Simulated teaching, also known as teaching simulation, is the practice of creating simulated or artificial teaching environments in order to prepare future teachers for the classroom. These simulations can take many forms, including role-playing exercises, video scenarios, and online simulations.
Simulated teaching can be used in teacher education programs to provide pre-service teachers with experience in handling various classroom situations, such as managing student behaviour, delivering instruction, and assessing student learning. It also allows teachers to practise their teaching skills in a safe and controlled environment before they actually start teaching in real classrooms.
Simulated teaching can be done through various methods such as:
Role-playing exercises, where teachers-in-training act out different scenarios with student actors or other teachers.
Video scenarios, where teachers-in-training watch videos of different classroom situations and then discuss and analyse them.
Online simulations, where teachers-in-training interact with virtual students and situations using computer programs.
Micro-teaching, where teachers-in-training deliver a short lesson to a small group of students and then receive feedback from their peers and instructors.
Simulated teaching can be very effective in preparing future teachers for the realities of the classroom by providing them with hands-on experience and constructive feedback. However, it is important to note that simulated teaching is not a substitute for actual classroom teaching, School Analytics and it can only provide so much experience.