Communication Skills
The ~ n u ~ i d a nature ~ i e of the tecli~iiquestliat we e~nployoften makes them simple to LIS,someti~nesso trivial that we tend to use them as a set of routine proceidures. These tecliniques, however, simple they may seem are based on some principle or theoretical standpoint. The important point here is that, we teacli~ersshould be able to understand the relationsliip between theoretical principles and practical techniques. It is this understanding of theory that enables a teacher to effectively play the role of a mediator of changes in pedagogic practices. These techniques, however mundane or trivial they might seem, are based on some pri~ic/pleor other, which in turn is accountable to theory. Tlie important point here is that, we teachers should be able to understand the relationship between theoretical principles and practical techniques. This understanding will enable 11stc mediate changes in pedagogic practice. What this amounts to then, is that teachers should see all the established metliodologies and techniques only as a framework for pedagogic activity and not as a set of fixed formulae. And if they are to see tlie~nas such, tliey need to ~ ~ ~ i d e r s t tlie a ~ i dprinciples on which such techniques are based. Otherwise the tecli~iiquescannot be modified to accommodate new insights and experiences. Competent teachers adjust the teaching procedures, modify plans, and in general, hypotheses to actual classroom setting. They refer techniques relate1an i~isti~ictive back to principle, testing each one out against the other in a continuous process of experimentation. They are research minded in tlie sense tliat tliey question, analyse and think critically about what is with themlgiven to them by way of technique or methodology. Thus, this spirit of enquiry, is a pre-requisite to good teaching.
Teaahers' self-improvement The seed to improve one's performance and to excel in one's own job is felt by most of us-as adult intelligent persons. The question then is how does one go about it? Tlie key to the self-improvement programme is self-monitoring and self-correcting. For this, the teacher has to collect data regarding his own teaching perforiiiance and it,s impact on others -students, colleagues, etc. Tliera are Inany procedures to collect such data. Some of these are utilized ~uider techniques such as Flander's Interaction Analysis, Micro-teaching and Compete~icy Based Teacher Education (CBTE). Tlie co1ii1iio1i elements in all these three procedures are: i)
Explicit statement of tlie competencylskill in terms of the teacher's behaviour
ii)
Some explicit procedure of recording ad coding that behaviour objectively
iii) Usually the procedure involves observing the teacher in actual teaching situation or in a simulation situation. These observations could be through (i) a video camera (ii) an audio tape recording (iii) peers/'c~i~eagues/ supervisors and /or (iv) students. Now read a competency scale given in Table 2. Tliis scale is restricted to o~ilyan instructional process in the classroom. Many similar scales are available to help a teacli&rto collect the data regarding hisfher teaching behaviour.