Download pdf - MICRO TEACHING HANDBOOK Vol 1, 2019

MICRO TEACHING HANDBOOK

Vol – 1, 2019

GOVERNMENT COLLEGE EDUCATION

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,

Govt. College of Education (IASE)

M.A. Road, Srinagar -190001

March-2019

Dr. Seema Naaz

Principal/Patron

Fazl Illahi

Editor

List of Contributors

Name of the

contributor

Contribution

1 Fazl Illahi Microteaching: Concept & explication 5 Core Skills: Concept & theoretical explication for

each skill

5 Core Skills: 2 lessons each

2 Bashir Ahmad Bhat

Mustafa Majid

Skill of Set Induction: Model Lesson I

Skill of Set Induction: Model Lesson II

3 Parveen Pandit

Shaheena Akhtar

Skill of Reinforcement: Model Lesson I

Skill of Reinforcement: Model Lesson II

4 Huzaifa

Gurmeet Kaur

Skill of Stimulus Variation: Model Lesson I

Skill of Stimulus Variation: Model Lesson II

5 Nowsheena Zargar

Ulfat Jan

Skill of Probing Question: Model Lesson I

Skill of Probing Question: Model Lesson II

6 Fazl Illahi

Rayees Andrabi

Skill of Explaining: Model Lesson I

Skill of Explaining: Model Lesson II

Skill integration: 2 lessons

7 Sadaf Sanaullah

Fazl Illahi

Skills integration: Model Lesson I

Skills integration: Model Lesson II

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

Principal

Editorial

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 21st 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__________________________________________

of Govt. College of Education (IASE), bearing University Registration

Number____________ corresponding to the College Roll No._______

Section_________ Session_________________

The activities performed and recorded in this Micro-teaching

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

Remarks of the Examiner

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Signature

Photograph

Contents

S.N

Title Page

1. Introduction 02

2. Historical background 03

3. Basic assumptions of microteaching 04

4. Phases of microteaching 05

5. Microteaching workshop 06

6. Appraisal schedule and rating scale 09

7. Calculating scores 10

8. Microteaching merits 11

9. Microteaching demerits 12

10. Microteaching skills 13 - 15

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

17 – 18

19 – 20

21- 22

23 - 26

27 - 30

13. Skill of Reinforcement:





31 – 35

36 – 37

38 – 39

40 – 43

44 - 47

14. Skill of Stimulus Variation:





48 – 51

52 – 54

55 – 56

57 – 60

61 - 64

15. Skill of Probing Questions:





65 – 67

68 – 69

70 – 71

72 – 75

76 - 79

16. Skill of Explaining:





80 – 82

83 – 84

85 – 86

87 – 90

91 – 94

17. Skills Integration





95 – 97

98 – 101

102 – 105

106 – 112

113 - 120

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 teacher‟s 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:

1. Situational scaling down

2. Behavioral scaling down

Situational scaling down:

Concept reduction (once small concept)

Time reduction (6-8 minutes)

Class size reduction (number of students)

3

Behavioral scaling down:

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 1970‟s, 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:

Observing the demonstrations from experts/educators. Recorded videos of

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

The microteaching cycle is depicted here below:

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

7

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

Theo

ry Study microteaching

Study microteaching thoroughly (concept and skills).

Observe & critique

Observe, discuss and critique the model micro-lesson(s)

demonstrated by the expert teacher educator.

Pra

ctic

al

Practice skill(s)

(a) Prepare a micro-lesson by selecting one skill and

content keeping in view the model demonstration of the

skill (PLAN).

(b) Demonstrate the micro-lesson in front of peers and

teacher educator (TEACH).

Appraise/evaluate use of

Skill(s)

(a) Evaluate the use of skill(s) by feedback from the

peers/teacher educator (FEEDBACK).

(b) Watch the video/recording for assessment (SELF-

ASSESSMENT).

Mastery/Refinement of

skill(s)

Refine by: (RE-PLAN, RE-TEACH & RE-FEEDBACK)

Integrate of skills &

Transfer

(a) Integrate/compound the individually mastered

skills.

(b) Transfer the learning to the real classroom.

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

Component behavior used Tallies Rating Scale

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


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


Extremely

Poor


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

Microteaching merits:

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

Microteaching demerits:

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:

1. Stimulus variation

2. Set induction

3. Closure

4. Teacher silence and non-verbal cues

5. Reinforcing pupils‟ participation (also termed as Reinforcement)

6. Fluency of questioning

7. Probing questions

8. Use of higher questions

14

9. Divergent questions

10. Recognizing attending behavior

11. Illustrating and use of examples

12. Lecturing

13. Planned repetition

14. Completeness of communication

Microteaching skills are quite amenable to Herbat‟s 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

Teacher silence and non-verbal

cues

Reinforcing pupils‟ participation

Fluency of questioning

Probing questions

Use of higher questions

Divergent questions

Recognizing attending behavior

Illustrating and use of examples

Lecturing

Completeness of communication

Recapitulation Planned repetition

Evaluation Closure

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 won‟t 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:

