Reflective Practice as Tools to Explore in-Service Teachers’ Beliefs and Classroom Practices: Indonesian Efl Teachers’ Voices

Abstract

Reflective practice is widely acknowledged as the most effective means to create effective teacher who wants to have better understanding of their works. It has been explicitly stated in western academic teacher education curriculum due to its significant impact on constructing life-long learning for teachers. However, this beneficial contribution of teachers’ professional development is not growing within the context of English as a foreign Language (EFL) teaching. Accordingly, this descriptive qualitative research aimed at (1) investigating teachers’ beliefs in teaching and learning English by utilizing reflective tools, and (2) attempting to identify whether or not their beliefs are implemented in their practices in which the reasons will also be explored. The data were gathered through interviews and classroom observations as the main source. Three English teachers were investigated to elicit their beliefs about teaching and learning. The findings showed years of teaching experiences and past experiences as a learner are the most arisen theme in which the initial facet strongly affects the way they perceive teaching, and the latter occurrence theme indirectly shape the teachers’ beliefs. As regards to the relation of their practices and their stated belief, however, not all of their beliefs were implemented in the classroom due to several factors such as the students’ factors, time-constraint, and the school obligations.

Pre-service teachers’ beliefs about English Language Teaching and Learning in EFL classroom: A review of literature

“…Teachers enter the teaching field with predetermined beliefs that can make better their classroom practices. Several studies investigated PSTs' beliefs about grammar instruction in EFL context (Debreli, 2012;Gürsoy, 2013;Çapan, 2014;Saputra et al, 2020). Çapan (2014), for instance, investigated PSTs' beliefs about grammar instruction during their first teaching practices.…”

“…This indicated that they considered worksheets as essential tools compared to games and role-plays. Likewise, Saputra et al (2020) examined PSTs teaching beliefs and their teaching practices. The study was conducted by observing classroom interaction in Indonesian context and conducting depthinterviews for three participants.…”

“…During the practicum, they believed in the teacher as facilitator, activator, and organizer. However, Saputra et al (2020) obtained the result that PSTs changed their beliefs about the teacher as a facilitator to a transmitter of knowledge in the practicum. Therefore, it is obvious that PSTs' roles during teaching practices are as provider, controller, participant, nurturer, interest arouser, technology specialist, and problem solver.…”

“…Chaaban et al, (2019) confirms that most studies in accordance with teachers' beliefs were conducted on inservice teachers (novice teachers or experienced teachers) and their teaching practices. Moreover, studies of PSTs' research have been conducted for different purposes, e.g., tracking the changes in PSTs' beliefs of learning and teaching language components (Bangou et al, 2011;Debreli, 2012;MacAlister, 2012;Özmen, 2012;Altan, 2012;Çapan, 2014;Saputra et al, 2020), identifying PSTs' beliefs of learning and teaching language skills (Gürsoy, 2013;Dinçer & Yeşilyurt, 2013;Tagle et al, 2017;Turnbull, 2017;Radwan, 2019), exploring PSTs' beliefs of language learning and teaching attributed to ELT methods and strategies (Seymen, 2012;Woodcock & Reupert, 2013;Chan, 2014;Simsek, 2014;Kelly, 2018;Chaaban et al, 2019), and identifying PSTs' beliefs about language learning and teaching toward technology (Yerdelen-Damar et al, 2017;Nariyati et al, 2020;Hughes et al, 2020). These differences need to compile to disclose a clear picture of how PSTs' beliefs of language teaching and learning are reflected in EFL classroom teaching practices, why their beliefs change, how they change, and what constraints need to be aware.…”

Teaching Writing in Vietnam’s Secondary and High Schools

“…Khalifa, Ahmed and Ismael [9], Nguyen and Newton [10], and Widiastuti et al [11] also asserted that the teachers' beliefs are not always applied to their practices in the classrooms approximately. Saputra, Suherdi, and Rodliyah [12] found that the teachers' length of teaching experiences and past experiences as a learner was the most factors to affect the way they practiced teaching. However, the teachers' beliefs were not usually implemented in the classrooms.…”