have chosen could be beneficial in constructivist
class setting as well, for example, stimulus variation and probing question skills etc are
needed in any type of class.
We will hereunder give the list of some core skills chosen by our Institution for teacher
trainees:
2. Skill of Reinforcement
5. Skill of Explaining
There could be opinions about some more skills that may be added to core skills like
„illustrating and use of examples or „using whiteboard (BK Passi & NCERT) but we have
settled with the above five only.
16
17
Skill of Set Induction
This skill is also known as „Skill of Introducing the Lesson. It may be defined as “the ability
to use verbal and non-verbal behaviors, learning aids and suitable techniques and devices for
enabling the learners realize the need to study the topic by establishing cognitive and affective
rapport.”
The component behaviors of the skill of Set Induction are:
1. Utilizing previous knowledge
3. Maintenance of continuity
1. Utilization of Previous knowledge/experience:
The teacher cannot afford to begin his/her lesson without catching the thread from the
previous lesson. This is to say that the teacher uses the previous experience as the stepping
stone to the new lesson. This previous knowledge may or may not be traced to the previous
lesson. It may be related to something learnt by the student at home, in his or her
neighborhood, or elsewhere. The point is that the lesson in hand has to build from something
already known to the learner. The teacher needs to garner the previous experiences of students
to use it as a supporting framework and a receptacle to accommodate new knowledge in a
meaningful manner. The teacher has to develop this art of harnessing previous knowledge and
experiences. Here the maxim “moving from known to unknown” makes sense. The trainee
teachers need to consider the following and understand it thoroughly to be able to induce the
set:
Previous experiences and knowledge of students.
Devices and techniques for utilizing the previous experience and knowledge base.
Techniques that bridge and link the previous „known and the topic in hand.
Ability to use of the previous knowledge and experiences in the present situation.
2. Use of Appropriate devices and techniques:
Given hereunder are some of the techniques for introducing the lesson:
1. Questioning
2. Narrating
3. Describing
9. Excursion/outings
3. Maintenance of Continuity:
Continuity refers to maintaining a logical thread in what is presented. The information
must be organized by trainee teachers in a sequential manner and presented accordingly in the
introduction of the lesson. The teacher has to develop the skill of using previous knowledge,
together with the appropriate device(s) and technique(s) to link the previous with what is to be
transacted now in a psychological and logical continuous thread. In doing this the responses
from the students are important to convince the teacher about the induction of the appropriate
set.
4. Relevancy of verbal or non-verbal behaviors:
The teacher should maintain relevancy of verbal and non-verbal behavior. Besides utilizing
the previous experiences and maintaining continuity the teacher requires ensuring the
following for introducing the lesson:
Rapport: establish cognitive and affective connect with the learners.
Readiness: Make learners feel need of studying the lesson
Purpose: Students implicit or explicit knowledge about the objective(s).
Note: Some books mention one more component „questions followed by correct pupil
responses. We didnt feel the need to mention it in our observation schedule primarily
because „questioning is not the only device to induce the set (we have storytelling,
dramatizing etc as well). Secondly, „utilization of previous experience/knowledge if
harnessed appropriately should lead to „correct pupil responses. Furthermore, „pupils correct
responses is also related to the „maintenance of continuity. Break the continuity and you
wont see correct responses coming. Our idea is that „a correct pupil responses is inherent in
utilization of previous knowledge/experience and „maintenance of continuity.
19
Name of the Micro-teacher (Trainee): Date:
Teacher Educator: Class:9 th
Topic: Factors influencing temperature of a place: Teach/Re-teach
Micro-teachers activity Student’s activity Components used
Teacher enters the class and wishes
Good Morning to the students
Students also wish ”Good
Morning” to the teacher
heavenly bodies
(ULM)
of students reflecting two heavenly
bodies.
The students raise their hands.
Teacher asks one of his students to
answer the question
the earth
luminous?
UPK
non- luminous?
heavenly body
body?
own heat and light
luminous heavenly body?
UAT
UPK
MOC
20
the earth?
for the earth
degree of heat or hotness
UPT
UPK
MOC
everywhere on the surface of the earth?
