In search of reflection-in-action: An exploratory study of the interactive reflection of four experienced teachers

Abstract

Despite widespread discussion of Schön's reflection-in-action in teacher education literature, few studies have attempted to document it during interactive teaching. Those that do invariably fail to separate it from post-hoc reflection on action. This study uses triangulated video stimulated recall to investigate the interactive reflection of four experienced teachers of English as a foreign language. It provides evidence to support Schön's construct of reflection-in-action, but also documents reflective processes not mentioned by Schön. An empirically-derived eight category typology of teacher interactive thought and taxonomy of interactive reflection are proposed along with three types and six patterns of interactive reflection.