Intensive Reflection in Teacher Training: What is it Good For?

Abstract

The merits of reflective exercises in teacher training are well known. Reflection through journals, surveys/questionnaires, action research, or supervised teaching and classroom discussion creates opportunities for teachers in training to think critically of what they do in their classes, why they do it, and how they could improve. Sometimes, however, teacher training programs may not be ideally positioned to offer novice student teachers (NSTs) the most extensive and coordinated opportunities for teaching, observation, and reflection. The current study examines the usefulness of an intensive reflective exercise realized as a two-question questionnaire used in a Second Language Writing (SLW) course. The findings indicate that the questionnaire was useful in eliciting a fair amount of critical thinking and integration of prior knowledge, new content, and personal experience. For the teacher trainer, it worked as a tool for assessing student learning and planning lessons. The study reflects on the limitations of the intensive reflection exercise applied in it (such as brevity and isolation from other assignments), and makes pedagogical recommendations for future implementation.

Promoting Continuous Professional Development of English Teachers Through Action Research

“…The findings on reflective practice are in conformity with the field literature in that the previously fulfilled multifarious studies concerning reflectivity (Ene & Riddlebarger, 2015;Tajik & Pakzad, 2016;Townsend, 2010). Formerly, a few teachers in the study stated that the only reflective practice they were carrying out was attaching Post-it notes on certain pages of their coursebook as reminders.…”

Reflective practice in English language teacher training: From theory to practice

“…Reflective practice has easily been found in various studies conducted by many researchers and experts in English education and in English teacher education in different countries all over the world for several years. Ene and Riddlebarger (2005) concluded the questionnaire was useful in eliciting a fair amount of critical thinking and integration of prior knowledge, new content, and personal experience; for the teacher trainer, it worked as a tool for assessing student learning and planning lessons. In his study of two Hong Kong Universities, Lee (2007) found that dialogue and response journals provided opportunities for pre-service teachers to engage in reflective thinking, so he recommended teacher educators should use journals as a tool for promoting reflection in pre-service teacher preparation.…”