MICRO TEACHING SETTING

According to the definition of micro teaching, "the teacher teaches a short lesson based on one skill, under practice to a small class for a short period of time".

Size of the Micro Class:

According to the central concept of micro teaching, size of the class is reduced in order to produce environment for 'learning to teach'. Since reduction in class size reduces the complexities of normal classroom, this helps the trainee to focus on the skill and its various components. There is empirical basis about the minimum number of students that can comprise a micro class. In our situation we generally use 5-10 students in a micro-class.

Types of Pupils:

We cannot use real pupils in micro-class because of several difficulties. Bringing students to training institutions is not an easy job. Bringing students to training institutions is possible only during their school hours. In micro teaching, the student-teacher has to perform the role of a teacher, of a student, and of a supervisor. These different roles by the student-teacher benefit him in acquisition of the teaching skill under practice.

Time Duration:

In micro-teaching setting, the duration of micro class is also reduced in order to provide opportunity to a student-teacher to concentrate on the skill under practice. Usually, the duration of micro class is 5-10 minutes. Researchers at Stanford University found time duration of 5 minutes, most suitable for the micro- class. They also concluded that, 'the length of the lesson is not the major factor in skill learning'.

TEACHING SKILLS

Micro-teaching is used for developing certain teaching skills. A teaching skill is defined as a set of teacher behaviours which are especially effective in bringing about desired changes in pupil-teachers. There are various teaching skills which can be developed among pupil-teachers. Allen and Ryans (1969) have suggested the following fourteen teacher-skills:

• Stimulus variation
• Set induction
• Closure
• Silence and non-verbal cues
• Reinforcement
• Asking questions
• Probing questions,
• Divergent questions,
• Attending behaviour,
• Illustrating,
• Lecturing,
• Higher order questions,
• Planned repetition, and
• Communication completeness'