10 (Ten) Differences Between Micro Teaching and Macro Teaching

10 (Ten) Differences Between Micro Teaching and Macro Teaching

Introduction

Teachers use a variety of different approaches when instructing their students. Sometimes teachers lecture their students; at other times they encourage their students to work together to accomplish a goal. Macro and micro teaching come into play, as well, because they help dictate what a teacher teaches, how the teacher provides that instruction and who is included in each classroom activity.

No matter the grade level or subject matter, teachers use a variety of techniques when instructing their students. Depending on the content you need to deliver, you may engage macro teaching, which means lecturing the class as a whole, or micro-teaching, in which you divide your students into smaller groups or even work one-on-one with individual students for a short period of time.

What Is Macro Teaching?

The term “macro” means “large-scale” or “overall.” If you look at a macro teaching PDF online, you can find the definition. When applied to teach, the macro method simply indicates an instruction that is being delivered to the entire class at one time. This is a useful method for when teachers need to give instructions for an assignment or introduce a new concept or background information to the class. Teachers can also implement macro teaching on a professional development level when they are looking at long-term curriculum planning for the year. Macro planning, for instance, allows you to review course goals with your students for an entire semester (or year) at the beginning of the course. This helps your students know what to expect from the course as they progress through the subject matter.

What Is Micro Teaching?

In the field of teaching, microteaching has two separate meanings. First, it can indicate a classroom teaching style in which teachers work with small groups of students for short periods of time. This technique is common in earlier grade levels, such as elementary school, in which students work in “centers” while the teacher rotates among tables.

Micro-teaching can also imply a type of professional development activity in which you deliver a short lesson in front of a small group of peers or students. The lesson is sometimes video recorded. Following the lesson, the mentor teachers or students will work with you to evaluate the lesson and provide feedback. Microteaching, which was founded in the 1960s by Stanford professor Dwight W. Allen is widely considered to be one of the most effective forms of teacher training because it allows teachers to “test out” new lessons and instructional techniques in a low-pressure environment before expanding it to an entire class.

 

10 (Ten) Differences in Micro & Macro Teaching

Macro Teaching

§  Macro teaching occurs when a teacher provides instruction to the entire class at one time for an extended period of time, usually longer than 10 minutes.

§  Macro teaching is often done in lecture format and may be used to introduce a new concept, such as adding or to practice a new skill, such as sounding out new words.

§  Another component of macro teaching occurs when a teacher is developing lesson plans.

§  Macro lesson planning involves mapping out the bare bones of the entire school year with regard to what material — such as long division or spelling concepts — will be taught over the span of the school year.

§  Macro teaching allows a teacher to introduce new information to everyone at once.

§  Macro teaching can give a teacher an idea of what subjects or concepts she needs to spend more time on, as well who in her class needs additional help.

§  Planning lessons at the macro level help a teacher stay on track so she’s able to meet her goals and cover the entire curriculum before the school year ends.

§  Macro teaching relies on auditory learning and recall.

Micro Teaching

§  Micro teaching occurs when a teacher works with a small group of students for a short period of time.

§  Micro teaching occurs when a teacher works with small groups of students he/she has formed based on their reading ability.

§  Micro lesson planning happens when a teacher creates individual classroom activities that occur on a day-to-day basis.

§  Microteaching is often used to help novice and trainee teachers practice and hone their teaching skills. The focus on a single skill or concept allied to the smaller number of students allows for concentration on a specific type of teaching delivery. The more confined environment also aids a video recording of the teacher’s practice and/or monitoring by in-class assessors.

§  Microteaching is often used to help novice and trainee teachers practice and hone their teaching skills. The focus on a single skill or concept allied to the smaller number of students allows for concentration on a specific type of teaching delivery. The more confined environment also aids a video recording of the teacher’s practice and/or monitoring by in-class assessors.

§  It often features the teaching of a single skill or concept, with the smaller group enabling the teacher to give individual attention to each student, helping them master the skill of concept.

§  Micro teaching often features kinetic learning, with students learning from “hands-on” experience, and a more interactive environment with students able to ask questions of the teacher.

Conclusion

There are different ways that a teacher can impart information to students in a learning environment. The technique she uses will depend on several variable factors, such as the number of students in a particular class and the desired lesson outcomes. Micro and macro teaching are two common teaching techniques that differ in their conception and delivery. Both forms of teaching are planned in advance. A lesson delivered by either micro or macro methods has specific outcomes and emphasis determined in advance. Evidence of student comprehension of the desired learning outcomes will differ. In micro settings, demonstration of understanding is likely to be within the lesson, while assessment from macro teaching is more likely to be through the submission of a written paper.