An Investigation into the Impact of Reflective Teaching on EFL Learners’ Autonomy and Intrinsic Motivation

Abstract

<p>This study sought to explore the effect of reflective teaching on learner autonomy and intrinsic motivation of Iranian upper-intermediate female learners. The subjects included 60 adult upper-intermediate EFL learners chosen out of ninety based on the scores obtained through administration of the TOEFL exam. They were randomly assigned to two groups: a) the experimental group- taught by a reflective teacher- and b) the control group instructed by an unreflective teacher. The motivation questionnaire and the autonomy questionnaire were administered to both groups to make sure that two groups were not significantly different in terms of the level of motivation and autonomy. Then, the experimental group was taught by the reflective teacher and the control group was taught by the unreflective teacher who adopted no tangible reflective actions. Finally, both groups sat for motivation and autonomy questionnaires. The results indicated that reflective teaching led to the enhancement of both learners’ autonomy and intrinsic motivation level.</p><p><strong>Key Words:</strong> Reflective Teaching; Intrinsic Motivation; Learner Autonomy</p>