Investigating English language teachers’ reflective practices in secondary schools

Abstract

Although reflective practice is a key to quality teaching, teachers often focus on teaching itself and do not reflect on their practice. Therefore, this study investigated reflective practices of English language teachers in Hawassa Secondary schools. The study used a qualitative case study design with 7 purposefully selected teachers using in-depth interviews, classroom observation and focus group discussion and analyzed the data thematically. The study showed that teachers taught through information-giving and students learned through information-receiving. They could not reflect well before and during teaching and superficially reflected after teaching and their reflections were limited to pre-reflection and technical levels and could not reflect at practical and critical levels. They made a little reflection individually and could not make meaningful group reflections. Teachers’ reflections focused only on classroom teaching, paying no attention to other areas. The study implied modifications to current reflection theories to be cyclical, career long and practiced individually and with others. It showed how reflective teaching could be adopted into teachers’ regular practice to improve teaching quality and student outcomes. It implied that the teacher development policy guideline to be re-evaluated to consider teacher development through reflection. The study raised some important questions that warrant further investigation.