PAPER

EXPLAINING LESSON SKILL

Prepared to fulfill the assignment of Micro Teaching Course

Lecturer : Dr. Pipit Rahayu, M.Pd

NIDN. 1031018601

Compiled by :

Nelly Marseli
NIM : 2132026
Rosa Sagita
NIM : 2132012
M. Arif Murtopo
NIM : 2132024

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITAS PASIR PENGARAIAN

2024
 PREFACE

Teaching is an art, a science, and a lifelong journey of discovery. It is a profound

responsibility that requires dedication, skill, and a commitment to continual improvement. As
we navigate the complexities of the educational landscape, it becomes increasingly evident that
mastering the fundamentals of teaching is essential for fostering impactful learning
experiences.

This paper on the Micro Teaching Course: Basic Teaching Skills is born out of a
collective desire to delve deep into the foundational aspects of effective teaching. It is a
testament to our unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation of educators and
empowering them with the requisite tools and techniques to excel in their craft. Within these
pages, readers will embark on a comprehensive exploration of fundamental teaching skills,
meticulously crafted to provide practical insights and actionable strategies. Drawing upon the
principles of micro teaching, this course offers a structured approach to skill development,
emphasizing deliberate practice, feedback, and reflection as cornerstones of pedagogical
growth.

As authors of this paper, we are deeply honored to share our insights, experiences, and
expertise in the realm of teaching. It is our sincere hope that this resource serves as a beacon
of guidance for educators at all stages of their careers, inspiring them to embrace the art of
teaching with passion, purpose, and proficiency. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those
who have contributed to the realization of this endeavor, including mentors, colleagues, and
students whose unwavering support has been instrumental in its fruition. Together, let us
embark on a transformative journey of pedagogical exploration, as we strive to cultivate a
community of educators committed to excellence, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of
educational advancement.

Pasir Pengaraian, January 19th 2024

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I ............................................................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1

1.1. BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................. 1

CHAPTER II .............................................................................................................................. 4

DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................ 4

2.1. DEFINOTION OF EXPLAINING SKILL ..................................................................... 4

2.2. PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ EXPLAINING SKILL .................................................. 4

2.3. TRANSFERABILITY OF EXPLAINING SKILLS: DOMAIN SPECIFCITY

AND PREPARATION ........................................................................................................... 5

2.4. SKILL EXPLAINING LESSON .................................................................................... 6

2.5. PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE EXPLAINING .............................................................. 11

2.6. EXPLAINING SKILL COMPONENT ............................................................................ 12

2.7. TECHNIQUES IN EXPLAINING ................................................................................... 13

2.8. PRACTICE EXPLANATORY SKILLS ........................................................................... 14

2.9. EVALUATION AND REFLECTION............................................................................... 15

2.10. UNDERSTANDING AND IMPORTANCE OF EXPLANATORY SKILLS ................ 15

CHAPTER III .......................................................................................................................... 17

CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 17

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 19

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 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND

National Education System Law No. 20 of 2003 states that: "learning is the process of
interaction learners with educators and learning resources in a learning environment". Based
on this concept, the word learning contains two activities, namely learning and teaching.
Teaching is an activity related to efforts to teach students to develop the potential that exists in
themselves and the process of change in them both cognitively, affective, and cognitive. there
is a process of change in him both cognitively, affective and psychomotor. This means that
learning requires communication between two directions or two parties, namely the teaching
party (teacher) as an educator and the student. the teaching party (teacher) as an educator with
the learning party (student) as a learner (students) as learners.

