Micro-LESSON

The term micro comes from the Greek mikros meaning small,
little. In the ELT industry, micro-lesson planning refers to
planning one specific lesson based on one target (e.g., the
simple past). It involves choosing a topic or grammar point and
building a full lesson to complement it. A typical lesson plan
involves a warm-up activity, which introduces the topic or
elicits the grammar naturally, followed by an
explanation/lesson of the point to be covered. Next, teachers
devise a few activities that allow students to practice the
target point, preferably through a mix of skills (speaking,
listening, reading, writing). Finally, teachers should plan a
brief wrap-up activity that brings the lesson to a close. This
could be as simple as planning to ask students to share their
answers from the final activity as a class.
A micro-LESSON is a teaching tool that uses technology to
enhance learning. The lesson makes use of appropriate
animations, graphics, sounds, interactivity and other resources
that will enhance the presentation of the content. The teacher
may start a question or a problem that will allow students to
explore the answers in the presentation or in the given
Internet resources. microLESSONS are IT-based instructional
materials that are used to teach specific objectives. They are
small and specific units of instruction for teachers to use
within lessons. The microLESSONS developed span many
curricular content areas, and are suitable for supporting a
wide variety of learning outcomes. The majority of the
microLESSONS are student-centered materials that incorporate
various computer features (e.g. animation, graphics, sound,
interactivity) that will enhance the teaching-learning process.
Micro-LESSON are focused IT-based instructional components
that are developed to teach specific objectives within a lesson.
They are small and specific units of instruction for teachers to
use within lessons. it developed span many curricular content

areas, and are suitable for supporting a wide variety of

learning outcomes.

Types of micro-LESSONS
Generally, micro-LESSONS can be classified into two:
a. 1st generation micro-LESSONS are mainly studentcentered projects adopting a direct instructional
approach. These micro-LESSONS are used for tutorials,
drills and sometimes as informational multimedia. Though
mainly used for transmission of knowledge, multimedia
features are used in these micro-LESSONS to help enhance
the learning process.
b. 2nd generation micro-LESSONS allow students to explore,
create and construct knowledge through various
computer-based learning activities instead of merely
transmitting knowledge. Generally, these micro-LESSONS
consist of two parts. In the first part, students are
presented with a scenario, situation, case study or a
problem that requires a solution. In the second part,
students are asked access linked documents that requires
them to do some activities which require higher order
thinking skills such as generating feasible solutions to a
problem, surfing the web to collect information, exploring
a simulation or to collaborate on a piece of work.
Furthermore, micro-LESSONS are classified into five types based
upon their approaches:
1. In a resource-based micro-LESSON, the teacher will prepare
questions and provide Internet resources that will help
students to answer the questions. The students will

synthesize information by completing the task assigned by

the teacher.
In this approach, various links to the WWW can be
established and students will access the web sites to collect
information, facts, opinions and then synthesize them or
compare the different viewpoints.

2. In a problem-based micro-LESSON, the teacher will present a

problem using a multimedia presentation (pictures and
sounds or a video clip). From the problem, the teacher will
formulate activities for the students to investigate and
propose for a solution to the problem. For example, the
teacher will show a video clip on a flash flood in Barangay
Hinaplanon and the students will conduct investigation on
the causes of the problem and will then propose a feasible
solution. Micro-LESSONS can now be used to present
"instructional problems" in a multimedia fashion through
which activities can be formulated and where students can
be engaged in the process of investigation and problemsolving. For example, a video-clip of a water shortage
problem in Singapore can be presented and students would
be made to undergo a scientifically sound investigative
process where possible causes and solutions found.

3. A case-based micro-LESSON, uses a guided inquiry method

and provides more structure during small-group sessions.
Through such an approach, students would have to consider
the learning situations and the problems associated with it.
Through the process, students need to access varied
resources such as online experts, community leaders,
printed resources and non print resources from the internet.
Another more generic approach besides the problem-based
method is for a "case" or scenario to be presented to
students through the micro-LESSONS. Through such an
approach, students would have to consider the learning
situations and the problems associated with it. From the
considerations of problem-identification, students can then
be made to determine the possible solutions and
alternatives. Through the process, students need to access
other resources most possibly from the WWW.

4. In a collaborative-based micro-LESSON, students are asked

to work as a team or in pair in completing a task. Students
will be assigned roles to play in doing the activity. Every
member of the group is important in finalizing their product.
In this approach, students can be asked to work

collaboratively or in pairs to undergo an instructional

activity presented intentionally in the micro-LESSONS to be
jointly worked through. For example, tasks can be assigned
to different individuals and they work on different pieces of
the "puzzle" and later come together to co-construct the
entire "jig-saw puzzle". Because micro-LESSONS can be
linked to other applications, the possibilities of different
kinds of co-construction tasks can be varied and many-fold.

5. In simulation-based micro-LESSONS, the teacher may utilize

applications where students will observe relationships or
phenomena and learn how variables affect the values. For
example a mathematics teacher may use Geogebra in
observing the graph of an absolute value function or a
chemistry teacher uses a Java applet observing the
movement of a molecule as temperature varies.Finally,
micro-LESSONS can also be used to create simulations where
students can observe particular phenomena and learn from
the processes and the variables that will affect the
simulated actions. Again, because micro-LESSONS can be
linked to Java applets (for example) and other applications
such as the geo-meter sketchpad, simulations
become a reality.

Some benefits of micro lesson planning include classes that

runs smoothly and students who dont get bored. Lesson planning
ensures that youll be prepared for every class and that youll have
a variety of activities on hand for whatever situation may arise
(well, the majority of situationsIm sure weve all had those
classes where an activity we thought would rock ends up as an epic
fail).