Crealanta Magazine

How to Make an Effective Microteaching Lesson

Mar 28, 2023

The most important goal for excellent educators is to increase their teaching skills, and enhance student learning and engagement. But, it's difficult when teaching dozens of students at a time.

This is where microteaching can help.

The use of microteaching allows teachers to play with various teaching techniques and take the necessary actions to enhance their teaching. This process works conjointly using a well-designed microteaching lesson schedule that allows the teacher to stay focussed on their lesson and the points they're trying pass on to students.

Learn more to find out about microteaching and the essential microteaching abilities teachers should have, and how to develop an effective lesson plan for microteaching.

Skip ahead:

What is Microteaching?

A technique for teaching is in which a teacher teaches an entire class with a smaller student group at a given time. This approach allows the teacher to focus on honing a specific teaching skill/technique, identify areas where they can improve their skills, and receive feedback on their performance in real-time. This also lets teachers demonstrate the depth of their comprehension and expertise in their subject area in a low-stress setting.

Microteaching could be beneficial for teachers of all levels of their careers - starting from those who are just beginning to get to the profession to experienced teachers looking to enhance their expertise or discover innovative teaching techniques.

Microteaching Styles: Examples

If you're looking to organize a microteaching class, here are some ways to do it:

Mini-lessons

Mini-lessons have become the most popular method of teaching micro. It involves presenting a brief specific lesson about a specific topic or skill for a limited number of students. This might be even just one student. This method allows you to practice your delivery skills and evaluate whether the student(s) were able to comprehend the content based on the presentation. It is also possible to request each student individually as well as the class supervisor (if there is one) for feedback on the course.

One-minute lessons

It's exactly as is implied by the name -- a lesson taught in just 60 seconds. One-minute lessons are usually used to help train educators in how to prepare and deliver a value-packed instruction in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment.

In this way it is necessary to select a sub-topic of a specific subject that is easy to discuss in a short duration. The topic could include explaining a new concept or explaining a certain method. In the next step, you must collect resources, such as diagrams or illustrations, charts and graphs that can help you deliver the information in a concise and concise way.

Role-playing

There are certain topics or skills that students may understand better if they get actively involved, such as acting out the drama. When you're trying to convey something like this for students, you should encourage the students to assume the roles of different characters that contribute in the course.

It gives you the opportunity to interact with the students and practice your delivery skills. It also allows the students to assimilate information better because they're an active part of the lesson -- as opposed to just passive observers.

Simulation

Utilizing VR headsets, you are able to bring your students into an actual scenario in which they can interact virtually in the course lesson. When students interact within the virtual world it is possible to explain the lessons to them and respond to their questions.

Simulation can be an excellent method to train students in the skills that can be hazardous or require expensive equipment that you don't have access to when you were in school. You can also use this method for teaching history, and take your students to different nations (and perhaps show them how these countries looked like centuries ago) without having to go there physically.

Case studies

This microteaching method involves using authentic or fictional case studies in order to present a class. It is frequently utilized in teacher training and development programs to give teachers the opportunity to showcase their ability to apply the theoretical concepts and ideas to real-life scenarios.

If you decide to take this approach, you may instruct your students to study an example and debate various options for solving a problem. It is also possible to employ case studies for a deeper exploration of fundamental concepts and theories.

Video record

Once you're finished, the instructor can go over the footage and give an assessment of your performance including the quality of your material for the lesson, the pacing, your style of speaking, as well as your body language. So, you'll hone your delivery and presentation abilities, and also the ability to write clear, but concise material for your lesson.

If you're teaching courses for children who use e-learning devices You can also show them the video and request feedback on your teaching style.

How do I create a microteaching lesson?

A microteaching lesson plan is basically a smaller variant of a traditional (or macro) lesson program. It has all of the components that you will find in a regular lesson plan, but in a lesser amount.

In contrast to macro lesson plans which cover a whole academic or semester, micro lesson plans contain information on the specific course or topic that which the teacher is planning to teach at a specific time. That means teachers write their own micro-leap plans each day, which focus on topics or subjects that are brief that students can understand quickly.

How do you write the microteaching lesson plans

The process of writing a micro lesson plan is very similar to writing a regular lesson plan. To make this task easier, you might benefit from following certain frameworks. Below's a 5-step framework for writing a microteaching lesson plan.

Identify the learning objectives

In this instance for instance, Dr. Angela Yu has a web development bootcamp available on Udemy. On the sales page of the course, Dr. Yu clearly explains the educational objectives of the course.