According to Rajagopalan (2019, p. 5), Teaching is considered a science or an art. As a

form of expression, it emphasizes the teacher's capacity for creativity and the ability to make a
positive learning environment for the pupils. Moreover, Igamberdieva (2022, p. 213) states the
goal of teaching a foreign language is to instill in students a sense of patriotism, humanity,
moral purity, the development of comprehensively mature, spiritually rich, independent
thinkers, honesty, respect for other people and their values, faith, friendship, self-esteem, and
cognitive skills that include willpower. In the course of introducing literary works to EFL
students, the instructional goal is accomplished. Teaching a foreign language has the
educational goal of improving pupils' cognitive abilities and worldviews. Thus, teaching is an
activity of transferring teacher knowledge to students on increasing the potential of students'
knowledge in the field of language, as well as nationalism

A teacher is a qualified educator who performs a variety of duties including instructing,

guiding, directing, training, evaluating and assessing students. In order to become a
professional educator, a teacher needs to have received extensive training in teaching
techniques. A competent teacher must not only be an expert in all subject matter, but also
possess strong teaching abilities, which include creating conducive learning environments in
the classroom and effectively communicating knowledge to students. It is necessary for a
student to become proficient in teaching if they plan to become a teacher because this is what

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it takes to become a professional educator.In order to generate educators who are qualified to
teach, certain academic programs and disciplines must be completed, either through.

Opening and ending lessons, explanation, variation, questioning, and verbal and
nonverbal reinforcement are among the fundamental teaching abilities that need to be prepared
(Asril, 2015). When the teacher candidates engage in microteaching, some of these abilities
will be observed (Hendrety & Nadya, 2017). In order to achieve excellence in teacher
preparation, Dwight Allen and his colleagues established microteaching at Stanford University
as an experimental program in the early 1960s (Wei, 2015; Ike, 2017). Microteaching is
structured practice teaching that enables teachers to try out a small portion of what they plan
to do with their students in front of colleagues and coworkers. The goal is to increase the
confidence, support, and feedback of teachers (Onwuagboke, Osuala, and Nzeako, 2017). The
microteaching course is designed to be used as.

Microteaching programs are becoming a well-liked and successful way to teach

aspiring teachers the fundamentals of teaching. Through microteaching, student instructors can
hone their instructional techniques in a safe and authentic setting. It is an effective method for
improving instruction. Potential as future educators. The demonstrated success of pre-service
and inservice teachers encourages real-world teaching experiences (Remesh, 2013). It focuses
on developing and enhancing the learner-teachers' self-confidence. With the help of
microteaching practice, teacher candidates experiment and master instructional strategies by
breaking them down into smaller portions and distinct components (Wangchuk, 2019). By
employing fundamental microteaching techniques like reinforcement and presentation, pre-
service teachers can significantly improve their ability to instruct. Microteaching as a useful
instrument for the professional development of aspiring teachers.
Microteaching is a teacher training technique for learning teaching skills. It employs
real teaching situation for developing skills and helps to get deeper knowledge regarding the
art of teaching with the significant reduction in the teaching complexities with respect to
number of students in a class, scope of content, and timeframe, etc. Most of the pre-service
teacher education programs widely use microteaching, and it is a proven method to attain gross
improvement in the instructional experiences. Effective student teaching should be the prime
quality of a teacher. As an innovative method of equipping teachers to be effective, skills and
practices of microteaching needs being implemented (Ambili, 2013).
Some older studies show that the quality of a teacher’s explanation (e.g., clarity)
correlates positively with students’ learning outcomes (Eisenhart et al., 1993; Hines et al.,

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1985) and satisfaction (Hines et al., 1985). Consequently, teachers’ explaining skills, meaning
the skills to generate and present an explanation that is adequate and comprehensible for
learners (Findeisen, 2017), are an important aspect of teachers’ professional competencies
(Shulman, 1987; for commercial teachers see Holtsch et al., 2019). Explaining skills should
therefore be specifcally promoted in initial and in-service teacher training. Empirical evidence
shows that explaining subject matter is a learnable skill (Borko et al., 1992; Charalambous et
al., 2011; Kulgemeyer et al., 2020; Miltz, 1972), and it is expected that the explaining skills of
teachers develop during university teacher education. However, previous studies from the feld
of general education point to pre-service teachers’ difculties when it comes to explaining
subject matter (e.g., Borko et al., 1992; Halim & Meerah, 2002; Thanheiser, 2009).