The temperature on the surface of
the earth varies from place to place
UPT
UPK
MOC
Why does it vary? The student will either think of
different factors or the teacher will
find them curious to know about the
variation of temperature on the
surface of the earth
influencing temperature of a place.
RVNV
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of set induction
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of set induction comprises three columns. The
first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies and the
third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is done on
seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Component behavior used Tallies Rating Scale
Use of appropriate technique/device 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of previous knowledge/experiences 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Maintenance of continuity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Relevancy of verbal or non-verbal behaviors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
21
Name of the Microteacher (Trainee): Date:
Teacher Educator: Class: 8th
Topic: Dandi March Teach/Re-teach
Teacher greets the learners and establishes
a rapport through informal interaction.
Learners reciprocate to teachers greeting.
Greeting & Accepting Greeting
Jammu & Kashmir Utilizing previous Knowledge (UPK)
Use of appropriate technique (UAT,
questioning)
India. UPK
UPK
MOC
UPK
MOC
personalities or Freedom Fighters of India
on this chart? (Teacher Shows a chart
containing images of Great Indian Leaders:
Gandhi, Nehru, Subhash Chandra, Bhagat
Singh, Maulana Azad)
Use of Appropriate A.V aids
Can you identify M.K. Gandhi out of all these freedom fighters?
Students point to the picture of Gandhi ji UAT
UPK
MOC
UATA
Great.
Mahatma Gandhi?
No Response
UAT
UPK
MOC
Students nod
know about “Dandhi March”
RVNV
22
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of set induction
The appraisal schedule cum rating scale for skill of set induction comprises three columns.
The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies
and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is
done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Component behavior used Tallies Rating Scale
Use of appropriate technique/device 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of previous knowledge/experiences 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Maintenance of continuity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Relevancy of verbal or non-verbal behaviors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
23
Marginal Information
Teacher Educator: Class
teach
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of set induction
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of set induction comprises three columns. The
first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies and the
third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is done on
seven point rating scale.
Component behavior used Tallies Rating Scale
Use of appropriate technique/device 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of previous knowledge/experiences 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Maintenance of continuity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Relevancy of verbal or non-verbal behaviors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
24
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
25
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
26
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
27
Marginal Information
Teacher Educator: Class
Topic: Teach/Re-teach
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of set induction
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of set induction comprises three columns. The
first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies and the
third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is done on
seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Calculations:
Component behavior used Tallies Rating Scale
Use of appropriate technique/device 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of previous knowledge/experiences 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Maintenance of continuity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Relevancy of verbal or non-verbal behaviors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
28
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
29
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
30
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
31
This skill is also called as „reinforcing pupils participation. Reinforcement comes from
the theory of operant conditioning in psychology. Reinforcement primarily means
„strengthening, and in case of teaching learning it means „strengthening of behavior. Two
types of reinforcements have been in vogue in educational psychology: positive reinforcement
and negative reinforcement. In behaviorist psychology positive means presenting or
introducing stimulus/stimuli and negative means removing or terminating it. If we combine
positive and negative with „reinforcement (increasing the occurrence of behavior) we have
two combinations:
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Positive reinforcement means presentation or introduction of stimulus/stimuli in order to
increase the occurrence (reinforcement) of the behavior. It may be noted that in teaching
learning situation we would usually like to increase the occurrence of good behavior or correct
responses etc. To increase the occurrence the teacher may present the child/learner with the
stimulus that increases or strengthens his/her behavior.
Negative reinforcement means withdrawal or termination of stimulus/stimuli in order to
increase the occurrence of the behavior. Here the „aversive stimulus/stimuli is/are withdrawn
or terminated to increase the occurrence (reinforcement) of a good behavior (any behavior
could be reinforced but the teacher would toil to reinforce good behaviors only). Therefore,
the point is that whether reinforcement is positive or negative it increases the occurrence of
behavior.
