Enhancing Teaching Skills with Microteaching: A Practical Methodology

1. Methodology Practicum of Teaching English to Young Learners 2017/2018(16 April 2018) Lecturer: Vera Savic, PhD Faculty of Education in Jagodina, University of Kragujevac verasavic035@gmail.com

2. Using Microteaching in Initial EFL Young Learner Teacher Education Vera Savić, Ph.D. & Prof. Emina Kopas-Vukašinović, Ph.D. Project: Assumptions and opportunities for developing innovative models of teaching for achieving transparency in university education and raising competitiveness on domestic and foreign knowledge markets – bilateral project of Slovenia (University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia) and Serbia (University of Kragujevac, Serbia), 2017-2019

3. Lesson 1 Overview • Introduction into microteaching – definition & objectives • Reflective teaching • Microteaching cycle • Developing a microlesson – group work • Developing evaluation criteria – group work

4. Microteaching • developed at Stanford University in the 1960s, used extensively in teacher educationthroughout the world • experimental teacher education programme Definition: • the technique that allows teachers (student teachers) to apply clearly defined teaching skills to carefully prepared (micro) lessons with a small group of students (peers), often with an opportunity to observe the results on videotape and to get immediate (peer and supervisor) feedback (Allen, 1967). Key features?

5. Microteaching Objectives: • to develop reflectivepracticewithin initial teacher education: using video recordings, analysing and reflecting on one’s own and peer practice; using video as a learning tool • reflection - a cornerstone of teacher education programmes; can be enhanced with support and guidance • to enable teacher trainees to master a number of teaching skills– from simple to complex • to enable teacher trainees to gain confidence in teaching(Allen & Ryan, 1969)

6. Microteaching Objectives: • a teaching skill is a behaviour of the teacher which facilitates pupils’ learning directly or indirectly; in microteaching we identify specific teaching behaviourswhichcould be observedand measured; Examples? • ASKING QUESTIONS, ELICITING VOCABULARY, GIVING INSTRUCTIONS • the development andtesting of evaluationinstruments to measure attainment of these skills; Scale? • NOT APPROPRIATE – FULLY APPROPRIATE (1-5)

7. Student teacher’s plan sheet for microlesson • Skill to be practised (the skill you want to observe) • Time required (10 minutes) • Content or topic (lesson section) • Plan of action (criteria) (Duminy et al. 2006, p. 100)

8. Microteaching steps/cycle • Planning • Teaching • Observation • Evaluation • (Replanning) • (Reteaching) • (Reobservation) • (Reevaluation)

9. Microteaching steps/cycle • Planning – SELECTING THE TOPIC; SELECTING THE CONTENT IN WHICH THE SKILL CAN BE PRACTISED EASILY THROUGH DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES; COLLABORATIVE GROUP WORK • Teaching - IN CONTROLLED CONDITIONS; SHORT MICROLESSON WITH PEERS • Observation – VIEWING THE VIDEO; FOCUSING ON ONE SKILL; GIVING MARKS • Evaluation – FEEDBACK; GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT PERFORMANCE: POINTS OF STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS; REFLECTION AND SELF-EVALUATION.

10. GROUP WORK: Plan a microlesson TASK: • Skill to be practised: Giving instructions • Time required: 10 minutes • Content or topic: playing Bingo game for practising vocabulary (zoo animals) • Plan of action and evaluation scale What criteria should effective instructions meet? THEY SHOULD BE CLEAR, APPROPRIATE AND WELL-SEQUENCED

11. Evaluation scale TASK: Decide about the scale for each of the three aspects. Clarity of instructions (1- 5; not clear at all – fully clear) Appropriacy of instructions (1- 5; not appropriate at all – fully appropriate) Sequence of instructions (1-2; not sequenced well – sequenced very well)

12. Plan sheet for a microlesson Student teacher: __________________________ Date: ___________

13. Lesson 2 Overview • ‘Teaching’ and recording a microlesson • Viewing video recordings • Reflecting on and evaluating ‘teaching’ • Group discussion • Discussing the benefits of microteaching

14. How useful was microteaching in supporting your development as a language teacher? • learning about a particular aspect of practice (giving instructions) – we learned - how much planning it takes to develop a 10 minute activity - what a lesson plan involves – type of interaction; different ways of eliciting vocabulary; - how to usethe voice and body language – how to write effectively on the board; how to determine the sequence of items;

15. How useful was microteaching in supporting your development as a language teacher? 2. learning from peers - – in lesson planning (sharing ideas, aspects of practice – timing, pace) - in evaluating video recording - in designing an evaluation instrument - in determining the evaluation scale - from observing practice (seeing how other presented) - getting feedback from peers - getting support from peers

16. How useful was microteaching in supporting your development as a language teacher? 3. watching the video recording It allowed us - to see ourselves from pupils’ perspective - to see ourselves interacting with the class - to see ourselves moving and using body language - to hear ourselves speak English (too quickly/ slowly; too loudly/ softly) - to see ourselves managing the class and organising activities

17. How useful was microteaching in supporting your development as a language teacher? 4. increasing confidence from: - getting positive feedback (peers & supervisor) - seeing all good things in our practice - we learnedto reflect objectively on thepractice

18. Suggest changes to microteaching protocol • Increasing the period of time – duration of mini lessons – how long? • Deciding about the topic/focus of microteaching – alone or as a group? • Creating video portfolio – for reviewing • Getting written feedback – for reviewing

19. References • Allen, D. (1967).Microteaching: A Description. California: U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare Office of Education • Allen, D.W , Ryan, K.A. (1969). Micro-teaching Reading Mass. Addison Wesley. • Duminy, P.A, MacLarty, A.H. & Maasdorp, N. (2006). Teaching practice (7th imp.). Cape Town: Maskew Miller Longman. • McCullagh, J. & Murphy, C. (2015). From Microteaching to Microlearning: The Final Report on the Video In STEM Teacher Assessment (VISTA) Project. Stranmillis University Belfast: SCoTENS.

20. Thank you!