1. Skill of Set Induction

2. Skill of Reinforcement

3. Skill of Stimulus Variation

4. Skill of Probing Questions

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

Core Skills in Theory and Practice

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

2. Use of appropriate devices and techniques

3. Maintenance of continuity

4. Relevancy of verbal and non-verbal behaviors.

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

4. Story telling

5. Demonstrating

6. Experimenting

7. Illustrating, relating, analogizing

8. Dramatizing and role playing

9. Excursion/outings

10. Using learning materials

18

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 didn‟t 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, „pupil‟s correct

responses‟ is also related to the „maintenance of continuity‟. Break the continuity and you

won‟t 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

Skill of Set Induction: Model Lesson I

Name of the Micro-teacher (Trainee): Date:

Teacher Educator: Class:9th

Subject: Geography/Physical Science: Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Factors influencing temperature of a place: Teach/Re-teach

Micro-teacher‟s 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

Relevance of verbal-

nonverbal behavior (RVNV:

Establishing Rapport)

Teacher displays a chart reflecting two

heavenly bodies

Students look at the chart Use of learning materials

(ULM)


nonverbal behavior (RVNV:

Readiness).

The teacher shows a chart to the group

of students reflecting two heavenly

bodies.

What do you see in the chart?

The students raise their hands.

Teacher asks one of his students to

answer the question

Sir, the chart reflects the sun and

the earth

ULM

Use of appropriate technique

(UAT, Questioning)

Use of previous knowledge

(UPA)

Which of the two heavenly bodies is

luminous?

The sun is luminous body UAT

UPK

Maintenance of continuity

(MOC)

Which of the two heavenly bodies is

non- luminous?

The earth is non- luminous

heavenly body

UAT

UPK

MOC

What do you understand by luminous

body?

The heavenly body which has its

own heat and light

UAT

UPK

MOC

What do you understand by non-

luminous heavenly body?

The heavenly body which does not

possess its own light and heat

UAT

UPK

MOC

20

What is the source of heat and light for

the earth?

Sun is the source of heat and light

for the earth

UAT

UPK

MOC

What is temperature? Temperature is defined as the

degree of heat or hotness

UPT

UPK

MOC

Do we have uniform temperature

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

UAT


nonverbal behavior

(RVNV: Making purpose

known).

Here the teacher will find an opportunity

to declare the day‟s topic: factors

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.

Calculations:


Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


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

Skill of Set Induction: Model Lesson II

Name of the Microteacher (Trainee): Date:

Teacher Educator: Class: 8th

Subject: History Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Dandi March Teach/Re-teach

Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Components used

Teacher greets the learners and establishes

a rapport through informal interaction.

Learners reciprocate to teachers greeting.

Greeting & Accepting Greeting

Relevance of verbal-nonverbal behavior

(RVNV: Establishing Rapport)

Teacher asks students

What is the name of our State?

Jammu & Kashmir Utilizing previous Knowledge (UPK)

Use of appropriate technique (UAT,

questioning)

In which country do we live?

India. UPK

UAT

Maintenance of continuity (MOC)

What is the capital of India? Delhi UAT

UPK

MOC

When did India Gain Independence? 15 August 1947 UAT

UPK

MOC

Do you find some of the famous

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)

Students smile

They nod

UAT

UPK

MOC

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.

Have you heard about “Dandi” March of

Mahatma Gandhi?

No Response

Students shake their heads sideways

UAT

UPK

MOC

Relevance of verbal-nonverbal behavior

(RVNV: Making purpose known).

Do you want to know about this significant march?

Students nod

Some say: Yes

Smiling

UAT

UPK

MOC

(RVNV: Readiness).

So dear students today we shall talk and

know about “Dandhi March”

RVNV

22


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.


Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule






Calculations:

23

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Set Induction: Lesson I

Marginal Information

Name of the Trainee: Date:

Teacher Educator: Class

Subject: Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Teach/Re-

teach






Appraisal schedule






Calculations:


Extremely

Poor


24

Skill of Set Induction: Trainee Lesson I

Micro-teacher‟s Activity Student‟s Activity Components Used

25



26



27

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Set Induction: Lesson II





Topic: Teach/Re-teach







Extremely

Poor


Calculations:

Appraisal schedule






28

Skill of Set Induction: Trainee Lesson II


29



30



31

Skill of Reinforcement

32


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. Allen‟s 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 pupil‟s 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 teacher‟s 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 (don‟t 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 teacher‟s 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 student‟s 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:

A. Desirable stimuli/behavior:

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:



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”.

“Aneesa” Madam, they wandered in

search of food and water. (Aneesa feels

happy)

Positive verbal reinforcement.

“Very good”, the teacher looks at another student (Bashir)

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

students response

Teacher to Catrina “Where did they live”? Teacher,

“Right” and writes Catrina‟s reply on board.

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”?

Teacher nods at Aiman‟s response.

“The wild animals and weather”.

Aiman feels encouraged.

positive / Non verbal

Reinforcement (nodding his/her

head)

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.

Extra verbal cues (Uh-uh)

Negative reinforcement

Meanwhile, the teacher asks Bashir, “tell me, did they know growing vegetables and fruits”?

Teacher repeats Bashir‟s 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

Catrina‟s answer, and puts another

Catrina. “They crowded at night in caves”. Kept fire burning at the night at

the entrance which prevented

Repeating and rephrasing the pupils answer.