The microteaching literature published in the in the country and beyond presents the „negative
reinforcement in a way that does not seem to correspond with what we know from the
process of reinforcement in psychology. D. W. Allens statement: “teacher actions and
responses which act as negative reinforcement and tend to decrease pupil participation” is
something that microteaching has validated in its mainstream literature. But he cautiously
adds forthwith in the same passage: “the interns were also alerted to teacher actions and
responses which act as negative reinforcement and tend to decrease pupil participation.” The
examples of negative reinforcement, he suggests, are scowls, frowns, expressions of
annoyance and impatience, use of words „no, „wrong answer etc. In fact, he seems to be only
alarming the teachers that use of negative reinforcement may decrease pupils participation,
therefore, greater reliance must be had on „positive reinforcement. Although when used this
way it seems to come well under „positive punishment („positive because the teacher
presents/introduces the undesirable words/gestures like scowls, frowns, etc) but considering
the loop of corrective thought it might trigger forthwith in students (like answering correctly
or attending to teachers lecture subsequently) could probably be taken as „immediate
reciprocal negative reinforcement. Since, making of some behaviors (desirable) would
require breaking of others and vice versa (not necessarily always). Like a student in a class
who habitually makes side talks may be made by the teacher to pay attention by way of
33
positive punishment (dont talk during lessons or frowning at him/her) and the sheer
reciprocity of immediate corrective behavior (student paying attention) could bring this under
„reciprocal negative reinforcement, reciprocal in the sense that breaking of undesirable
behavior (side talks) triggers making of desirable one (paying attention).
There is also the knowledge of expectation and convention among students where they
have a fair idea of what constitutes the right behavior in the classroom. On teachers mere
disapproval about something undesirable on the part of students produces an immediate
reciprocal desirable response. Perhaps herein could lie the distinction between the process of
reinforcement in animals and humans. What skill of reinforcement teaches us is that we must
use reinforces than punishers, and in using reinforcers we must prefer use positive over
negative.
Since the components in appraisal schedule of reinforcement does not make any
mention of „positive punishment therefore we suggest the students and teachers to keep in
mind the demarcation between „positive punishment and „negative reinforcement and how
„positive punishment could slightly trigger, as we believe, an „immediate reciprocal negative
reinforcement in a teaching learning situation. In any case, therefore, negative reinforcement
has not been recommended to be relied upon. D.W.Allen too seems to be mistrusting it in
increasing students participation.
Let us now come to the definition of „reinforcement:
The skill of reinforcement may be defined as „the judicious use of reinforcement by the
teacher influencing the behavior of students in the desired direction and to maximize their
participation in the teaching-learning process.
Components of reinforcement skill:
1. Use of positive verbal reinforcers: These are verbal behaviors (stimulus/stimuli from
the teacher) that increase the chances for the students to respond correctly (increase the
occurrence of desirable behavior) or the chances for the students to participate, or
show more participation in the classroom. Following types stimuli/stimulus could be
introduced or presented by the teacher:
a. Praise words: nice, fine, good, very good, well done, excellent, right etc.
b. Statements accepting students feeling: „you seem to have understood; „you have
got it etc.
c. Repeating, rephrasing or summarizing the student responses.
2. Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers: These refer to all those non-verbal
stimulus/stimuli presented by the teacher that bring about more/increased correct
34
3. responses (increase the occurrence of desirable behavior). Following types of
stimuli/stimulus could be presented by the teacher:
a. Writing students responses on the blackboard.
b. Non-verbal actions conveying a pleasant feeling or approval of students
responses: gestures like nodding head, approval by way of applauding, smiling,
clapping, patting etc.
4. Use of extra-verbal reinforcers: These fall midway between positive verbal and non-
verbal reinforcers like „hmm, „Ah or „Wah etc.
B. Undesirable stimuli/behaviors:
1. Use of negative verbal reinforcers: The verbal stimulus/stimuli of the teacher that
bring about decrease in the occurrence of some of the student behaviors like incorrect
answers, side talks, undesirable behavior and in-turn reinforce correct responses and
attending behavior. Such reinforcers could be categorized as:
a. Words: Please answer correctly, pay attention, look here etc.
b. Cues and voice tones: „humph, „Uff.
c. Statements: „You are disturbing people around, „this is not good etc.
2. Use of negative non-verbal reinforcers: The non-verbal behaviors and the stimuli
presented by the teacher that bring decrease in the occurrence of undesirable behavior
like incorrect answers, side talks, undesirable behavior. The negative non-verbal
reinforcers could be frowns, scowls, raising eyebrows, disapproving stare, tapping foot
impatiently and walking away etc.
