Brief Introduction of Reflective Teaching

乌云娜（内蒙古师范大学，内蒙古 呼和浩特 011517）

In the first or second language teacher education, reflective teaching plays a vital role in teacher development.So we need to consider what the phrase “reflective teaching” implies.Recent years, many studies show a quite different perspective of reflective teaching.Reflective teaching, what I preferred definition is active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief of practice in light of the reasons that support it and the further consequences to which it leads.To be a second language teacher , it is important to improve their practice through reflective teaching.There are key questions mentioned in my paper include the following:

1.what contents should be reflected by second language teacher in teaching ?

2.where, when , how , the second language teacher should do a reflection?

3.how to be a (critically)reflective teacher ?

1.Reflective contents

In my view, Reflective contents mainly included teaching goal,teaching content, teaching methods and teaching appraisal.First of all,before a lesson, the teacher should have a clear goal to whole lesson or unit and make students to know teaching goal motivating student’s interest.Wecouldn’t only focused on cognitive goal ,it also have a technical and affective goal.Second one, teaching content is most important both student and teacher.When the teacher selects the content or teach the lesson , they should consider students actual conditions and also do a reflection to whole class.Third one, to teaching methods and skills.The teacher should consider teaching methods or skills adapt or not to the students.Diversity of teaching methods which can arouse students’ motivation of learning.All of thing relating to students and teaching, teacher should do a reflection.It is important to teacher professional development.

2.Reflective methods

We said that it is important to improve teacher practice through reflective teaching.now, here are problems, when,where,how ,the teacher should do a reflection.I think, anyplace and anytime the teacher can do a reflection.Thereisn’t rule or regulation to limit reflective teaching.The most important issue is how to do a reflection.There have mentioned several different approaches.First one, written questionnaire, it can through a large group of learners response you can know advantage and disadvantage of your teaching.But this method is a little difficult to apply it.Second one, diaries and journal, a simple way to collect the teachers’ thought and emotions about teaching content or method effectively.Third one, peer tutoring, peer-tutoring approach is easy to organize and time-saving.Through the communication, you can know others’ teacher idea.You also can ask “what””how” and “why” questions to exchange idea and rich your own experience.Class room observation is a best way to through others’ teacher to understand yourself, to know your teaching shortcomings.

3.Critically reflective teacher

How to be a critically reflective teacher ? Becoming a critically reflective teacher, we should know what the word “critical” implies.The word critical does not mean “criticizing ” or being negative.It refers to the stance of enabling us as teacher to see our actions in relation to the historical, social, and cultural context in which our teaching is actually embedded.This definition is too general to understand very well.I think, becoming a critically reflective teacher, there are three points of view.Firstly,

Teacher is also a learner who need sustainable development in their career.As a adult learner, the teacher should make a judgment of traditional teaching belief or value and propose some suggestion and idea compared with students.Secondly, as a educator, we should regard teaching as a critically reflective procedures.In our teaching process.We have to move away from the “how to ” to the “what” ,“how” and “why”questions.Because “how to” questions which have utilitarian value.For example, how to teach it? How to get it ? something like that.“what,why” questions which more pay attention to the degree of autonomy and responsibility we have in our work as teacher.For example, what counts as knowledge in second language teaching? How might I teach differently? This kinds of question which help teacher think their teaching activities continually.Through critically reflective procedures,the teacher can achieve the communication between the real-self and the ideal-self.Lastly, the attitude toward critically reflection teaching.Foremost, the teacher should know the limitation of own knowledge and view.So it need teacher to be a modesty to learn or pursue knowledge.It also need teacher to be a objective which can help get rid of own thinking model and narrow view.Second, the spirit of questioning is the keystone of critical reflection.Pre-orpost- class, the teacher should ask question to himself.For example.How to judge own performance ?Should the teacher change teaching style to motivate student’ interest? should the teacher teach all details of grammar? And so on.Reflective teaching likes teacher-based forms of self- inquiry, which need a critical attitude to teachers’ thinking and acting.It is a big and real challenge to all of person who want to be a critically reflective teacher.

4.Conclusion

In fact, reflective has a double meaning, it involves the relationship between an individual’s though and action and relationship between teacher and their students or colleagues.So becoming a reflective teacher, it is not an easy process.The teacher need to consider how we teach language through the curriculum and through our teaching has profound cumulative influence on our students and society.