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

2.1. DEFINOTION OF EXPLAINING SKILL

Skill of explaining is presenting the subject-matter in the simplified form before the
pupils and making it acquirable. It involves ability of the teacher to describe logically 'How',
'Why' and 'What' of concept, event etc. Components of this skill are Clear beginning statement,
Lack of Irrelevant Statement, Fluency in Language, Connecting Links and Use of Proper
Words. Skill of Explaining is more or less a traditional skill which generally even a lay person
conceives as most important in teaching. If a teacher does not know how to explain a
phenomenon properly then he/she can never be a good teacher. The survey shows that both the
fresher and deputed trainees had similar opinion and both considered the skill of using
blackboard as the least important skill, which might be due to the fact that it is utilized in all
the other skills also. (K. Banerjee, S. Halder, and A. Guha, 2015).

2.2. PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ EXPLAINING SKILL

Teachers’ explaining skills, meaning the skills to generate and present an explanation
that is adequate and comprehensible for learners (Findeisen, 2017), are regarded as a
prerequisite for successful action in explanatory situations (Leinhardt, 1989). These explaining
skills include the ability to prepare content appropriately and in a way that is suitable for the
target group and to present learning content to learners in such a way that they can understand
it. Teachers’ explaining skills are generally expected to develop during university teacher
education programs, and empirical evidence shows that explaining subject matter is a learnable
skill (Borko et al., 1992; Charalambous et al., 2011; Kulgemeyer et al., 2020; Miltz, 1972).
However, previous studies demonstrate that preservice teachers often struggle when it comes
to providing instructional explanations. Their difculties occur in (almost) all areas of the quality
framework (Fig. 1). Regarding content, teacher candidates have difculties providing correct
and coherent explanations (Borko et al., 1992; Guler & Celik, 2016; Halim & Meerah, 2002;
Leinhardt, 1989; Thanheiser, 2009). Compared to experienced teachers, teacher candidates also
struggle to focus on key features of the explanation (Kocher & Wyss, 2008; Sánchez et al.,
1999), structure the content in a suitable way (Leinhardt, 1989), and ofer multiple explanatory
approaches (Housner & Grifey, 1985). With respect to student–teacher interaction, the
difculties of teacher candidates include actively involving students in the explanatory process
(Kocher & Wyss, 2008; Spreckels, 2009), tailoring explanations to students’ needs (Halim,

4
1998), reacting fexibly to unexpected events or to students’ questions (Borko & Livingston,
1989; Leinhardt, 1989), and accounting for typical difculties or misconceptions during the
explanatory process (Halim & Meerah, 2002; Inoue, 2009). Novice teachers are generally less
fexible during the explanatory process. Unlike experienced teachers, teacher candidates usually
stick to the explanatory approach they prepared in advance (Spreckels, 2009) and are often not
able to react fexibly to additional questions or difculties (Borko & Livingston, 1989; Housner
& Grifey, 1985; Spreckels, 2009). Furthermore, teacher candidates experience difculties when
evaluating and activating prior knowledge (Sánchez et al., 1999) or evaluating understanding
(Leinhardt, 1989; Leinhardt & Greeno, 1986) (process structure).

2.3. TRANSFERABILITY OF EXPLAINING SKILLS: DOMAIN SPECIFCITY

AND PREPARATION
Explaining skills are assumed to be domain-specifc; that is, generating an explanation
in one domain is believed to be very diferent from the ability to generate an explanation in a
diferent domain (Keil & Wilson, 2000). The fact that teachers especially face problems when
explaining content that is not related to their area of expertise (Sanders et al., 1993; Schempp
et al., 1998) speaks in favor of this assumption. Wagner and Wörn (2011) even argue that
explaining is a content-specifc skill that is not directly transferable from one content to another.
For instance, they claim that students’ misconceptions, common errors, and suitable
representations depend on the specifc content being explained. The question of the extent to
which the explanatory skills of teachers are situation- or topic-specifc, or whether they can be
transferred to diferent topics, has not yet been sufciently investigated. First, it is generally
assumed that explanatory skills are topic-specifc or at least domainspecifc (Keil & Wilson,
2000), so it cannot be expected that explaining skills are simply transferable from one topic to
another. Second, it is to be expected that the chance to prepare an explanatory approach
contributes to the quality of the explanation. Planning teaching–learning sequences (pre- and
post-active thoughts on teaching, see Clark & Peterson, 1986) is generally assumed to
determines teachers’ teaching actions and to increase teaching quality. This is especially true
when teachers have not yet developed routines (Koeppen, 1998). Hence, it is reasonable to
assume that qualitative diferences exist between the decisions made at the actual moment of
teaching and the teacher’s refections on the teaching activities before action (and after the
lesson).