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.”

Rita, “In Punjab.”

Rita smiles.

Extra verbal/ positive verbal

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.

She is hesitant but on teacher‟s

encouragement walks to write on the board.

Verbal and non –verbal

Reinforcement

Teacher to Bashir: “what kind of tools did they use?”

The teacher acknowledges and says “Very good”, “They

used crude tools.”

Bashir: “they used crude stone”.

He nods.

Positive / verbal Reinforcement

Repeating pupils statement and

adds his/her words.

37







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:

Subject: Science Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Transmission of heat Teach/Re-teach


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, I‟m 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)

Is there any other method of

transmission of heat where particles

move carrying heat?

No response

Teacher addresses Sameer, don‟t

worry and hurry, think again.

Sameer thinks for some time and

says, Is it radiation, Sir

The teacher shakes his head

sideways, Na, you think about it, I‟ll

come back to you.

Sameer keeps on thinking Negative reinforcement

(verbal/non-verbal)

The teacher calls Neha‟s 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.

Sameer becomes happy Positive reinforcement (verbal &

non-verbal/approving

gestures/extra-verbal/ rephrasing

& accepting students response)

Okay, Neha, is there any other

method?

Thinks for a while, then says, No

madam

Hmm, so, what are the ways of heat

transmission?

Convection, conduction and

radiation

Positive reinforcement (extra-

verbal)

Perfect, the teacher writes neatly on

the on the board.

Neha looks smilingly towards the

board

Positive reinforcement

(Accepting pupils

statements/Writing pupils

response on board)

39

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Reinforcement

The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of reinforcement comprises three columns.





Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule





Component Behavior used (Undesirable) Tallies Rating Scale

Use of positive verbal reinforcers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7



Calculations:

40

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Reinforcement: Lesson I












Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule









Calculations:

41

Skill of Set Reinforcement: Trainee Lesson I


42



43



44

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Reinforcement: Lesson II











Rating scale criteria

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule









Calculations:

45

Skill of Set Reinforcement: Trainee Lesson II


46



47



48

Skill of Stimulus Variation

49

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 children‟s) 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. It‟s 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 don‟t 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.

50

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.

51

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.

52

Skill of Stimulus Variation: Model Lesson I Name of the Trainee: Date:



Topic: Sense organ (Tongue) Teach/Re-teach


Teacher enters the class, greets the

students

Students also greet the teachers

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

Physical involvement A.V

switching

Moving towards students “what do we

use our tongue for” (pointing towards

the diagram)

It helps us to taste food Movement

Gestures

A.V switching

Change in interaction

pattern.

Correct. Very good. The teacher points

towards the chart, saying, “just look

towards this diagram again.” and

shows them four different parts/areas

which give sense of taste due to

presence of sense/taste buds.

Looking towards chart keenly Speech pattern change

Focusing

Movement

Gestures

A.V switching

Bisma, can you name different food

items from chart?

Orange, Toffee, popcorn Movement, Gestures,

Focusing,

Physical involvement.


Listen, when we taste orange, it is sour

& this sourness is felt on upper side of

tongue.

Yes Madam Change in voice pattern.

A-V switching, Focusing

53

Iqra, come & distribute toffees & tell

me how it tastes.

Iqra distributes candies.

Students taste

It tastes sweet, they say.

Movements

Gestures

Focusing

Physical involvement

A.V switching, Pausing.


Where on your tongue do you feel the

sweetness of the candy?

It is felt on front part of tongue

Students show by touching their

tongue



Tell me how the lady‟s finger tastes? They taste it

It tastes bitter


Focusing

A-V switching

Good, Bitterness is felt on which part of

the tongue.

Students smile Physical involvement

Speech pattern change

Aadil, please distribute popcorn among

students. After a brief pause the teacher

says: Ok, students, tell me how & where

do you feel popcorn tasting?

All the students taste.

It tastes salty & is felt on lower part of

tongue.

Movements, Gestures


A.V switching,

Focusing,

Pausing

Ok, This was all for today. Hope you

liked it. Bisma wrap the chart.

Yes Mam. Quite intresting.

Bisma: Ok Mam

Speech pattern change

Movements, Gestures

Physical involvement of

students

54

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.


Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule

Component Behavior used Tallies Rating Scale

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:


Subject: English Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Somebody‟s Mother Teach/Re-teach


So, we are going to read the poem

………………….. (Teacher pauses & looks

towards the class)

Somebody‟s Mother

Teacher class

interaction

Okay, listen carefully – the Teacher reads

Students look and

listen

Change of speech

pattern

Pause

While reading, the teacher moves & modulates

voice

Students listen &

read silently

Movement

Change of speech

pattern

Pause

The teacher pauses & asks –

“Why was the old woman standing there?”

The Students listen

to the question and

reply.

- Gestures

- Movement

- Voice pattern

change

The teacher again recites gestures to

demonstrate the adjectives

The Students look

attentively towards

the teacher

Focusing & Pausing

Gestures,

Movements, Change

in voice.

The Teacher continues, pauses briefly, and

focuses towards the picture (the picture

portrays themes in the lines) and asks – “Can

you read the line loudly matching with the

picture?”

