Reflective Practice for Language Teachers

Description

I have spent the past 40+ years reflecting on reflective practice, and I am still learning about what it is for language teachers. In this book, I summarise my current reflections on reflective practice for language teachers. I assume readers have no prior knowledge of reflective practice and so I present the book in terms of why it is important to reflect, where reflective practice came from, and what it is. I also present a framework for reflecting on practice I designed especially for language teachers to engage in reflective practice, together with an example of an English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher’s reflection using this framework. I then outline the various reflective tools that teachers can make use of as well as the characteristics of reflective teachers. Throughout each chapter, I also provide you with some Reflective breaks, so that you can step back while you are reading the book and reflect on your own thoughts about what you are reading. You can write your answer to these, or you can talk to a peer/colleague or a group of colleagues depending on how you are most comfortable in your reflections, as you will read in the chapters that follow. Of course, you may skip any and all of these breaks if they do not suit your personal approach to reflective practice. Indeed, you can skip any chapter and go direct to the chapter that interests you most as this book is for you. I know you are busy teachers and I address this issue at the end of the book after I outline and discuss reflective practice in detail so that you can decide what is best for you and your professional development. Happy reflecting!