Note: The teacher should try not to rely on the negative reinforcers to invoke
reciprocal corrective/desirable responses. This is the reason why while calculating the
final rating score for the skill of reinforcement the use of negative reinforcement is
subtracted from the positive reinforcement.
3. Inappropriate or wrong use of reinforcement: The reinforcers/reinforcement need to
be used with much care because many times teachers increase the occurrence of a
wrong behavior and sometimes even a right behavior may get discouraged. The
following conditions need to be kept in mind:
a. Use of reinforcement/ reinforces when not needed: For example when students
answer incorrectly and teacher still uses positive verbal, non-verbal and
extraverbal reinforcers.
b. Not using reinforcement/reinforcers when needed: When students answer correctly
and the reinforcement is not used. (note: it must be kept in mind that in
microteaching lesson reinforcement is used for every response but in a normal
lesson the teacher keeps in mind the schedules of reinforcement)
35
c. Using reinforcers in a less or excess amount than desired: Use of reinforcement
has be appropriate--neither more nor less. The teacher has to keep in mind what
kinds of response need what extent of reinforcement. For example when the
student has answered correctly in a situation where every other child failed
requires a greater extent of reinforcement and the vice versa. Furthermore, shy and
unresponsive students need more reinforcement than the responsive and motivated
ones.
d. Reinforcing only a few responding students: The teacher sometimes shows more
susceptibility towards reinforcing a few students in the classroom. This partiality
puts a teacher in the poor light.
36
Skill of Reinforcement: Model Lesson I Name of the Trainee: Date:
Teacher Educator: Class: 8th
Topic: Early Man Teach/Re-teach
Please tell me why the early man wandered from one
place to another Pointing to “Aneesa” an intelligent girl
but shy who knows the answer. Therefore, encourages her to reply “yes speak out, I understand you know, the
answer”.
search of food and water. (Aneesa feels
happy)
and asks “tell me what did they eat”?
“Correct, they ate wild animals and fruits”.
“They ate wild fruits and animals”.
Bashir looks towards the teacher in approvingly
Positive verbal. Use of praise
words & repeating rephrasing the
Catrina, “They lived in caves”
Catrina, looks at the board with intrest.
Positive verbal / Non verbal
reinforcement (writing students statement on board)
Teacher to Aiman, “tell me who were the enemies of the
early man”?
“The wild animals and weather”.
Aiman feels encouraged.
positive / Non verbal
Reinforcement (nodding his/her
To Rita, “what was their defense”? “Uh-uh carry on”, Rita.
Teacher looks at Aneesa and Bashir who are talking. The
teacher raises his/her eye brows. Pay attention guys.
Rita. Madam it was the fire”. Aneesa and Bashir are talking while the
teacher was is some questions, both
stop talking as the teacher looks at them, they pay attention at avert the
raised brows.
Negative reinforcement
Meanwhile, the teacher asks Bashir, “tell me, did they know growing vegetables and fruits”?
Teacher repeats Bashirs answer.
“No, they did not know growing vegetables and fruits”.
Bashir repeats with the teacher
positive / Non verbal Reinforcement
Catrina. “How did early man protect themselves at night in caves”?
Teacher smiles and nods his/her on
Catrinas answer, and puts another
Catrina. “They crowded at night in caves”. Kept fire burning at the night at
the entrance which prevented
question to Catrina, How did they produce fire?
(Encouraging her to answer that question too) “Right.” “Write down the answer on the board”.
the animals from entering their caves.
Catrina . “The fire was produced by Rubbing the stones”.
Catrina walks happily to write on the
board. Other students watch approvingly.
Positive non verbal Reinforcement Use of gestures
Teacher to Aiman “What kind of tools they used?” The teacher appreciates by saying “Very good, Aiman”
They used crude tools.
Aiman: “They used stone tools”. Aiman nods as the teacher repeats.
Repeating/Rephrasing and positive non- verbal words
To Rita “where were such stones found in India”?
Teacher “Uh-uh.”
To Aneesa “What kind of tools were found in Kashmir?”
Teacher remarks: Aneesa is “right.” “come-on, write down
the answer on the black board.”
Aneesa, These were made from Bones
of Animals.
Verbal and non –verbal
Teacher to Bashir: “what kind of tools did they use?”