The Students keenly

look towards the

picture.

Pause

Change in Voice.

Focusing.

Aural-visual

switching

Then the teacher invites the students to

dramatize the poem (put in performance).

Some Students

willingly & some

reluctantly come

forward.

Teachers movement

Change in Voice

Teacher gestures


of students

56

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Stimulus Variation

The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of stimulus variation comprises three





Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7




Calculations:

57

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Stimulus Variation: Lesson I





Topic: Teach/Re-

teach







Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7




Calculations:

58

Skill of Stimulus Variation: Trainee Lesson I


59



60



61

Skill of Stimulus Variation: Trainee Lesson II





Topic: Teach/Re-

teach







Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7




Calculations:

62



63



64



65

Skill of Probing Questions

66

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 teacher‟s

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‟.

67

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 no need to put it as a separate

component because its requirement would only be felt in the beginning of the lesson, but the

teachers need to be cognizant about it nevertheless. Even in normal lesson other than

microteaching where the teacher requires extracting deeper details (probing) of any concept, it

is important that he/she has clear idea of where and how to begin his question to break

through the concept shell. This concept entry question could very well overlap with the

„question‟ used in „set-induction skill‟ (if questioning device is employed). Here too, it shall

be the very beginning question where the teacher builds from the „previous

knowledge/experience‟. Needless to say that this „concept entry question‟ shall decide to the

large extent how well the teacher induces the set.

68

Skill of Probing Questions: Model Lesson I Name of the Trainee: Date:


Subject: Mathematics Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Number system Teach/Re-teach

Micro teacher‟s activity Student‟s activity Components used

Midhah, What are natural numbers?

1, 2, 3, …

Concept entry question

What are whole numbers?

No response Seeking further

information

What digit can you place in the beginning of

natural numbers to make them whole numbers

0 Prompting

So, what are whole numbers 0,1, 2, 3, …

Are all natural numbers whole numbers?

Yes ma‟am

Seeking further

information.

Tell me what are integers?

No response

Now, teacher asks the same question to Saadat.

… -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, …

Redirecting.

What are -1, -2, -3, …

No response

What is another name of

(-) minus

Negative Prompting

So, what are -1,-2, -3, ...called Negative numbers

Arham, if these are negative numbers then what

are I, 2, 3...

Positive numbers

Prompting/refocusing

Are all integers whole numbers? No response

Areeb, do you think all integers are whole

numbers?

No ma‟am

Redirecting

Why?

Because negative numbers does

not belongs to whole numbers

Critical awareness

Now, Bareen, Can you differentiate between

natural numbers and integers?

Natural numbers are 1, 2, 3, …

Integers are … -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, …

Natural numbers do not include

zero and negative numbers

Refocusing.

69

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Probing Question

The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of probing question comprises three columns.





1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Prompting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Seeking Further Information 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Refocusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Redirection 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Increasing Critical Awareness 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Calculations:

70

Skill of Probing Questions: Model Lesson II



Subject: Geography Time: 6-8 minutes

Topic: Types of rocks Teach/Re-teach

Micro teacher’s activity Student’s activity Components used

What is in my hand? A rock Concept entry question

Okay, Define it? It is a naturally occurring solid.

What are rocks composed of? No response Seeking further information

(SFI)

How many materials are usually

mixed in it?

No response Prompting/SFI

Okay, Shabir, How many

materials are usually mixed in a

rock?

It‟s an aggregate of one or more

minerals.

Redirecting/SFI

How many types of rocks do we

find?

Three types SFI

Name them. No response

Amir, name different types of

rocks.

Igneous, sedimentary and

metamorphic

Redirecting

How are igneous rocks formed? No response Increasing critical awareness

(ICA)

The process has to do with the

decrease in temperature.

Igneous rocks are formed by the

solidification and cooling of

magma in volcanic area.

Prompting/ICA

How are sedimentary rocks

different from igneous rocks?

Qurat, tell me.

Igneous rocks are formed by the

solidification and cooling of

magma in volcanic area while

as sedimentary rocks are

formed by deposition of mineral

and organic particles on the

floor of the water bodies.

Refocusing

Ok, what about metamorphic

rocks? How are they formed?

No response ICA

Qurat, the answer lies in the

name itself. You know what do

we mean by metamorphosis?

No response Prompting

Asif, How are metamorphic

rocks formed?

They are formed from the

transformation of existing rocks

by means of heat and pressure.

ICA

Fine, but why do the existing

rocks transform?

Very high heat and pressure

causes a chemical change in

them.

SFI/ICA

71

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Probing Question






1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Prompting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7





Calculations:

72

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Probing Questions: Lesson I Marginal Information




Topic: Teach/Re-

teach

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Probing Questions






1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Prompting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7





Calculations:

73

Skill of Probing Questions: Trainee Lesson I


74



75



76

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Probing Questions: Lesson II





Topic: Teach/Re-

teach

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Probing Questions






Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Prompting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7





Calculations:

77

Skill of Probing Questions: Trainee Lesson II


78



79



80

Skill of Explaining

81

Skill of Explaining

All the other skills that we use in teaching learning process are held in the matrix of

„explaining‟. Explanation is the mortar that holds all the skills together in the mosaic of

teaching. Therefore, it is very important skill. An untrained teacher may not use any other

skill but he/she cannot escape the skill of explaining.