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2.4. SKILL EXPLAINING LESSON
Explanation skills can be defined as the oral presentation of information orally
organized in a systematic manner (Uzer Usman, 2006) about an object, situation, facts, and
data in accordance with the time and applicable laws. (Enco Mulyasa, 2007) The emphasis on
giving explanations is the students' reasoning process and not indoctrination. The emphasis of
providing explanations is the students' reasoning process and not indoctrination. (Hasibuan dan
Moedjiono, 2006) Based on these thoughts, it can be concluded that explaining a lesson is the
teacher's skill in delivering lesson material to students orally which is organized organized in
a planned and systematic manner so that the lesson material easily understood by students.

Explaining is a core skill that teachers must have teacher. The reasons behind this are
as follows:

1. In general, oral communication interactions in the classroom is dominated by the teacher.

2. Most of the teacher's activities are informational. Therefore Therefore, the effectiveness of
the talk needs to be improved.

3. The explanations given by the teacher are often not clear to the students, and are only clear
to the teacher.

4. Not all students can extract information from books on their own. This reality requires
teachers to provide explanations to students for certain things.

5. Available sources of information that students can utilize are often very limited.

6. Teachers often cannot distinguish between telling and giving an explanation.

The purposes of explaining the subject matter are:

1. To guide students to obtain and understand laws, arguments, facts, definitions, and principles
objectively and reasonably.

2. Engaging students to think by solving problems or questions.

3. To get feedback from students on their level of understanding and to address their
misconceptions.

4. To guide students to appreciate and acquire the process of reasoning and using evidence in
solving problems. process of reasoning and using evidence in problem solving. problem
solving (Uzer Usman, 2006)

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 There are several principles that teachers must pay attention to in giving an explanation,
namely:

1. Explanations can be given during the learning process (either at the beginning, in the middle,
or at the end of learning).

2. The explanation must attract students' attention.

3. Explanations may be given to answer students' questions or planned material;

4. The material explained should be in line with the learning objectives and meaningful to
students;

5. The explanation should be appropriate to the background and level of the students (Enco
Mulyasa, 2007).

To be able to explain the subject matter well given, the teacher should pay attention to
the practical guidelines explaining skills as follows:

1. Use language properly and correctly.

2. Using clear language, both words and expression.

3. Voice is heard throughout the class.

4. The volume of the voice varies, sometimes high, sometimes low according to the atmosphere
of the class and the material being explained 4. being explained.

5. Avoiding unnecessary words that have no meaning at all, e.g. meaning at all for example:
e..., em..., what is this..., what is that.... ....

6. Avoiding the misuse of the word "maybe". For example, it should be definite but is always
said possible, so that because everything always uses the word "maybe" then what students get
is possibility, not certainty.

7. Explain the meaning of new and unfamiliar terms thoroughly, so as not to cause verbalism.
terms thoroughly, so as not to cause verbalism among students. among students.

8. Examining students' understanding of the teacher's explanation, whether has been well
understood or not. If not, things things that have not been understood need to be repeated.

9. Giving real examples of material descriptions in accordance with daily life everyday life

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10. Providing explanations can be done deductively or inductively and relate to generalizations.

