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Master's program in English Didactics

Methodology applied to an EFL Situation

Milagro Agudelo

Castro

August 29th, 2021

THREE FEATURES OF A REFLECTIVE TEACHER

As teachers, it is common to find ourselves stuck in a known routine. We tend to do

the same things repeatedly without even understanding why we do those selections. After

so many years of teaching, it is easy to get used to it, and we tend to feel comfortable with

our classes. Most of the time, we find colleagues teaching the same lessons with the same

methodologies and techniques for years, which does not represent any improvement in their

practice. According to Farrel (2013), the objective of reflective practice is that teachers can

make changes and improvements in their teaching. Thus, teachers need to reflect on their

practice if they want to improve their teaching. Farrel (2013) emphasizes that reflective

practice is about being reflective more than doing a reflection. We need to consider three

essential features to be sure about not doing just a reflection but being a reflective teacher.

First, reflective teachers articulate their beliefs. Not many teachers know their

beliefs, but the first step for being reflective is to be clear about what we believe and
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analyze if those beliefs are reflected in our classroom practice. Graves (2000) points out

that our experiences "provide the basis for understanding how languages are taught and

learned and the beliefs that guide our choices" (p. 25). Most of the choices we make are

based on our beliefs. What we do in our classes reflects what we consider is essential in

teaching and learning languages. In other words, as Richards and Rodgers (2001) suggest,

beliefs help teachers to get a particular approach to teaching. However, sometimes we find

a discrepancy between what we do in class and our beliefs. Articulating beliefs is a starting

point in this reflection practice that will help reduce that discrepancy and lead us to the next

feature.

Second, a reflective teacher involves students and colleagues in the process. It is

clear that reflecting implies analyzing what, why, and how we do things, but that analysis

should not be made only from our perspective because it would be biased. Consequently,

We should see our practices from different perspectives. Brookfield (2017) points out

students' perceptions and colleagues' perceptions as two primary sources of evidence of

effective teaching. A class that does not meet our students' needs is not adequate. For that

reason, knowing our students' needs and perceptions about the course is of paramount

importance. A teacher asking a peer to observe his classroom and provide feedback will

analyze his practice from his peer's eyes and see issues that he could not see from his

perspective. The outcome will be an analysis seen from all angles that will show a complete

and clear view of the state of their teaching.

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As a third feature, a reflective teacher takes action. Being a reflective teacher is

more than reflecting on our practice and analyzing what works and what does not work. It

implies doing something with the result of that analysis, for instance, considering new

teaching methods, methodology, techniques, and materials that could improve the quality of

learning and try those ideas in practice. I believe that reflection is nothing without action.

Reflective teachers create a plan of action, put it into practice, and repeat the process to

improve the practice.

To conclude, it is pertinent to assert that reflective teaching is an ongoing and never-ending

process. Reflective teachers are always finding a way to improve their practice. Our schools

need effective teachers, unsatisfied and ambitious teachers. We need to stop feeling

comfortable with our way of teaching and start thinking that we can do it better. Getting out

of our comfort zone is not easy, but it leads us to our professional development. The way to

improve our practice is to be reflective teachers. We need to be teachers who look at what

they do in the classroom, why they do it, and if that works for their students. We need to be

teachers that care about students' and colleagues' perceptions. Being a reflective teacher is a

way of life that makes us effective teachers.

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References

Brookfiels, S. (2017). Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, 2nd ed. San Francisco:

Jossey Bass.

Farrel, T. (2013). Reflective Teaching. Alexandria: TESOL International Association.

Graves, K. (2000). Designing Language Courses: A Guide for Teacher. Boston: Heinle &

Heinle Publishers .

Richards, J. C. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

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