Define the activities of learning

While preparing your microteaching lesson plan, you should consider what specific learning tasks that your students are expected to participate in in order to acquire the abilities required to show an appropriate comprehension of the course or lesson. These activities should relate to the goals of learning for the lesson and allow students to learn and receive the feedback they need on their learning.

As an example, if you're a teacher of literature who would like to discuss the subtleties and motives of the characters in Williams Shakespeare's Othello, you could have your students assume the roles of these characters and act out the play during class. Since they're stepping into different roles, your students will more likely explain the reasons for their character's actions from their own unique perspectives.

When you are designing the learning activities, consider:

  • What do I need to do to clarify the issue?
  • How do I make my students actively involved in this lesson?
  • What are some appropriate examples, analogies and scenarios that will help my students understand the subject?
  • What could my students do to help them understand the subject?

Examples of learning activities that students can engage in include:

  • Plays
  • Debates
  • Discussions
  • Games
  • Simulations
  • Concept mapping
  • Reflection journals
  • Practice and drills
  • Real-world applications

Figure out how to test student comprehension

When you've finished your class, you'll be required provide your students with tests or assignments to determine how well they understood the subject. These methods of assessment give students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding and abilities they gained during the course and receive feedback from their teacher.

Planning for assessment includes making decisions regarding:

  • The type(s) and quantity of assessments that allow your students to prove that they have met the learning objectives of the lesson
  • the criteria with which you'll be evaluating (e.g. rubrics)
  • whether students will be involved in the assessment process or not (e.g. peer assessment)
  • the method by where the outcomes of different assignments will be incorporated into an overall grade.
  • how you'll provide feedback to your students

Sequence your lesson with a fun and engaging style

In 1965, Robert Gagne, a famous American educator, proposed what he called events in instruction , which is a nine-step framework for presenting a lesson or course.

  • Attract attention of students: In the first part of your talk, you'll have present a story or stimulus to gain the attention of your audience. It is possible to:
  • Engage in discussion with students
  • Tell a story or present a problem to be solved
  • Use icebreaker activities, case studies, current news, events, etc. to help introduce the topic
  • Informing students about the learning goals: Here, you'll break down the learning objectives for the class. This gives them a good understanding of what they're expected to master and accomplish during and after the lesson. Here are some ways you could accomplish that:
  • Define your learning goals within the syllabus, the slides of your presentation, and in the guidelines for papers as well as projects
  • Define the skills that you expect for your students
  • Define the requirements to achieve peak performance
  • Previous learning: If the lesson is an extension of the previous one or the subject that students learned about in the past, link the dots. If students can recall their previous learning and experiences, they'll be able understand the new information you'll impart. There are a variety of ways for students to help students remember their previous knowledge:
  • Ask students questions about their comprehension of concepts from the past.
  • Connect previous information from the course to the subject you're discussing
  • Allow students to integrate ideas learned from previous knowledge into the present lesson
  • It is important to present the information Next step is to present the topic completely. One of the keys to accomplishing efficiently is to arrange content in a meaningful way, offer demonstrations, and introduce new concepts and ideas. These are some suggestions on how to organize the content of your lesson:
  • Use different media to present the same content (e.g. physical lecture, video, illustration, demonstration, podcast, group work, reading, etc. )
  • Make use of a blackboard in order to allow students to access lessons outside of class
  • Give learning guidelines In order to make sure that your students are aware of your subject and are aware of any other resources and content they can use to learn more. These are some techniques to use:
  • Help your students learn by providing them with cues tips, and instructions which can be eliminated as the student learns the task
  • Employ a variety of learning methods for helping students remember the information (e.g. the role of playing, mnemonics and role-play, as well as visual concepts, concept mapping, etc. )
  • Make use of analogies, case studies, and metaphors to give real-world examples to help students comprehend the concepts of tomorrow.
  • Next step is to have your students use what they've learned to confirm that they correctly understand the subject. Here are a few ways to go about it:
  • Give students assessment opportunities (e.g. groups or individual projects writing assignments, oral presentations for presentations, etc. )
  • Create quizzes, tests and games for students
  • Give feedback after students submit their assignments or projects, give them feedback on the way they did. Give them suggestions for how they can enhance their work. Think about implementing self-evaluation along with peer feedback to help students find learning gaps as well as poor performance in their (and their classmates work.
  • Evaluation of performance: To assess how successful your class has been, offer your students examinations and tests. So you can assess the progress of their knowledge and skills. Don't forget to use different assessment methods to do this, including quizzes, questions in oral form, rubrics as well as projects.
  • Increase retention and transfer In the last step, help learners internalize new knowledge through giving them chances to put their learning to real-world situations.

