EFL TEACHERS' REFLECTIVE PRACTICE: A TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Authors

  • Suci Maharani Universitas Negeri Jakarta

Keywords:

reflective practice, teaching philosophy, EFL teachers

Abstract

Exploring teachers' teaching philosophy reveals the underlying thoughts and perspectives guiding their decisions in the classroom. However, there appears to be a lack of research on the teaching philosophy of experienced English teachers, particularly in Indonesia. As a result, this study seeks to investigate how experienced English teachers contemplate their teaching philosophy. Three experienced English teachers were purposively selected as participants for this study. The research design for this qualitative study involved using a case study approach. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and teachers' journals and subsequently analysed thematically. The study's results showed that eight main themes were identified in the gathered data. These themes included the significance of English instruction in formal education, external influences on students' lives, perceptions of what makes a good teacher, the experience of being an English teacher, the difficulties of teaching English, handling challenges that arise during English instruction, adapting teaching methods, and critical incidents in teachers' careers. In summary, the results of this research indicated that the teachers demonstrated awareness and attentiveness to their teaching philosophy as a result of engaging in thorough reflection. Future studies could explore additional elements of a comprehensive reflective practice that encompass teachers' principles of teaching practice, theory, practice, and aspects beyond practice.

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Published

2025-07-01
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