Abstrak
KHAIRUNNISA, Student ID 22 301 040 54, Thesis Title: “EXPLORING STUDENT TEACHERS’ STRATEGIES IN PREPARING MICROTEACHING PERFORMANCE” English Teaching Department, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, State Islamic University (UIN) Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar. The problem of this study is that the preparation strategies employed by student teachers before conducting microteaching performance have not been explored comprehensively, particularly regarding the various ways they prepare themselves before teaching practice. Previous studies have mostly focused on specific aspects of microteaching preparation, such as lesson planning, pedagogical competence, metacognitive strategies, or particular teaching practices. Therefore, this study aims to explore the strategies used by student teachers in preparing for their microteaching performance. This study employed a qualitative research design using a case study approach. The participants were seven sixth-semester student teachers of the English Language Education Department at UIN Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar who were enrolled in the Microteaching course during the 2025/2026 academic year. The participants were selected using purposive sampling supported by lecturer recommendations. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the interactive model proposed by Miles and Huberman, consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The trustworthiness of the data was established through member checking. The findings revealed that student teachers employed five main preparation strategies: (1) constructing lesson plans and organizing instructional content, (2) rehearsing teaching delivery and building teaching familiarity, (3) designing and preparing instructional media, (4) building confidence and evaluating teaching readiness, and (5) seeking feedback and collaborative support. Among these strategies, constructing lesson plans and organizing instructional content was the most consistently used strategy among the participants. The findings also showed that pre-service teachers prepared themselves through individual rehearsal and observation of teaching demonstrations, prepared various instructional media, evaluated their psychological readiness and confidence, and sought additional support from AI and experienced teachers.