Microteaching Insights - Secondary

Welcome to our microteaching series, designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and language proficiency among student teachers through the teaching and sharing of interactive and engaging video lessons. Each lesson focuses on a specific objective of language learning from the school curriculum Students are encouraged to incorporate engaging, creative or innovative teaching methods, technology, and real-world applications to make learning both engaging and fun.

Microteaching is a teaching practice protocol developed at Stanford’s Teacher Education Program (STEP) in the 1960’s. Since that time, Microteaching has been used by generations of teacher educators and student teachers to practice, develop, reflect and refine teaching skills. Microteaching takes on many forms in different contexts, but the basic approach remains the same. Plan and teach a short lesson (usually 5, 10 or 15 minutes) to the best of your ability. Collect feedback from supervisors or peers and conduct your own reflection to improve your skills.

One of the benefits of Microteaching practice is that, because Microteaching Lessons are usually recorded, the content can be reviewed again and again so other students or novice teachers can glean insights. Some Microteaching videos are good enough to be shared with the target students as an online resource. In some cases, experienced teachers express gaining fresh ideas from enthusiastic young teachers. Special thanks to Alfred, Clarise and Yulin for sharing their microteaching videos with eTEACHERS!

Microteaching 1: Making a Video to Introduce My School by Mr Lo Weng Tat Alfred

Students participate in a fun English lesson about their school. They explore topics like social media and prepare to create a video introducing their school to primary students. During the lesson, they practice vocabulary related to school facilities and prepositions, engage in breakout room discussions, and draw maps. The session highlights creativity and teamwork, making learning both interactive and collaborative.

00:25 Students engage in a relaxed environment to discuss their feelings about school and practice conversational skills with classmates. This method fosters communication and social interaction among learners.

04:31 Students are adapting to learning about school facilities digitally due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They are encouraged to create videos to introduce their school to primary students.

08:34 Students are prompted to create a map of their school and must practice presenting it using the present continuous tense. They will ultimately record a video introduction for primary school students.

12:39 Students are encouraged to create a one-minute video introducing their school using provided guidance and questions. This exercise helps them practice their speaking skills and engage with their classmates.

Microteaching 2: Descriptive Writing Lesson using Edpuzzle by Ms Ho Ka Hei Clarise

Students learn descriptive writing techniques, focusing on the use of precise nouns, vivid adjectives, appropriate prepositions, and literary devices to craft engaging and vivid scenes. The lesson highlights the importance of enriching descriptions with sensory details and specific vocabulary. Students are encouraged to practice these skills by describing images both accurately and creatively.

00:01 Descriptive writing focuses on creating vivid imagery through detailed descriptions. By using appropriate nouns, a writer can transport the reader to a scene.

02:20 Describing a location effectively requires merging various elements with precise prepositions. This method helps to create a clearer image for someone unfamiliar with the scene.

04:40 Descriptive writing can be enhanced by incorporating actions and sensory details, making it more vivid and engaging for the reader. Using adjectives and literary devices further enriches the narrative.

07:02 Enhancing writing requires using specific vocabulary to describe colors and textures effectively. Utilizing literary devices can elevate descriptions, making them more vivid and engaging for readers.

09:17 Descriptive language enhances writing by using literary devices like similes, metaphors, and personification. These techniques help create vivid imagery and evoke sensory experiences for readers.

Microteaching 3: Pre-Writing Task: Genre Analysis by Ms Wang Yulin

The genre analysis lesson focuses on writing a proposal for a school reality TV show. It covers the proposal's purpose, audience, structure, and language features, emphasizing formality, tone, and useful expressions. Key components include an introduction, body paragraphs with content points, and a conclusion summarizing the proposal's purpose and suggestions.

00:14 Understanding the genre of proposals is crucial for effective writing. This lesson covers the communicative purpose, organization, and language features essential for writing a proposal.

02:10 A proposal for a school show should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion summarizing the purpose and main points. Each section serves a specific function to communicate effectively.

04:20 When writing formal proposals, it is essential to use polite language features such as passive voice and modal verbs. This enhances the tone and clarity of the suggestions made in the proposal.