Explaining skill can be defined as „the statements, explications and clarifications of the

teacher meant to explain the matter and the idea in clear, coherent and cogent language.”

Components of the Skill:

1. Beginning statement

2. Explaining links

3. Concluding statement

4. Questions to test pupils‟ understanding

5. Continuity

6. Relevance in statements

7. Clarity in words, vocabulary & phrases

Beginning Statement: Every conversation begins with some statement. And when it comes to beginning a

talk about some concept, it becomes quite important to work out the beginning statement. You

may start with a brief statement about the topic that sets the stage for further interaction or you

may start with the question that poses some kind of problem and lets the students think and

direct their thoughts. The purpose is to create readiness, orient the minds and direct the

thoughts of students.

Explaining Links: Here usually we use conjunctions and prepositions and other connecting links. These

words make the communication effective by developing meaningful links between the

preceding and the forthcoming. The words like: hence, therefore, as a result of, as such,

besides, thus, depends on, because, since, too etc are usually used as links. The examples,

„besides animals, plants too are living‟ or „in order to survive living organisms need

nutrition‟, „now the question arises‟ etc do help in explaining the matter.

Covering essential points:

There are essential points in each concept, principle and idea. Unless the essential

points of a concept or principle are taken care of in explanation, huge gaps in understanding

could creep in. Any explanation that fails to give credence to essential points won‟t help in

building the basis of a concept. It would rather leave serious doubts in the minds of students.

An explanation without „covering essential points‟ is no explanation at all.

82

Concluding Statement:

When a teacher wants to end the explanation he/she concludes it with a statement that

gives an indication that the explanation is terminating. It may shortly summarize what was

explained. For example: „So we must remember that light follows a straight path.‟

Questions to test pupils' understanding: We usually put a short question also called as „while learning question‟ at the end of

explanation.

These are short questions put to the pupils to test their understanding of the concept after the

explanation. The main purpose is simply to judge whether the pupils have understood or not.

Fluency in language:

Fluency is a great plus in explaining. Many times the teacher is not able to convey

what he or she clearly understands. There usually remains a gap between what teachers know

and what student understands. This void can be filled by effective communication. Therefore,

language fluency helps the teacher to a great extent making things simple for students.

Continuity: Teachers lack continuity sometimes, like logical discontinuity, relational discontinuity

or sequential discontinuity. Logical discontinuity is introduced when the teacher loses the

logical thread. This happens when the teacher says something that does not logically connect

with what he/she says after. Sometimes teachers are not able to relate ideas or concepts well.

At some other occasion the teacher loses simple sequence, for example while mentioning

some points he/she mentions difficult part first and the simple part later, or proceeding from

abstract to concrete, or some points that are to be mentioned in a certain order are haphazardly

discussed.

Relevance in statements: Sometimes the teacher loses the thread of his/her thought and uses statements that are

irrelevant and not connected to the concept or issue in hand. Needless to say that such

statement won‟t facilitate understanding, but would, in turn, lead to the confusion or lack of

interest. Teacher, if prepared well, is more careful with the use of statements. Lack of

preparation leads to loss in clarity and relevance.

Clarity in words, vocabulary & phrases:

Use of vague or confusing words/phrases/vocabulary by the teacher confounds the

lesson. The confusing words and phrases have to be seen from the point of students. For

example, perhaps, probably, maybe, perchance, preferably usually confuse the learner. These

may not create any problem for adults but for students they unnecessarily complicate the

things. Sometimes, the teachers‟ mannerism too introduces unnecessary confusion. So, as

much as possible the teacher must be clear in the use of words and phrases.

83

Skill of Explaining: Model Lesson I


Teacher Educator: Class:8th


Topic: Photosynthesis Teach/Re-teach


Students, you know that all organisms require food

to survive. Isn‟t it?

It is true that both plants and animals need food for

survival but it is only plants that manufacture their

own food.

Listen and nod Beginning statement

Do you know how plants manufacture their own

food and what is the process called?

Okay, we will discuss how plants manufacture their

own food.

Listen

Think

Shrug their

shoulders

Beginning statement

Plants manufacture their own food using sunlight,

CO2, water and minerals. This process is called as

photosynthesis.

Listen and nod

Explaining links

Covering essential points

Now the question arises do all parts manufacture

food for the plant or some specific part.

Listen


Leaves manufacture the food for the plants

absorbing carbon dioxide and trapping sun‟s

energy. Water and minerals are absorbed and

transported to the leaves. Therefore, all raw

materials are transported to the leaves because

leaves are the food manufacturing factories for the

whole plant.

Listen and nod

Explaining links


Language fluency

Maintaining continuity

Clarity of words/phrases

So, we must remember that photosynthesis requires

following raw materials:

Carbon dioxide

Water

Minerals

Note the points Concluding statement


Clarity in vocabulary

Now I hope you understand the process of food

manufacturing by plants.

What is photosynthesis?