11. Using multi-media for certain subjects.

12. Using charts to explain relationships and hierarchies.

13. Receiving feedback from students on the description delivered.

4. Provide opportunities for students to give examples according to their own experiences.

15. Emphasizing certain parts of the material being being explained with verbal cues. For
example, "The most important is", "Pay close attention to this concept", or "Pay attention! This
one is a bit difficult"(Sudirwo, Daeng: 2002).

The effectiveness of explaining subject matter can also be achieved by paying attention
to the five Laws of Effective Communication (The five Inevitable Laws of Effective
Communication). The five laws are summarized in one word that reflects the essence of the of
communication itself, namely REACH (Respect, Empathy, Audible, Clarity, Humble). Reach
means to embrace or reach. Because we believe that communication is basically a efforts on
how we gain attention, love, interest, sympathy, response, and positive response from students
(Prijosaksono A, dan Sembel, R.,2002).

No matter how clever a teacher is in mastering a lesson material, it will be in vain if he

or she is not able to master the skills to explain the subject matter that he mastered. Likewise,
it is incomplete if the teacher is only has a skill at explaining the lesson, but does not master
the subject matter being taught. Ideally, a teacher masters the subject matter that he / she teaches
and has a strategy in explaining the learning material effectively so that it is easily understood
by students. Explanation skills can be interpreted as the presentation of information orally
which is organized systematically. Based on these requirements, it can be concluded that
explaining the lesson is the skill of the teacher in delivering lesson material to students orally
which is organized in a planned and systematic manner so that the learning material delivered
by the teacher is easily understood. Explaining is a core skill that teachers must possessed, it
was because of some reasons as follows:

a. In general, oral communication interactions in the classroom are dominated by teachers;

b. Most of the teacher's activities are information therefore the effectiveness of the teachers’
talk need to be improved;

c. The explanations given by the teacher are often not clear for the students;

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d. Not all of the students can dig up the information obtained from books on their own, in this
way it requires the teacher to provide explanations to students for certain things;

e. The available sources of information for certain topic that students can use are often very
limited;

The purposes of explaining are:

a. Guide students to obtain and understand laws, arguments, facts, definitions, and principles
objectively and reasonable;

b. Involve the students to think by solving problems or questioning;

c. To get feedback from students on their level of understanding and to resolve their
misunderstandings;

d. Guide the students to the process of reasoning and using evidence in solving problems.

There are several principles that teacher must pay attention in providing an explanation:

a. It can be given during the learning process (either at the beginning, in the middle, or at the
end of the lesson);

b. It must attract students' attention;

c. It can be given to answer student questions or material that has been planned;

d. The materials to be explained must be in accordance with the learning objectives and
meaningful for the students;

e. It must in accordance with the background and ability level of the student.

To be able to properly explain the learning material provided, the teacher should pay
attention to practical instructions for explaining skills as follows:

a. Use the language properly and correctly;

b. Use clear language, both words and expressions;

c. Voices can be heard throughout the class;

d. The volume of the sound varies, according to the classroom atmosphere and the material
being described;

e. Avoiding unnecessary words;

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f. Explain the meaning of new terms thoroughly;

g. Examining students' understanding of the teacher's explanation, whether it is well understood

or not;

h. Give real examples of material descriptions related to everyday life;

i. Using multimedia aids for a specific subject;

j. Using charts to explain relationships and hierarchies;

k. Receive feedback from students on the descriptions presented;

l. Provide opportunities for students to give examples in accordance with their respective
experiences;

m. Give emphasis to a particular part of the material being explained by verbal cues.

When explaining the lessons, teachers / pre-service teachers have to avoid:

a. Facing the board or turning your back to students for too long;

b. Pacing in front of the class to the right and left, to the front and backwards;

c. Explain continuously while sitting in the teacher's chair;

d. The sound is not loud enough, only heard by students who are around the teacher, students
who sit behind cannot hear the teacher's voice.

