Speaker
Description
Critical reflection is widely recognized as a triggering mechanism for transformative teaching in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts (Mezirow, 2000). However, it is mostly implicit, preventing teachers from observing and examining it in actual teaching contexts. Addressing this gap, this study aims to explore how critical reflection is enacted in EFL teaching and to identify observable indicators of critical reflection in teachers’ practices. Guided by interpretivism, an exploratory qualitative design is adopted to achieve in-depth insights into teachers’ reflective practices. A purposive sample of five EFL teachers is selected to provide rich data (Hennink & Kaiser, 2022). Semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and classroom observations will be done to capture what teachers think and practice. Based on the findings, teachers’ critical reflection will be manifested in their engagement with their teaching experiences, namely problem-posing, the examination of preconceived assumptions, and the enactment of double-loop learning. From these patterns, a set of observable indicators of critical reflection will be defined to make it more visible in classroom settings. By focusing on observable indicators, a practical lens for understanding critical reflection is provided to support teachers’ professional development in fostering transformative practices.
Keywords: Critical reflection, observable indicators, transformative practices
