LEVELS OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE PRE-SERVICE

TEACHERS IN THAILAND CLASSROOM

A Paper
Submitted to the English Education Program
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
Universitas Ibn Khaldun Bogor
As a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Sarjana Degree

By:
Nurul Mahabbah
201102011091

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITAS IBN KHALDUN BOGOR
2023
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In order to analyze, interpret, and evaluate their experiences in order to

improve the quality of their future teaching, teachers use reflective practice, which

is typically viewed as a cyclical and systematic form of inquiry (Suphasri &

Chinokul, 2021). Reflective and teacher who are reflective experts are considered

important professional attributes in teacher education globally. However, teacher

training programs are still a concern in developing countries in terms of the nature

and development of effective reflection (Ngololo & Kanandjebo, 2021)

This practice is concerned with improving the abilities and competences

necessary for the development of specialized task performance abilities as well as

more general abilities. Teachers' ability to complete tasks and adapt their

knowledge and abilities to new tasks is influenced by the skills and competencies

they acquire through training programs (Chapman, 2012). Pre-service teachers'

(hereafter PST) have the chance to enhance classroom procedures, assessment

methods, lesson planning, and all other aspects of the teaching and learning

process by reflecting on their teaching and learning activities. Thus, the

knowledge, abilities, and skills of pre-service teachers' will be valuable to them in

the future (Mathew, Mathew, & Peechattu, 2017)

PSTs are student teachers who do not yet have teaching qualifications and

are taking teacher education to become an educator. In the process of becoming a

professional teacher, prospective teachers must be equipped with a set of

knowledge, skills, and adequate behavior in carrying out professional duties. To

support the professionalism of teachers, prospective teachers are equipped through

the teaching practice program. This is where teaching practice is a teacher

education program it aims to offer PSTs the chance to put their academic

knowledge to use in real-world classroom settings.

It is a clear expectation in teacher education that pre-service teachers’ would

engage in activities during their studies that enable reflection, both as a process

and as a result. Teachers need to reflect on their own teaching practice. Reflective

teaching encourages the growth and preservation of professional knowledge. The

definition of reflection, in accordance with Dewey (1933), is the process of

actively, persistently, and carefully considering any belief or supposed form of

knowledge in light of the premises that support it and the further conclusions to

which it tends. Another definition by Mcnerney & Mcnerney (2007) reflection is

the process of thinking about what student teachers have done and how they need

to improve.

One of the university's agenda that has service mission is the pre-service

teaching practice program, providing opportunities for pre-service English

teachers to go abroad located in Southern Thailand. They are prepared as

professionally as possible to become qualified teachers and are able to apply their

knowledge of English language teaching and learning in the classroom. They get a

long time to develop their training during classroom teaching practice.

With regard to reflection, reflection practices have become a focus of

research with much empirical evidence conducted in the context of pre-service

teachers in Indonesia. Meanwhile, there is still a dearth of research that identifies

the level of teacher reflection. However, it should be noted that investigating the

level of teacher reflection is important because the level of reflection can be a

consideration of a teacher's professionalism and quality.

Due to the importance of knowing the level of reflection, it is clear that

every teacher should have the ability to reflect on their own teaching first.

Unfortunately, many teachers still neglect this process because they are not

familiar with the practice (Kim, 2018). Therefore, the main step is to familiarize

pre-service teachers with self-reflection and then identify the levels of self-

reflection.

This previous study has been conducted by some researchers. those have a

relation with this research, in this case, related to reflection teachers in teaching

and learning. Which are:

1. Nuraeni (2021) conducted a similar study that explores the strategies of

reflective practice used by pre-service English teachers during their

teaching practicum to promote professional development. The result

pointed that three strategies of reflective practice were identified:

recollection, reflection-in-action, and mentoring process.

2. Nurfaidah, Lengkanawat, & Sukyadi (2017) conducted a case study on

pre-service teachers' levels of reflection. The article examined the

development of reflection levels in four pre-service EFL teachers in

Indonesia. The results obtained from the data analysis, the average level of

the four Indonesian pre-service EFL teachers obtained dialogic reflection

level 3 and dialogic reflection level 4.

 This study focuses on the reflective levels of pre-service English teachers in

classroom teaching and the authors of this study continue the research on pre-

service teacher's reflection from previous research (Nurfaidah, Lengkanawat, &

Sukyadi, 2017) by exploring the reflective levels of pre-service teachers during

the teaching program in Thailand.

This study presents the level of reflection of pre-service teachers, where the

data is taken from the reflection practices of pre-service teachers during the

teaching program in Thailand. When pre-service teachers complete their activities

in the classroom, pre-service teachers can reflect as an initial form of improving

their teaching in the classroom. Then the researcher analyzed the writing of the

pre-service teachers' reflection practices to find out the results of the pre-service

teachers' reflection levels.

1.2 Scope of the Study

It is important to limit the problems of this research to make it stay focused

and have clear aims. In this study, to explored levels of reflection of pre-service

teachers in teaching program. The researcher focuses on English teaching

practical in private school in Songkhla, Thailand.