The effectiveness of explaining the subject matter can also be achieved by paying
attention to the five Laws of Effective Communication namely REACH (Respect, Empathy,
Audible, Clarity, Humble).

a. Respect

The teacher must have an attitude of respect and respect for students. Teachers must
remember that, in principle, humans want to be respected and considered importantly. For
example, when the teacher has to criticize the student, it can be done respectful to build
student's self-esteem and pride.

b. Empathy

Empathy is the teacher's ability to put themselves in situations or conditions faced by

students. A sense of empathy will enable the teacher to be able to convey the message in a

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manner and attitude that will make it easier for the receiver to understand it. Therefore, in
speaking in class, the teacher must first understand the background, class, social level, age,
education, needs, interests, expectations of the students. Before the teacher builds
communication or sends messages, the teacher needs to empathically understand the potential
recipient of the message in order the message will be conveyed without any psychological
obstacles or resistance from students.

c. Audible

Audible means it can be heard or understood well. In the context of learning, audible
means that the subject matter delivered by the teacher can be well received by students.
Messages must be conveyed through the media in such a way as by the recipient of the message.
This is refers to the teacher's ability to use a variety of media or audio-visual equipment or aids
that will help the teacher.

d. Clarity

The fourth is the clarity of the subject matter delivered by the teacher (clarity). The
clarity of the message itself can cause multiple interpretations. Clarity is also depending on the
quality of the teacher's voice and the language used. People often underestimate the importance
of clarity in teaching, do not pay attention to the sound (voice) and the words chosen to be used
in explaining the subject matter.

e. Humble

Humble means humility. This attitude is related to how the teacher build a sense of
respect for others. Humility can also mean not being arrogant and considering oneself
important when the teacher explains the subject matter. It is precisely with humility that the
teacher can capture the attention and positive responses from students.

2.5. PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE EXPLAINING

To provide effective and meaningful explanations for students, a teacher needs to pay
attention to some important principles. Here are the principles in more detail:

a. Clarity in Delivering Information

A teacher must be able to convey information clearly, systematically, and structurally.

This involves using simple language, unambiguous sentences, and conveying ideas logically

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(Eggen & Kauchak, 2012). Clear explanations will help students understand concepts more
easily.

b. Use of Language Appropriate to Students' Level of Understanding

Teachers need to adjust the language used to the level of cognitive development and
background knowledge of students. The use of vocabulary, sentence structure, and examples
should be adjusted to the age and ability of students (Arends, 2015). This will facilitate better
understanding.

c. Systematic and Structured Presentation of Material

The material presented must be neatly organized, systematic, and structured. Teachers
should connect new concepts with students' prior knowledge (Burden & Byrd, 2013). In
addition, the explanation should start from basic concepts to more complex ones gradually.

d. Use of Relevant Examples

Teachers should include relevant and contextual examples to illustrate the concepts
being explained. These examples can be real situations, daily experiences, or analogies close
to students' lives (Hattie, 2012). This will help students visualize and connect the concepts to
the real world.

2.6. EXPLAINING SKILL COMPONENT

Explanatory skills consist of some important components that a teacher must master in
order for the explanation to be effective and meaningful to the student. Here are the components
in more detail:

a. Planning Explanation - Determining the learning objectives to be achieved through

explanation (Arends, 2015). - Analysing the characteristics and initial abilities of students. -
Selecting materials and examples relevant to the learning goals. - Organizing explanations
logically and systematically.

b. Explanatory Presentation - Provides an introduction or aperception to connect new

knowledge with the student's initial knowledge (Burden & Byrd, 2013). - Use clear, simple,
and appropriate language for student development. - Deliver explanations with clear voice,
proper intonation, and supportive body movements. - Monitor student understanding through
facial expressions, questions, or other feedback.

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c. Using Illustration/Contoh - Providing illustrations such as pictures, diagrams, videos, or
demonstrations to clarify concepts (Hattie, 2012). - Using concrete and contextual examples
that are close to student life. - Asking students to give their own examples to ensure
understanding.

d. Student Understanding Monitoring - Asking questions during and after explanations to

assess student understanding (Petress, 2006). - Giving students the opportunity to ask questions
or clarify things that are not understood. - Observing student responses and behaviour as
indicators of their understanding.

e. Improve Explanation If Needed - Identify areas not understood by students based on their
responses and feedback. - Provide additional explanations, alternative examples, or new
approaches if needed (Marzano, 2017). - Use different learning strategies or media to facilitate
understanding.

