Forming Communicative Competence of Future TESOL Students by Microteaching: British Experience

The article deals with the analysis of the process of forming communicative competence of future TESOL students by means of microteaching based on the experience of leading British higher education institutions. It has been specified that the phenomenon of communicative competence in scientific discourse originated in the 1960s and connected with the prominent British, German and American scientific researchers (L. Bachman, R. Campbel, M. Canale, J. Habermas, M. Halliday, M. Swain et al.), who have produced their own implications on communicative competence. Based on their views it has been specified that the communicative competence should be acquired in all areas, namely, speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Therefore, it has been justified that microteaching is of significance, as it allows future TESOL teachers to develop the high level of communicative competence. It has been found out that microteaching was developed by Stanford University specialists and became adopted by many teacher education institutions in the world. The model of microteaching acquired in British education institutions has been described. It has been outlined that microteaching is seen as a simplified form of teaching, the main peculiarity of which means it is evaluated by peers/supervisors to provide a feedback. It has been indicated that the main aim of microteaching is to allow future TESOL teachers to determine their level of communicative competence most objectively. It has been clarified that future TESOL teachers should undergo three stages to form their communicative competence. The advantages and disadvantages of microteaching in the context of forming future TESOL teachers’ communicative competence have been presented. The most prominent advantages have been analyzed. The perspectives for further studies have been determined