1.3 Research Question

Based on the background of this research, the research questions to be

addressed are:

1. What are the issues raised by pre-service teachers in their reflective

practice?

2. What is the level of reflection of pre-service teachers during their

teaching practice program?

1.4 Purposes of the Study

Considering the questions above, the aims that are expected to achieve from

this research are mentioned below:

1. To investigate the issues in pre-service teachers' reflection during their

teaching practice program.

2. To investigate the level of reflection of pre-service teachers during their

teaching practice program.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The result of research can be used for reference for those who want to

conduct research in a case study of the reflective practice of pre-service teachers’

in TEFL classrooms through the teaching practice program in Thailand.

1.5.1 Theoretically

Theoretical significance deals with how your theory will gain new

understanding when applied to your study.

1.5.2 Practically

1. Pre-service Teachers

This research provides teacher self-reflection that can be useful for pre-

service English teachers to improve professionally as teachers by

reflecting during classroom teaching.

1.6 Definitions of Terminology

1. Pre-service Teacher

A student accepted into an accredited university or college teacher

preparation program to become a teacher. (Sunderman, 2015)

2. Reflection

Active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed

form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the

further conclusions to which it tends. (Dewey, 1933)

1.7 Organization of the Paper

This paper consists of three chapters. Chapter I is the introduction which

explains background of the study, scope of the study, research questions, purposes

of the study, significance of the study, definitions of terms, organization of the

paper. Chapter II is the literature review. This part explains reflective practice,

levels of reflective practice, and levels of reflective practice pre-service teacher in

EFL classroom Thailand. Chapter III is the research methodology. This part

includes research design, research site, and participants, data procedure of

collection, and procedure of data analysis.

 CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Reflective Practice

It is a clear expectation in teacher education that pre-service teachers’

would engage in activities during their studies that enable reflection, both as a

process and as a result. Teachers need to reflect on their own teaching practice.

Reflective teaching encourages the growth and preservation of professional

knowledge. The definition of reflection, in accordance with Dewey (1933), is the

process of actively, persistently, and carefully considering any belief or supposed

form of knowledge in light of the premises that support it and the further

conclusions to which it tends.

Nuraeni (2021) conducted research “reflective practice strategies of pre-

service English teachers during teaching practicum to promote professional

development”. they founded All pre-service teachers are given opportunities to do

the reflective practice of practice by exploring various various ways to ask

questions and decide the problems they experienced in their classroom teaching.

They learn to reflect or evaluate their beliefs and practice and also learn how to

construct and reconstruct their personal theories of language teaching and

learning. Kim (2018) exploring the study "pre-service teachers' reflective journal

writing on practicum: focus on reflection and perceptions". He revealed several

important findings: first, open journals reffering to a list of guiding questions can

help pre-service teachers' reflection. Open journals can help pre-service teachers
to promote the reflection practice. Second, the pre-service can reduce the anxiety

pertaining to writing. Third, practicum-related vocabulary sessions prior to the

practicum can help pre-service teachers discuss teaching events in their journal.

Setyaningrahayu, et. al studied (2019) “the use of video-based reflection to

facilitate pre-service English teachers' self-reflection”. Pre-services can evaluate

themselves objectively, effectively and efficiently because they use video as a

reflection medium. As mentioned by Wallace (1998) to reflect critically is

important because students will be able to build up their professional identity. By

doing in-depth reflection through the students' teaching experience, they will have

the opportunity to develop their professional identities. Sabgini & Khoiriyah

(2020) studied “the pre-service teachers' reflection in English for young learners

teaching practice”. Reflection is a great extent and a lot of improvement in the

teaching practice of the pre-service teacher. Thus, reflection should be trained,

taught, implemented in every aspect of teaching and learning process specifically

for the pre-service teacher. In fact, the pre-service teachers develop their

competencies greatly through reflection. It can be concluded that the practice of

self-reflection can improve the teacher's ability to think critically, increase the

capacity of individual teachers in developing self-knowledge, and develop

professionalism in teaching.

2.2 Level of reflection

There are different levels of reflection that occur in self-reflection. Due to

the different definitions, analyzing a level of reflection requires a framework that

has been developed by reflection researchers (e.g. Hatton & Smith, 1955;

Zwozdiak-Myers, 2018; Korthagen, 2011, as cited in Syslova, 2015). For

example, the levels of reflection framework developed by Van Manen (1977). He

is believed to be the first researcher to develop levels of reflection (Moon, 2006).

There are three categories of van manen's 1977 levels of reflection namely, 1)

technical rationality, which contains context free generalizations about teaching

and learning which are not connected to any specific incident from the classroom

experience but rather about teaching or classroom in general. 2) practical

rationality, which contains context specific reflection, about teaching and learning

based on the example of classroom experience, incidents, and specific student's

actions. And 3) critical rationality, which contains multi-contextual covering

specific incidents or actions across other teaching contexts.

A framework of different levels of reflection was presented by Zwozdiak-

Myers (2009). The categories are divided into three, including 1) technical or

practical; 2) contextual, deliberative, or conceptual; and 3) critical, dialectical, or

transformative.