2.7. TECHNIQUES IN EXPLAINING

To deliver an effective explanation, teachers can use a variety of techniques that can
help improve the student's understanding. Here are some techniques you can use in explaining,
along with more detailed explanations:

a. Questioning techniques - Asking students questions before, during, and after an explanation
to test their level of understanding (Rosenshine, 2012). - Using low-level questions (e.g.,
knowledge and understanding) as well as high- level questions (eg, analysis and evaluation) to
encourage critical thinking of students (Arends, 2015). - Giving time for students to answer
and encourage their active participation in the explanatory process.

b. Use of Media/Help Tools - Using visual media such as images, videos, demonstrations, or
PowerPoint presentations to clarify the concepts described (Mayer, 2021). - Use tools such as
tablets, models, or real objects to help students visualize abstract concepts (Burden & Byrd,
2013).

c. Emphasis on important points - Emphasizes key concepts or key ideas through voice
intonation, body movement, or repetition (Hattie, 2012). - Using techniques such as
emphasising, thickening, or changing colors on key points in a presentation or teaching
material. - Summarizes the key points at the end of an explanation to strengthen student's
understanding.

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d. Class management during Explanation - Creating a conducive learning environment by
managing student disturbances and disturbing behaviour (Marzano, 2017). - Maintaining
student attention with variations in delivery styles, body movements, and use of media/help
tools. - Using conditioning techniques to encourage active participation and positive behavior
of students during explanation.

2.8. PRACTICE EXPLANATORY SKILLS

Having understood the principles and components of the skills explained in theory, it is
important for prospective teachers to practice them in person. Here are some practical activities
you can do:

a. Explanatory Presentation Exercise - Preparing learning materials and media according to the
topic to be described. - Practice delivering explanations in front of a mirror or independently
to increase confidence and identify areas of improvement (Loughran, 2006). - Record self-
explanation (audio or video) to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the delivery.

b. Teaching Simulations with Friends of Equal Age - Practicing delivering explanations to other
prospective teacher friends who play the role of students (Mergler & Tangen, 2010). - Asking
for feedback from friends after the simulation to know areas that need to be improved. -
Observing the explanation provided by other friends to learn from their good practices.

c. Peer Teaching or Micro Teaching - Doing small-scale teaching practice in front of a real
group of students (Arends, 2015). - Get feedback from an observer or supervisor about the
quality of the explanation delivered. - Reflect teaching experience and identify strategies to
improve future explanatory skills.

d. Observation of Professional Teachers - Observing professional teachers who are experienced

in delivering explanations in class (Lederman & Lederman, 2015). - Analysing the techniques
used by teachers in explaining difficult or abstract concepts. - Learning from the good practices
of such teachers and adapting them in their own teaching practice.

With intensive practice and constructive feedback, prospective teachers can continue to
develop their explanatory skills to be more effective in facilitating student learning.

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2.9. EVALUATION AND REFLECTION
After practicing explanatory skills, it is important for prospective teachers to evaluate
and reflect on their performance in order to continue to improve the quality of the explanations
delivered. Here are some aspects to be taken into account in evaluation and reflection:

a. Explanatory Ability Assessment - Using a section or evaluation instrument that covers

components of explanatory skills such as clarity, language use, systematic delivery, and use of
illustrations/examples (Arends, 2015). - Requesting feedback from observers or supervisors
who observe teaching practices, both in writing and orally. - Implementing self-assessment to
identify strengths and weaknesses in explaining (Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006).

b. Identification of Areas for Further Development - Analysing the results of assessments and
feedback to identify areas that still need improvement, such as material mastery, use of
media/help tools, or class management (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). - Comparing explanatory
performance with established criteria or standards to determine self-development goals. -
Searching for references or learning resources that can help improve explanation skills in areas
that require improvement.

c. Strategies to Improve Explanatory Skills - Develop an action plan that lists specific goals
and steps to be taken to improve explanatory skills (Marzano, 2017). Collaborate with peers or
mentors to share strategies and practices both in explanation. - Continue teaching practices and
try new strategies in explaining, as well as evaluate their effectiveness periodically. - Reflect
on teaching experiences on a regular basis and make a record of the development of explanatory
skills.

