Self-Reflection vs. Group-Reflection Training: The Investigation of Iranian In-Service EFL Teachers’ Performance Development
الموضوعات : Research in English Language Pedagogy
Sajjad Fathi
1
(Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran)
Ahmad Mohseni
2
(Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran)
Hossein Rahmanpanah
3
(Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran)
الکلمات المفتاحية: Reflective practice, self-reflection, Group-Reflection, Teaching Performance Development, In-Service EFL Teachers,
ملخص المقالة :
The current study investigates the effect of self- and group-reflection training on Iranian in-service EFL teachers’ performance development. From all available participants teaching at the International College of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 40 in-service EFL teachers were selected. An observation checklist, a semi-structured interview, and the Skype app were employed. There were two groups, i.e., a self-reflection group (N=20) and a group-reflection group (N=20; five subgroups with four members). A mixed-methods design was used in this study. Before the training phase, the pre-test (observation checklist) was administered. During the training phase, the self-reflection group members were exposed to self-reflection practice. In addition, the group-reflection participants were exposed to the group-reflection practice. The instruction was presented in 16 sessions twice a week for two months. After the training phase, the post-test (observation checklist) was administered. Moreover, participants were given a semi-structured interview on their reactions to their teaching efficacy. The obtained data were analyzed through SPSS software version 23. The analysis of data revealed that implementing the principles of self-reflective and group-reflective instructions had statistically significant effects on Iranian in-service EFL teachers’ teaching performance. Also, participants believed that reflective practice in both forms had constructive effects on their teaching performance. This study has pedagogical implications for English language teachers, EFL learners, and teacher educators who seek to find more effective teaching methodologies and help them to construct their own meaning of teaching.
Aghaalikhani, H., & Maftoon, P. (2018). English teacher education programs and professionalism: The case of Iranian novice/experienced teachers. Research in English Language Pedagogy, 6(1), 78-94.
Akbari, R. (2007). Reflections on reflection: A critical appraisal of reflective practices in L2 teacher education. System, 35(2), 192-207.
Akbari, R. (2008). Postmethod discourse and practice. TESOL Quarterly, 42(4), 641-652.
Ansarin, A. A., Farrokhi, F., & Rahmani, M. (2015). Iranian EFL teachers' reflection levels: The role of gender, experience, and qualifications. The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 140-155.
Beauchamp, C. (2015). Reflection in teacher education: Issues emerging from a review of current literature. Reflective Practice, 16(1), 123-141.
Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36(2), 81-109.
Borg, S. (2010). Contemporary themes in language teacher education. Foreign Languages in China, 7(4), 84-89.
Brockbank, A., & McGill, I. (2007). Facilitating reflective learning in higher education. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Brookfield, S. D. (2017). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. John Wiley & Sons.
Bruno, A., & Dell’Aversana, G. (2017). Reflective practice for psychology students: The use of reflective journal feedback in higher education. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 16(2), 248-260.
Calderhead, J., & Gates, P. (1993). Conceptualizing Reflection in Teacher Development. London–Washington: The Falmer Press.
Collin, S., & Karsenti, T. (2011). The collective dimension of reflective practice: The how and why. Reflective Practice, 12(4), 569-581.
Crookes, G. (2009). Radical language teaching. In M. H. Long, & C. J. Doughty (Eds.), The handbook of language teaching (pp. 595-609). Hong Kong: Blackwell Publishing.
Crookes, G. V. (2013). Critical ELT in action: Foundations, promises, praxis. Routledge.
Esposito, G., Karterud, S., & Freda, M. F. (2021). Mentalizing underachievement in group counseling: Analyzing the relationship between members’ reflective functioning and counselors’ interventions. Psychological Services, 18(1), 73.
Farrell, T. S. (2003). Reflective practice in action: 80 reflection breaks for busy teachers: Corwin Press.
Farrell, T. S. (2014). Promoting teacher reflection in second language education: A framework for TESOL professionals. Routledge.
Farrell, T. S. (2016). Anniversary article: The practices of encouraging TESOL teachers to engage in reflective practice: An appraisal of recent research contributions. Language Teaching Research, 20(2), 223-247.
Farrell, T. S. (2018). Reflective language teaching: Practical applications for TESOL teachers: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Finlayson, A. (2015). Reflective practice: has it really changed over time? Reflective Practice, 16(6), 717-730.
Goodley, C. (2018). Reflecting on being an effective teacher in an age of measurement. Reflective Practice, 19(2), 167-178.
Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(1), 33-49.
Jarvis, P., Holford, J., & Griffin, C. (2003). The theory and practice of learning: Kogan Page London.
Jasper, M. A. (1999). Nurses’ perceptions of the value of written reflection. Nurse Education Today, 19(6), 452-463.
Lee, S., & Schallert, D. L. (2016). Becoming a teacher: Coordinating past, present, and future selves with perspectival understandings about teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 56, 72-83.
Malmberg, L.-E., Hagger, H., Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Colls, H. (2010). Observed classroom quality during teacher education and two years of professional practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 916.
Mathew, P., Mathew, P., & Peechattu, P. (2017). Reflective practices: A means to teacher development. Asia Pacific Journal of Contemporary Education and Communication Technology, 3(1), 126-131.
Miri, M., Alibakhshi, G., & Mostafaei-Alaei, M. (2017). Reshaping teacher cognition about L1 use through critical ELT teacher education. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 14(1), 58-98.
Odhiambo, E. (2010). Classroom research: a tool for preparing pre-service teachers to become reflective practitioners. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies, 4.
Russell, T. (2005). Can reflective practice be taught? Reflective Practice, 6(2), 199-204.
Schön, D. A. (2017). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action: Routledge.
Wang, Q., Cheng, X., Ma, L., Chen, Z., & Adamson, R. D. (2006). A course in English language teaching. Beijing: Higher Education Press.
Watts, M., & Lawson, M. (2009). Using a meta-analysis activity to make critical reflection explicit in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5), 609-616.
Yang, S.-H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(2), 11-21.
Zhu, X. (2011). Student teachers’ reflection during practicum: Plenty on action, few in action. Reflective Practice, 12(6), 763-775.