The teacher acknowledges and says “Very good”, “They
used crude tools.”
He nods.
37
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of set induction
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of set induction comprises three columns. The
first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies and the
third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is done on
seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Component Behavior used (Desirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal Reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of extra verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Component Behavior used(Undesirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of negative verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of negative non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Inappropriate use of reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
38
Skill of Reinforcement: Model Lesson II Name of the Trainee: Date:
Teacher Educator: Class:
Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Components used
The teacher greets students Students greet in return
Transfer of heat from one place to
another is known as transmission of
heat, dear students, can you give me
the name of any other method of
transmission of heat, Im sure you
can give a correct answer.
Conduction Positive reinforcement (verbal)
Kareem, will you define it? Sir, when heat flows from one
particle to another.
The teacher smiles and pats. Kareem smiles back Positive reinforcement (non-
verbal)
transmission of heat where particles
move carrying heat?
Sameer thinks for some time and
says, Is it radiation, Sir
The teacher shakes his head
sideways, Na, you think about it, Ill
come back to you.
(verbal/non-verbal)
The teacher calls Nehas name. Sameer, in the meantime says, sir, it
is convection where particles move
and carry heat with them.
Very correct, hmm, it is a transfer of
heat by means of motion of particles
away from the source of heat
carrying heat with them.
non-verbal/approving
method?
madam
transmission?
the on the board.
board
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Reinforcement
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of reinforcement comprises three columns.
The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies
and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is
done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Component Behavior used (Desirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal Reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of extra verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Component Behavior used (Undesirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Inappropriate use of reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
40
Marginal Information
Teacher Educator: Class
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Reinforcement
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of reinforcement comprises three columns.
The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies
and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is
done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Component Behavior used (Desirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal Reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of extra verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Component Behavior used (Undesirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Inappropriate use of reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
41
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
42
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
43
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
44
Marginal Information
Teacher Educator: Class
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Reinforcement
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of reinforcement comprises three columns.
The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows tallies
and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component. Evaluation is
done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Component Behavior used (Desirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal Reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of extra verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Component Behavior used (Undesirable) Tallies Rating Scale
Use of positive verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Use of positive non-verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Inappropriate use of reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
45
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
46
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
47
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
48
Skill of Stimulus Variation
Before we go ahead to put down a definition for this skill we would do well to
present you with an example. It is our common experience when we see children, and
sometimes adults too, losing interest watching some program on TV. Many times, these
programs are not dramatic enough that could keep viewers attention hinged. Action
movies usually keep our (particularly childrens) attention focused for greater duration than
classic movies. What is the reason for this? Why do action movies grab greater attention
from children? The reason lies in “action”, that is, relatively quicker motion than in the
classic movies or news items. It is this „action that constitutes „stimulus that „varies
relatively at a faster rate in action movies than in news or classic movies. Therefore,
stimulus variation at an increased pace would capture attention for a greater duration. Same
is the case with teaching. Students attention span is quite shorter, particularly when the
classroom presents a dull picture with stimulus (teacher behavior in this case) varying at a
much slower pace than required. Teacher (as stimulus in the teaching learning situation)
can increase the participation of students for greater duration if he/she makes variations in
his/her gestures, language, movement, in interaction style, pausing and overall behavior
than the teacher who stands motionless, frozen. Its time to put what we discussed above in
a definition.
The skill of stimulus variation is a „set of teacher behaviors that bring about greater
participation of students in the classroom.
Components of the skill:
1. Movements: The teacher does not usually stand motionless in the class. He or she
moves around towards the white board when he or she requires writing something,
or moving towards the students to listen to their responses, or moving through the
aisle between the rows. Not only this, the teacher could use teaching learning
materials, conduct the experiments and make demonstrations. In all these activities
the teacher makes the stimuli vary for students in the classroom. This is not to say
that the teacher would move purposelessly. The movements have to be judicious so
as to secure the attention of students, not distract them instead. And since these
movements are made in relation to the teaching learning therefore the teacher must
ensure that these movements be amenable with the overall pedagogic flow of the
lesson.
2. Gestures: We dont just speak and move about in the class. Our bodies tend to
speak in harmony with our verbal language. This non-verbal language is also called
body language or „gestures. We move our heads, emphasize with our hands, point
or signal with our fingers, depict shapes or sizes through distinct body movements,
smile, and nod, move our eyes etc. All these gestures aid in greater expression.