If you decide to put Gagne's sequence of instructions into play make sure you consider how long you'll have to teach the class. Below are some time-management techniques you could employ:

  • Determine how long each step will take and add some additional time for it
  • In your lesson plan include the amount of time each activity in the class will last.
  • Take a few minutes towards the end of class to summarize important points and respond to the students' questions.
  • Make an extra task or study question in case you have more time left after the class
  • Create a timeline that is adaptable enough to allow you to adapt your lesson plans to meet the demands of your students.

Close the course

When you're done presenting your lesson, you'll need to conclude it. There are a few options to conclude a lesson. Below are a few of them:

  • Emphasize key information
  • Correct students' mistakes
  • Preview future topics
  • Have a student write a summary of the lesson

Lesson closing helps students internalize important information and connect lesson concepts with other ideas, and transfer ideas to different situations.

8 skills for teaching microteaching teachers must be able to

Microteaching will only succeed in the event that the teacher possess the skills that facilitate learning. In the years since Dwight W. Allen developed microteaching in the year 1961, more than 40 teaching skills have been identified. But here are the eight most important ones:

   Introduction  

The standard attention span for a student for a 60-minute class is about 10 minutes. So if you're going to maintain the interest of your students it is important to understand the best way to present your subject with a manner that is sure to draw their attention.

Stories, analogies as well as hard-hitting information and deep inquiries are fantastic ways to introduce a topic and get students hooked from the jump. Because of time, be sure not to introduce your topic in a way that is rambling or confusing.

   Explanation  

Once you've reached the core of your lesson, you'll need to rely on your ability to dissect complicated concepts in a manner that is easy to comprehend for your students. It's about speaking clearly, using examples to depict how different concepts relate as well as crafting powerful concluding statements that summarize the key elements of the course.

   Questioning  

During and after a lesson It is important to check in with the students in order to verify that they're correctly assimilating the knowledge you've imparted to them. The most effective way to check this is to have them ask questions. For the questions to be successful, they have to be clear, meaningful and precise. They should also be relevant and specific.

Questions that satisfy the criteria above can be used to gauge your students' knowledge and determine if they have an adequate understanding of the subject.

   Stimulus variation  

When teaching, the term stimulus variation refers to the regular changing of instructional elements and instructional styles in order to keep the students focused and keep their enthusiasm. Since stimulus, according to scientific research, causes a reaction within an organ or tissue, altering it occasionally stimulates students' brains and keep them awake.

Skills for stimulation variation, in education, include:

  • Change in the speech pattern
  • Interaction style changes
  • Movement changes
  • Change in gestures
  • Visual-oral switching
  • Pausing

   Positive reinforcement  

The process involves using words and actions to influence the behavior of your students and encourage them to participate in class. The reinforcements you provide your students let them know that you value what they love and that you want them to are aware of your teaching.

Positive reinforcement of your lessons by making sure you respond to the correct answer by smiling, applauding the student for their efforts, or giving encouragement to a slow-learning student. This strategy will produce better results than scolding or punishing students, or making insulting/sarcastic comments.

   Illustration  

If an explanation fails or does not aid students in understanding a subject, you'll need to integrate visuals into the lessons. With interesting images including diagrams, images and cartoons, graphs and diagrams, flow charts and much more -- you can aid your students in understanding concepts and understand them better. It is also possible to use illustrations and examples to show the subject to help them understand it better.

   Writing on the blackboard  

If you're microteaching in a traditional classroom setting, you may use a blackboard to write some notes, draw diagrams, and solve problems/calculations during a lesson. It draws students' attention as well as highlighting the most important terms and concepts.

If you choose to utilize blackboards in your class make sure that the writing is legible and clear. It should have enough space between letters and an obvious distinction between words and sentences.

   Closure  

Just like you need to learn how to introduce the topic with your class, you also need to know how to close the lesson. This is a little more tricky than introducing because you have to be certain that your pupils understand what you've taught them.

To close your class successfully, you can ask a student(s) to write you a recap of the lesson or assign them assignments to do. This will provide you with a good idea of whether your students comprehend the concept and are able to apply to the real world.

Learn to improve your teaching with microteaching

The microteaching method is a great instructional method for novices as well as experienced teachers alike, as it allows them to practice and learn new techniques to teach without the pressure that a full class brings.

Additionally, teachers are in a position to get constructive feedback from the students as well as their class teachers. So, they will be able to improve their skills, increase their confidence, and reach their teaching-learning goals.