2.10. UNDERSTANDING AND IMPORTANCE OF EXPLANATORY SKILLS

Explanatory skills are the ability of teachers to convey information, concepts, or
learning materials in a systematic, clear, and comprehensible way to students (Rosenshine,
2012). It involves the use of appropriate language, relevant illustrations or examples, as well
as effective delivery techniques. According to Arends (2015), "Explaining is a key teaching
skill that involves helping students comprehend new information by relating it to what they
already know and providing them with clear, coherent, verbal and visual representations of the
content" (p. 276).

Importance of Explanatory Skills Explaining Skills has a very important role in the
teaching learning process, among others:

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 1. Facilitating understanding of concepts A good explanation can help students understand
complex or abstract concepts more easily (Hattie, 2012). Teachers can use illustrations,
examples, and analogies to make concepts more concrete and visualizable by students.

2. Bridging knowledge gaps Through explanation, teachers can link new knowledge to the
early knowledge of students (Mayer, 2021). This helps students build stronger cognitive
schemes and facilitates the absorption of new information.

3. Increase student interest and involvement Interesting, interactive explanations and the use
of relevant examples can enhance students' interest and engagement in the learning process
(Burden & Byrd, 2013). It can encourage learning motivation and student active participation.

4. Facilitating high-level thinking processes By providing in-depth and challenging

explanations, teachers can encourage students to analyze, evaluate, and create relationships
between concepts (Arends, 2015). It helps develop high-level thinking skills that are essential
for student academic success and future life.

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 CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, The provided material discusses the importance of effective explaining

skills in teaching. It defines explaining skill as the ability to simplify subject matter for students,
emphasizing logical descriptions and clear communication. Prospective teachers are expected
to develop these skills during their education programs, but they often face challenges in
providing coherent explanations and adapting to students' needs. Explaining skills are
considered domain-specific, and planning teaching sequences is crucial for effective
explanations.The skill of explaining a lesson involves delivering material orally in a systematic
manner to aid students' understanding, promote critical thinking, and provide feedback.
Principles for effective explanation include timing, attention, relevance, and clarity, with
practical guidelines such as using clear language, providing real-life examples, and ensuring
student engagement.

Additionally, effective communication in teaching is governed by the laws of respect,

empathy, audibility, clarity, and humility (REACH). Teachers must respect students,
empathize with their circumstances, ensure their message is audible and clear, and approach
teaching with humility to foster positive learning experiences. Overall, the material underscores
the importance of clear, organized, and engaging explanations in facilitating student learning.

Explanatory skills are one of the most important basic skills for a teacher in delivering
learning material effectively to the student. Mastering these skills can facilitate the
understanding of learning concepts by the student better. In the study of explanatory skills,
some important aspects to pay attention to include the principles of explaining effectively, the
components of the skill explanation, the techniques that can be used, the practice of delivering
explanations, as well as the evaluation and reflection on the performance of the explanator.

The key principles in effectively explaining include information clarity, language use
according to student level, systematic delivery, and the use of relevant examples. Its
components include planning, presentation, illustration, monitoring of understanding, and
improvement of explanation. Techniques that can be used include asking, using media/help
tools, emphasising on key points, and class management.

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 To sharpen these skills, prospective teachers need to practice them intensively through
self-training, teaching simulation, peer teaching, professional teacher observation, as well as
getting feedback for improvement. Periodic evaluation and reflection are also important to
identify areas of development and formulate strategies for explaining skills improvement. By
mastering comprehensive explanatory skills, a teacher will be better able to create meaningful
learning, attract student interest, and facilitate the achievement of learning goals optimally.

18
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