Listen and answer

The process of

manufacturing food

by plants using

sunlight, CO2 and

water.

Question to test student

understanding

What are the raw materials required for

photosynthesis?

Listen and answer Question to test student

understanding

84

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for the skill of Explaining

The appraisal schedule and rating scale for skill of explaining comprises three columns. The





1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Beginning Statement 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explaining links 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Covering essential points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Concluding statement 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Questions to test pupils' understanding 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fluency in language 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Continuity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Relevance in statements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Clarity in words, vocabulary & phrases 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Calculations:

85

Skill of Explaining: Model Lesson II




Topic: Maulana Azad Teach/Re-teach Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Components used

Teacher enters the class and greets the students

Students also greet their teacher

Ok students, can you name some of the leaders who fought for the independence of the country.

Yes, sir: M.K. Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, Abdul Kalam Azad.

Beginning statements. Testing pupil understanding

Great, Do you know the life of Maulana Azad?

Some students remain silent Some shake their heads sideways. Some say: No

Beginning statements. Testing pupil understanding

Let us discuss about this great leader of our nation. (The teacher displays the picture of Maulana Azad, if available)

Students nod their heads, curiously watching the picture.

Beginning statements

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was a leading figure in India’s freedom struggle and a noted writer, poet and journalist. He was born on 11 November 1888 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Students carefully listen. Covering essential points. explaining links language fluency clarity in words/phrases

His real name was Abul Kalam Ghulam Mohiyuddin but became known as Maulana Azad. He used ‘Azad’ as his pen name. He has written many books but his noted works are ‘Gubaar-e-khatir’ and ‘India Wins Freedom’.

Students note down the important points

Covering essential points explaining links Maintaining continuity

He was a leader of Khilafat Movement which brought him close to Mahatma Gandhi. Maulana became the youngest president of Indian National Congress in 1923.

Students listen Students note down the important points

Covering essential points Explaining links Maintaining continuity

He always supported the cause of Hindu-Muslim unity. Furthermore, he was one of the most important leaders behind Dhararma Satyagraha in 1931.

Student note down the date of Covering essential points Explaining links

As the 1st Education minister of India, after the independence, he introduced the idea of ‘Each one Teach one’ for improvement of literacy in India.

Students keenly listen what the teacher is saying.


He was conferred Bharat Ratna award as well. This great leader breathed his last on 22 Feb, 1958 in Delhi at the age of 69.

Student note the important date. Explaining links

This was all about our great leader. You can know more about him from his books. Do you remember any?

India wins freedom Gubaar-e-Khatir

Testing pupil understanding Appropriate Concluding Statements

86







Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule


Beginning Statement: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7









Calculations:

87

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Explaining: Lesson I





Topic: Teach/Re-

teach







Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule











Calculations:

88

Skill of Explaining: Trainee Lesson I


89



90



91

Trainee appraisal: Skill of Explaining: Lesson II





Topic: Teach/Re-

teach







Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule











Calculations:

92

Skill of Explaining: Trainee Lesson II


93



94



95

Integration of Skills

96

Integration of Skills

In a microteaching situation we practice and master one skill at a time. The training continues

until we master some core skills of all skills if time permits. In our institution we have chosen

some core skills mentioned in this workbook that are to be mastered. As already said, singular

mastery of skills won‟t be sufficient unless these mastered skills are integrated in practice

before transfer to the actual classroom. Therefore, practice of integrating the skills is

necessary so that the student teacher is able to knit together all learned skills. Integration

requires utilization and organization of learned skills towards forming effective teaching

behavior to realize the instructional objectives in a given setting. If singular skill requires

practice of the fragment, integrated skill needs practice of the whole. So, the integrated

practice gives holistic perspective of the teaching situation.

“Integration of teaching skills is a method of selecting and harnessing the teaching skills into a

composite and effective teaching behavior in light of the instructional objectives set for the

teaching session.”

Purpose of integration of skills:

1. To perceive whole teaching situation from micro setting.

2. To upscale from microteaching setting into a normal situation.

3. To weave and connect the mastered skills into a comprehensive teaching behavior.

4. To knit the learned skills together through practice.

Approaches for integration of the teaching skills:

Many approaches have been put forth to integrate the skills:

Integration in the real classroom: In this approach the student teacher integrates the skills

directly in the real classroom. The teacher harnesses his/her repertoire of the skills with the

help of the educator. This can be done easily by having microteaching sessions before normal

practice of teaching sessions and conduct a few integrated sessions in the schools under the

supervision of teacher educator.

Integration in controlled setting: If the teacher education institution is able to provide some

time for integration in the institution itself, then, after the practice on some core singular

teaching skills (some institutions can conduct practice on all the skills), the practice could be

done to integrate the mastered skills with peer groups. This way, before the trainee transfers

the expertise to the real classroom, he/she would be afforded time to practice in a controlled

setting with the peers under the supervision the teacher educator. In this case the time

provided for the integrated lesson will depend on the number of skills to be integrated.

Normally 20 to 30 minutes could be provided to integrate 4-5 skills. It must be noted that the

number of observation schedules required shall depend on the number of the skills to be

integrated. Needless to state that each skill shall require its own schedule.

