Reflective Practice in Action: A Case Study of a Writing Teacher’s Reflections on Practice

Abstract

Reflective practice, a popular item in current second-language teacher education and development programs, can help bridge the gap between a teacher’s beliefs and classroom practices. This article outlines a case study, highlighting how one teacher of academic writing initiated the exploration of her teaching and how she used classroom observations and oral recall to help her reflect on her practice. Specifically, the exploration sought to outline the teacher’s beliefs about, and classroom practices in, teaching academic writing. It is suggested that oral recall and classroom observations may be effective methods for helping language teachers discover the relationship between their beliefs and classroom practices.