Exploring the Use of Reflective Practices among Teachers of English in Nigerian Secondary Schools

Shehu Muhammad Korau, Muhammad Mukhtar Aliyu, Mohammed Sani Ya’u, Yusuf Muhammad Jika

Abstract


Reflective practice has been reported to be effective in enhancing teaching and learning. However, many teachers of English in Nigeria are not aware of it. Thus, this study investigates the awareness and implementation of reflective practices among English language teachers in Nigerian secondary schools. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted and 77 teachers were selected to participate in the study. Data for the study were collected using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study discovered that most of the respondents have a low level of engagement in reflective practice in their teaching activities. The findings also suggest a lack of awareness of reflective practices among the majority of respondents. Additionally, the study discovered that even those with some awareness of reflective practices rarely followed established steps for incorporating reflection into their teaching. This indicates a significant gap between theoretical knowledge and practice. Thus, the study makes recommendations for professional development programs to familiarize educators with the concept of reflective teaching and its potential impact on instructional effectiveness.

Keywords


English as a Second Language, Nigerian Secondary Schools, Reflective Practices

Full Text:

PDF

References


Faghihi, G., & Sarab, M. R. A. (2016). Teachers as reflective practitioners: A survey on Iranian English teachers’ reflective practice. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 7(4), 57-86.

Farrell, T. S. C. (2015). Reflective teaching and student learning: The role of reflection in teacher development. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Gibbs, J. P. (1998). Amphibian movements in response to forest edges, roads, and streambeds in southern New England. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 62(6), 584-589.

Gudeta, D. (2022). Professional Development through Reflective Practice: The case of Addis Ababa Secondary School EFL in-service Teachers. Cogent Education, 9(1), 2030076.

Grushka, K., Hinde-McLeod, J., & Reynolds, R. (2005). Reflecting upon reflection: Theory and practice in one Australian university teacher education program. (1), 239-246. Reflective Practice, 6

Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and teacher education, 11(1), 33-49.

Habtamu, N., & Belay, B. (2023). Reflective Teaching in English Language Classroom: Perception and Practice of English Language Instructors at Wathemo University. Educational Research International.

Kember, D., McKay, J., Sinclair, K., & Wong, F. K. Y. (2008). A four‐category scheme for coding and assessing the level of reflection in written work. Assessment & evaluation in higher education, 33(4), 369-379.

Mann, S. J. (2011). Drug therapy for resistant hypertension: simplifying the approach. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 13(2), 120-130.

Mokhtari, K., & Sheorey, R. (2002). Measuring ESL students’ awareness of reading strategies. Journal of developmental education, 25(3), 2-11.

O ‘Malley, J.M. & Chamot, A.U. (1990). Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge University Press.

Oduolowu, E., & Adeleke, Y. (2017). Quality assurance in teacher education in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(11), 15-21.

Okoye, A. C., & Umoh, F. U. (2020). The challenges of teaching and learning the English language in Nigeria. African Journal of Education, Science and Technology, 6(1), 1-9.

Richards, J. C., & Farrington, C. (2005). Reflective teaching in English language education. Longman.

Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner. Basic Books.

Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. Jossey-Bass.

Van Manen, M. (1995). On the Epistemology of Reflective Practice. Teachers and Teaching, 1(1), 33-50.

Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. P. (1996). Reflective Teaching: An Introduction. Lawrence Erlbaum. Associates Publishers.

Zheng, X., Yin, H., & Li, Z. (2019). Exploring the relationships among instructional leadership, professional learning communities and teacher self-efficacy in China. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 47(6), 843-859.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.12n.3p.44

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

2013-2024 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies  

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.