97

The practice shall be observed by the teacher educator in the same manner as in the singular

skill practice with the difference in time duration, content size and the number of skills. The

integration is to be practiced until the student teacher acquires the required level of

mastery.There are more rigorous approaches of integration but usually teacher education

institutions are hard pressed to save time and allow the students teachers into the actual

teaching practice.

98

Skills Integration: Model Lesson I Name of the Trainee: Date:



Topic: King Zainulabidin Teach/Re-teach

Skills integrated: Set-induction, Reinforcement, probing questions, explaining, and stimulus variation

Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Skill/components used

The teacher shows the paper machie items and the pictures of carpets and silk items produced

in Kashmir to the Students.

Teacher asks, Can you identify these things?.

(Moves around)

Look at the pictures and these items.

Yes, Paper Machie, carpets, silk.

Set induction (use of learning resources)

Set induction (use of previous

knowledge).

Probing Questions(Prompting) Stimulus variation(visual -oral

switching)

Stimulus variation (Movement)

Teacher smiles.

Do you know where are these items produced?

(gestures)

Good.

Smile back

Listen and answer

Kashmir

Feel happy.

Reinforcement (+ive non-verbal) Set induction (continuity maintained)

Probing questions (Seeking further

information) Stimulus variation gestures)

Reinforcement(+ve verbal)

Who introduced these crafts in Kashmir? (Ist Student).

No response. Set induction (continuity maintained) Probing questions (SFI)

When these crafts were introduced and who introduced them. (2nd student).

The teacher writes the answer on the white

board.

Okay dear students, today we will discuss about

King Zainulabidin of Kashmir.

Teacher writes the name of the topic on board.

Many years ago by King Zainulabidin (Budshah)

Attentive.

Listening attentively.

Looking at the board attentively.

Probing question(Redirection) Set-induction(relevant statement

followed by correct pupil response)

Stimulus variation(change in interaction pattern)

Stimulus variation (movements and

gestures)

Explaining (Beginning Statement). Stimulus variation (focusing)

Stimulus variation (movement)

Teacher explains, Zainulabidin was the ruler of Kashmir who belonged to the Shahmiri Dynasty

and ruled from (1420-60).

Teacher shows the picture and timeline of the

dynasty.

Listening carefully.

Looking enthusiastically at the chart and the pictures.

Explaining (Explaining links)

Stimulus variation (Aural-visual

switching)

99

Teacher further explains, Zainulabidin

was the great patron of arts and crafts.

So, he promoted the arts and crafts in

Kashmir.

Listening carefully and trying to

understand.

Explaining (Explaining links/

Covering essential points)

So, dear, students, do you know how

he promoted the arts and crafts in

Kashmir?

Teacher moves around and changes

gestures.

Students may or may not be able to

answer the question

Thinking.

Probing question (Increasing

Critical awareness)

Stimulus variation

(Movements/Gestures).

Dear students listen carefully.

1.Zainulabidin revived the existing arts

and crafts and introduced some new

ones like carpet weaving, papermaking,

bookbinding, silk-weaving,

papermachie.

(Pauses)

2. He invited experts from Central Asia

in order to make Kashmiris proficient

in craft making. He provided them with

financial assistance.

Listening attentively and trying to

understand.

Explaining (explaining

links/covering essential points)

Stimulus variation(focusing)

Stimulus Variation

(Movement).

So, Students, now tell me who was

Zainulabidin?

He was the ruler of Kashmir who ruled

from 1420-60.He belonged to

Shahmiri dynasty.

Explaining (testing students

understanding).

Probing Questions(Seeking

information)

Very good

Getting Encouraged.

Stimulus variation(change in

voice pattern)

Reinforcement(+ve verbal)

Great.(smiles)

Feeling happy.

Reinforcement (+ve

verbal/non-verbal)

So, dear students, today we learnt

about King Zainulabidin and his

contribution in improving the arts and

crafts in Kashmir.

Listening and nodding.

Explaining (concluding

statement).

100

Appraisal schedule and rating scale for Integrated Lesson

The appraisal schedule and rating scale for integrated skill comprises three columns.



done on seven point rating scale. The appraisal schedule comprises of all those skills that are

to be integrated. The skills to be integrated can be decided by the trainee with his/her teacher

educator. Given hereunder is the appraisal schedule for 5 core skills. If the trainee decides for

integration of 3 lessons out of 5 core skills, he/she may use only relevant appraisals schedules.


Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule

Component Tallies Rating


The use of Previous knowledge by the teacher 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Appropriate use of teaching devices 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Relevant statements and questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Questions followed by correct pupil responses 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Skill of reinforcement

I. Desirable Behavior: 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


II. Undesirable Behavior: 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


101

Calculations:

Skill of stimulus Variations

Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Change in speech pattern 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Aural Visual Switching 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Skill of Probing questions

Promoting questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Seeking of further information questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Refocusing questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Redirected questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Increased critical awareness questions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Skill of Explaining











102

Skills Integration: Model Lesson II




Topic: Photosynthesis Teach/Re-teach

Skills integrated: Set-induction, Reinforcement, Probing Questions, Explaining, and Stimulus

Variation

Micro-teacher’s activity Student’s activity Skill/components used

Dear students, you all have heard

about living organisms.

