Teachers’ Reflection and Level of Reflective Thinking on the Different Dimensions of their teaching practice

Abstract

The present study aimed to deeply evaluate English teachers' reflective thinking skills and levels with regard to the dimension of learning objectives, content, learning-teaching process, and measurement and evaluation in the context of English course. The study was designed as case study method. The study group was composed of 27 teachers selected based on the criterion sampling method. With regard to data analysis, descriptive analysis technique was used. In the study, it was determined that based on their reflective diaries, participant teachers reflected at the technical, practical and critical levels and developed reflection-in-action, reflection-on-action, and reflection-for-action. Results showed that the participant teachers had information about reflective thinking skills and they made some changes in the lesson plan because they thought that a lesson plan for the learning objectives ignoring students' prior knowledge was ineffective. Based on teachers’ opinions, it was also determined that the content consisted of similar topics and was very intense and heavily based on vocabulary teaching. Results indicated that participant teachers reflected on teaching methods and techniques, activities and materials, student motivation, classroom atmosphere, and ensuring participation in the lesson. It was also revealed that the efficiency of measurement tools and the need to prepare measurement tools with regard to the learning objectives should be realized. Providing teachers with in-service training courses such as thinking skills, problem solving and decision making techniques, risk and crisis management that will contribute to overcoming their shortcoming and mistakes is thought to improve their reflective thinking skills.