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3. Change in speech pattern: Voice modulation is an important art. Speaking in a
single pitch is a big boredom. Variation in voice and tone lets the teacher to break
the possible monotony in the lesson. The introduction of dullness is a big downside
for any teaching learning situation. Teachers are usually worried about the
sustenance of interest in the lesson. It depends on the many factors and one reason
could be the way the teacher speaks in the class.
The speaking style has the potential of arresting the attention of students. Apart from
language the speech pattern determines to the larger extent how the teacher fares in the
classroom. The appropriate fluctuations of voice, tone, volume and the speed of
communication determine the speech pattern.
4. Pausing: Brakeless speech makes understanding quite difficult. It also brings in
fatigue to the speaker as well as the listener. The introduction of „pause in the
speech or a lesson is a necessary breather. It not only provides time for the listener
to put together his or her thoughts but the speaker too gets time to arrange the
forthcoming ideas. The kind of „pause we give determines to the large extent the
way our lesson is going. It is like indispensable punctuation that makes the
sentences meaningful. The teacher must necessarily learn to introduce the
appropriate and meaningful „pause(s) in the lesson.
5. Focusing: Many times the teacher has an important point to make. It may be an
observation, a statement or an event. The teacher cannot let the point go unnoticed,
therefore, brings it into the spotlight. This is called focusing. In verbal focusing we
usually say, “I repeat”, “listen carefully”, “I require your attention here”. In non-
verbal focusing we may point towards an object or event in an explicit manner,
encircle or underline the statement on the white board etc.
6. Change in interaction style: There is an interface between parties in the classroom.
This interface or interaction takes place in the following ways:
a. Teacher-whole class interaction.
b. Teacher-pupil interaction.
c. Pupil-pupil interaction
All these interaction styles are a part of a good lesson. The teacher must allow
time for switching these interactions between parties to add a healthy gripping
variation.
7. Aural-visual switching: Sometimes the teacher introduces stimulus variation by
alternating from aural to visual or from visual to aural, or a selective switching or a
combination of aural and visual stimuli.
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8. Physical involvement of the students: Until now the students participation was
sought to be increased by the action of the teacher himself or herself. It was a kind
of a psychological participation that was sought. We know that participation could
turn more active if, in addition to psychological, physical participation is sought.
Students could be made physically active by enabling them to write something on
the white board, making them carefully handle the resources and equipment during
experiment or demonstration etc.
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Skill of Stimulus Variation: Model Lesson I Name of the Trainee: Date:
Teacher Educator: Class: 8 th
Subject: Science Time: 6-8 minutes
Topic: Sense organ (Tongue) Teach/Re-teach
Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Components used
Teacher enters the class, greets the
students
The teacher asks two students to hang
the chart on the wall, depicting certain
food items & structure of tongue.
Students hang the chart on the
wall
the diagram)
Gestures
towards this diagram again.” and
shows them four different parts/areas
which give sense of taste due to
presence of sense/taste buds.
Focusing
Movement
Gestures
items from chart?
Focusing,
tongue.
A-V switching, Focusing
me how it tastes.
Movements
Gestures
Focusing
sweetness of the candy?
Students show by touching their
tongue
Change in interaction
Tell me how the ladys finger tastes? They taste it
It tastes bitter
the tongue.
students. After a brief pause the teacher
says: Ok, students, tell me how & where
do you feel popcorn tasting?
All the students taste.
tongue.
liked it. Bisma wrap the chart.
Yes Mam. Quite intresting.
students
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Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Stimulus Variation The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of stimulus variation comprises three
columns. The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows
tallies and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component.
Evaluation is done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in voice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in interaction styles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Aural-visual switching 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Physical involvement of the pupils 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
55
Skill of Stimulus Variation: Model Lesson II Name of the Trainee: Date:
Teacher Educator: Class: 9th
Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Components used
So, we are going to read the poem
………………….. (Teacher pauses & looks
towards the class)
Somebodys Mother
Students look and
voice
The Students listen
demonstrate the adjectives
The Students look
portrays themes in the lines) and asks – “Can
you read the line loudly matching with the
picture?”
dramatize the poem (put in performance).
