EFL Pre-service Teachers’ Reflections on Student Teaching

Being reflective is a prerequisite of effective teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL). Without reflecting on their own practice, it is virtually impossible for teachers to identify what they have done well and what needs to be improved. It is essential, therefore, to develop the EFL teachers’ ability to reflect early in the pre-service stage. This study described the reflections performed by EFL pre-service teachers about student teaching. Fifty two pre-service teachers participated voluntarily in this study and wrote a reflective essay about student teaching done in the previous semester. The results showed that most pre-service teachers admitted they needed to improve their skills of classroom management. It was the first time they taught actual students in schools and they found it challenging to cope with various learner characteristics. In addition, they realized their English proficiency and knowledge also needed improvement so they could be good models for the students. Finally, they still grappled in explaining the materials to the students and had to search for the most effective methods to teach English to secondary school students. Based on these findings, some implications for teaching practicum, especially student teaching, were suggested.