What are some of the living

organisms you know?

(Moves around)

Listen and answer

Plants, animals and micro-

organisms

Set induction (previous

knowledge/Use of correct device)

Stimulus variation (Movement)

Teacher smiles.

What do living organisms require

to survive?

(gestures)

Smile back

Listen and answer

Food

Reinforcement (+ive non-verbal)

Set induction (continuity

maintained)

Probing questions (SFI)

Stimulus variation (gestures)

Good, which living organisms

manufacture their own food?

Feel happy

Plants

Reinforcement (+ive verbal)

Set induction (continuity

maintained)

Probing questions (SFI)

The teacher writes the answer on

the white board.

Now do you know how plants

manufacture their own food?

(Pauses)

Listen

Think

No response

Reinforcement (+ive nonverbal)

Probing question(Critical

awareness)

Set-induction (continuity

maintained)

Stimulus variation (pausing)

The process by which plants

manufacture their own food is

called as photosynthesis.

(Writes “photosynthesis” on the

whiteboard)

“Photo” means light and synthesis

means “manufacturing”. Therefore,

plants manufacture their own food

in presence of sunlight.

Listen and nod Explaining (beginning statement)

Stimulus variation (movements)



Reinforcement (writing response

eon the black board)

103

Which part of the plant do you think

photosynthesis takes place?

(Pauses)

Photosynthesis takes place in the

leaf. To manufacture food the leaves

require sunlight and raw materials

like carbon dioxide, water and

minerals. Carbon dioxide is

absorbed from air by leaves. Water

and minerals are absorbed by roots

and transported through stem and

branches to the leaves.

May or may not be able to answer.

Listen carefully

Probing question. (SFI)

Explaining (Testing students‟

understanding)

Stimulus variation (Pausing)



So, dear, students, which part

of the plant is called the food

factory? (changing tone and

speed of speech)

Great.

Leaf Explaining (Testing students‟

understanding)

Probing question

(prompting/SFI)

Stimulus variation (Change

in speech pattern)

Reinforcement (+ive verbal)

What is photosynthesis?

(Moves around)

Perfect (smiles and nods)

Listen/answer:

It is the process by which

plants in manufacture their

food in presence of sunlight

using carbon dioxide, water

and minerals.

Show happiness

Probing question (Critical

awareness)

Explaining (Testing

students‟ understanding)

Stimulus variation (gestures)

Reinforcement (+ive non-

verbal)

104


The appraisal schedule and rating scale for integrated skill comprises three columns.



done on seven point rating scale. The appraisal schedule comprises of all those skills that are

to be integrated. The skills to be integrated can be decided by the trainee with his/her teacher




Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule








Skill of reinforcement


1 2 3 4 5 6 7




1 2 3 4 5 6 7



105

Skill of stimulus Variations

Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7



Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7








Skill of Explaining











Calculations:

106

Trainee appraisal: Skills Integration: Lesson I




Subject: Time:


Skills Integrated:


The appraisal schedule and rating scale for integrated skill 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. The appraisal schedule comprises of all those skills that are to be

integrated. The skills to be integrated can be decided by the trainee with his/her teacher




Extremely

Poor


Appraisal schedule








107



1 2 3 4 5 6 7




1 2 3 4 5 6 7



Skill of Stimulus Variations

Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7



Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7








108

Calculations:

Skill of Explaining











109

Skill Integration: Trainee Lesson I


110



111


Micro-teacher’s Activity Student’s Activity Components Used

112


Micro-teacher’s Activity Student’s Activity Components Used

113

Trainee appraisal: Skills Integration: Lesson II




Subject: Time:


Skills Integrated:


The appraisal schedule and rating scale for integrated skill 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. The appraisal schedule comprises of all those skills that are to be

integrated. The skills to be integrated can be decided by the trainee with his/her teacher



Appraisal schedule

Component Tallies Rating Skill of Set Induction








1 2 3 4 5 6 7




1 2 3 4 5 6 7



114

Skill of Stimulus Variations

Movements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Gestures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7


Focusing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7



Pausing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7








Skill of Explaining











115

Skill Integration: Trainee Lesson II


116



117



118



119



120



121

References:

Allen, D.W., Microteaching-A Description, Stanford University, 1967 Stanford, Teacher Education

Program, U.S. Department of Health, Education& Welfare Office of Education, 1967 (September).

Baron. R, Mishra G., Psychology, Pearson Education Inc, 2018 edition.

Deviney, L.C., Self-evaluation of Student Microteaching in a Home Economics Education Methods

Course, A Thesis in Home Economics Education, Faculty of Texas Tech University, 1970 (May).

Narasinha, B.K., Remedial Microteaching Course, Ph.D. thesis, Karnatak University, Dharwad.

Mangal, S.K, Mangal U., Essentials of Educational Technology, PHI Learning Private Limited, 2014.

Woolfolk, A., Educational Psychology, Pearson Education, Inc, Ninth Edition, 2013 reprint.

Woolfolk, A., Mishra.G, Kumar A., Fundamentals of Educational Psychology, Pearson Education Inc,

Eleventh Edition, 2016 edition.