Unpacking in-service EFL Teachers’ Critical Incidents: The Case of Iran

Abstract

Despite the importance of reflection on critical incidents (CIs), there are only a few studies in ELT literature addressing English language teachers' CIs (Farrell, 2008). Accordingly, this study was conducted to explore and discuss how six in-service EFL teachers reflected on and reported their CIs. In so doing, the participant teachers reflected retrospectively and introspectively on their CIs for 12 sessions. They put their CIs in a blog each session in order to share them with their colleagues. After the treatment, the three stages of grounded theory were employed in order to analyse the CIs. The results, revealing six categories and 12 subcategories, shed light on the 'what' and 'why' of teachers' reflections on their CIs. Results may have implications for teacher education and can add to the existing literature on unpacking teachers' CIs.

Using critical incidents for professional development with Iranian novice English teachers

“…As a teacher, it’s hard to keep them all fully satisfied, although we must do our best to do so. (taken from Atai & Nejadghanbar, 2016)…”

“…The results of their study led to the emergence of six categories with 12 subcategories of CIs as shown in Figure 1. The rationale for the choice of CIs was based on Atai and Nejadghanbar (2016, 2017), who argue for systematic inclusion of CIs in English teacher education programs. They suggest that in order to use CIs in teacher education programs, CIs should be selected based on their frequency of occurrence in the contexts in which the teachers will teach.…”

“…These programs inadequately prepare these PSTs for solving real‐world CIs, and reflection on CIs is almost absent in such programs. There are studies unpacking the types of CIs that English teachers face (e.g., Atai & Nejadghanbar, 2016), but there are no studies or programs dealing with the inclusion of individual and group reflection on CIs. Table 1 shows teachers’ demographic information.…”

“…The second half of 12 of the sessions focused on CIs involving IR and GR on real‐world samples of CIs taken from Atai and Nejadghanbar (2016). In their study, Atai and Nejadghanbar analyzed and unpacked the type and frequency of CIs that Iranian English teachers faced in their classes.…”

“…Despite their potential benefits, CIs have received little attention in ELT literature (Farrell, 2008). A review of the available literature (e.g., Atai & Nejadghanbar, 2016; Farrell, 2008; Griffin, 2003; Pope, Green, Johnson, & Mitchell, 2009; Shafiee, Nejadghanbar, & Parsaiyan, 2018; Shapira‐Lishchinsky, 2011) reveals that most studies of CIs relate to teachers’ ethical dilemmas, assessment issues, or the meanings of CIs. The practical side of reflection on CIs has received less attention.…”