Some Students
willingly & some
reluctantly come
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Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Stimulus Variation
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of stimulus variation comprises three
columns. The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows
tallies and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component.
Evaluation is done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in voice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in interaction styles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Aural-visual switching 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Physical involvement of the pupils 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
57
Marginal Information
Teacher Educator: Class
teach
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Stimulus Variation
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of stimulus variation comprises three
columns. The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows
tallies and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component.
Evaluation is done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in voice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in interaction styles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Aural-visual switching 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Physical involvement of the pupils 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
58
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
59
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
60
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
61
Marginal Information
Teacher Educator: Class
teach
Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Stimulus Variation
The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of stimulus variation comprises three
columns. The first column reflects the component behavior of the skill, second column shows
tallies and the third column depicts ratings from 1 to 7 against each of the component.
Evaluation is done on seven point rating scale.
Rating scale criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Extremely
Poor
Appraisal schedule
Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in voice 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Change in interaction styles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Aural-visual switching 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Physical involvement of the pupils 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Calculations:
62
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
63
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
64
Micro-teachers Activity Students Activity Components Used
65
Skill of Probing Questions
This skill is also called as the „skill of response management. It is not the flurry or
barrage of questions that the teacher asks here. From the perspective of „response
management the teacher comes up with suitable questions on the basis of students responses.
From the point of „probing questions the teacher goes deeper into students understanding by
way of graduated, yet sequential questions that tend to probe. Therefore, the skill of probing
question hurls at the trainee teacher the twin challenge at the same time: one, the teachers
focus on probe, using questions, gauging concept depth of the students; second, being ready to
face answers which may or may not be expected. The teacher in this skill requires all kinds of
questions in his/her kitty like the archer who has assorted arrows in his/her quiver.
Therefore the skill of probing questions means „a set of behaviors or techniques for going
deeper into students understanding of the concept in order to bring about the desired
response.
Components of the skill:
1. Prompting: In a theatrical performance when an actor forgets a line he or she is prompted.
This prompt is nothing more than a hint. It is understandable that when the student is not
able to respond or responds incorrectly the teacher could provide a hint that enables the
student to come up with a correct response. Sometimes teacher on finding the student
unresponsive, or giving incorrect response, gives example(s) as „prompt to help him/her
respond. The teacher could also reframe a question in easy language.
2. Seeking further information/clarification: Here, by way of this question, the teacher
seeks more information from the student. Needless to say that it could be used when the
student gives incomplete response or partially correct response. The examples of this
component question could be: „what more can you add, „give some example and
„explain a bit more etc.
3. Refocusing: This component question enables the teacher finding the understanding
levels of students that are deeper than normal. These question stems are used when the
students answer is correct. Here the questions ask for comparisons, contrasts, relations
like how something is similar or different from, how can you relate it with real life, etc.
4. Redirection: The question is redirected when the student is not able to answer correctly,
or is totally unable to respond. Sometimes incomplete responses too could be met with
the „redirection question when the teacher is convinced the student cannot answer
completely or when the „prompting or „seeking further information has/have failed.
5. Increasing Critical awareness: This question stem is used after a correct response or
when the teacher has elicited a few correct responses from the student. The critical
awareness question stems are: „why, „how.
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Note: Although the skill of probing question has five components detailed hereinabove but the
team of our institution has felt that there is an important question stem or component which is
used in the beginning of each probing question skill lesson. This component question used in
the beginning of the microteaching lesson finds no mention in the above five component
questions.
In many of the microteaching books available the first question in the microteaching
lesson is kept unnamed. But this beginning question determines to a large extent how the
teacher trainee maneuvers the subsequent responses and questions in the micro-lesson.
We will prefer to call it “concept entry question”, which is the point where we break into
the concept by way of a question. Since we negotiate some small concept of science or social
science in the skill of probing question, therefore, the „concept entry becomes all the more
important. We believe if the „concept entry point (and the question thereof) is not correctly
chosen the whole micro lesson could go awry. Therefore, while evaluating the micro-lesson of
probing question it becomes quite important for the expert educator to inform about the
significance of „concept entry to the trainee teachers. We could also name this component of
„concept entry question as „seeking information. There is