Hatton & Smith (1955) mentioned Van Manen's three levels in relation to

the substantive purpose or the main focal point of reflection. From Van Manen

(1977), Hatton & Smith (1955) developed levels of teacher education reflection

based on data and theory that characterize reflection phenomenon research. Hatton

& Smith's levels of reflection are also what the authors of this study will use as a

framework for analyzing the collection data. They categorized four levels of

reflection to identify reflection writing. The four levels of reflection are

descriptive writing, descriptive reflection, dialogic reflection, and critical

reflection.
 Descriptive writing or called as non-reflection means the writing is not

considered as reflective when it only reports literature or describe events that

occurred in the classroom. The teachers/student teacher give no attempt to justify

the events. In other word, reasons for what happened are not provided. This type

of writing, however, is commonly found in the pre-service teachers’ teaching

journals. It usually becomes the point of departure for the pre-service teachers

before they come into more descriptive reflection or dialogic reflection.

Descriptive reflection means it is reflective in nature, as there not only a

description of events but there are some attemps in the writing to provide reason

or justification for events or actions but in a reportive or descriptive way. In this

present study, this level was modified as regard the participants’ data.

Dialogic reflection means the reflection demonstrates a “stepping back from

the events or actions leading to a different level of mulling about, discourse with

self and exploring the experience, events and actions using qualities of judgment

and possible alternative for explaining and hypothesizing”. The stage starts from

description, analysis, evaluation, alternative, generalization to metacognition as

repeating phases of reflection.

The highest level, Critical reflection means reflection demonstrates

awareness that actions and events are not only located in, and explicable by,

reference to multiple perspectives but are located in, and influenced by, multiple

historical, and sociopolitical context.

2.3.1 Level of reflection pre-service teachers in Thailand context

One of the important goals in the field of teacher education is reflection.

The emergence of documentation on practical reflection research is large enough

to understand how the procedure of reflecting on practice. However, to develop

the ability of pre-service teachers more deeply, further understanding of the levels

of reflection must be done.

Doing reflection practice really takes time, as Gelfuso (2016) in the research

of pre-service levels of reflection by Nurfaidah, Lengkanawat, & Sukyadi (2017)

it takes time, knowledge, and experience to develop their understanding in

teaching. In their research, Nurfaidah, Lengkanawat, & Sukyadi (2017) found

descriptive writing from the journal enrty obtained. Hatton & Smith (1955) noted

that pre-service teachers usually begin their reflections by describing events that

have occurred early in their participation in teaching practice. Although at first

descriptive writing occurs a lot in practice, Nurfaidah, Lengkanawat, & Sukyadi

(2017) revealed from the results of the four teachers' reflection practice using

Hatton & Smith's reflection level analysis data, the participants were in the

dialogic reflection range. In the sense that pre-service teachers can show their

ability to evaluate their activities during teaching covering aspects such as

assessment, analysis, and self-evaluation.

One of the important things in improving teacher professionalism that has

been discussed by researchers and practitioners is the practice of reflection.

Reflection practices are important for building teacher professionalism in

enhancing a teacher's need to look at the quality of themselves and their classroom
teaching skills (Widodo & Ferdiansyah, 2018; Marlina, 2020). In the Thai

context, research on pre-service teachers' reflection practices and their levels is

very limited (Swatevacharkul, 2019). Research conducted by Marlina (2020) on

one of the student teachers in Thailand. She used Retno's journal reflection

writing as her research data collection. Marlina (2020) found three teaching

strategies from participant reflection journal writing including reflection on

teaching strategies, reflection on classroom management and reflection on the

social-cultural dimension. The reflective practice she had conducted has

contributed to her pre-service ability, because it is to implement appropriate

teaching strategies due to students' needs and characteristics, eliminate classroom

management issues and also develop her awareness of cultural differences.

In a research conducted by Swatevacharkul (2019) summarize the important

point of do the reflective practice. Reflective on teaching performance is effective

to develop reflective thinking ability and improve the quality of the students’

reflection and it provides the opportunities for revision of the past teaching

experiences for improved teaching and develop thinking and writing skills leading

better teaching performance.

 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

Qualitative’ research is not defined by a particular set of research methods

or techniques. It focuses on questions that examine the relationships between

information about people’s actions and phenomena, and the settings in which they

do these things (Crocker, 2009). A qualitative research approach that conducted in

this research is case study. Yin (2003), state a case study is "an empirical

investigation that examines a recent event inside its real-life context, especially

when the limits and contexts are not readily visible". According to Bromley

(1990), it is a “systematic inquiry into an event or a set of related events which

aims to describe and explain the phenomenon of interest”.

3.2 Research Setting and Participants

This research was conducted in several private secondary schools in

Thailand. The schools were schools that took Indonesian students to do KKN by

teaching several subjects, one of which was English. The participants of this study

were 5 Indonesian students who were doing KKN in several Thai schools. These 5

students were chosen because they were the ones who got the part of teaching

English subjects in the school and were students majoring in education, so that

this research would help their professional development in teaching.

3.3 Data Collection

The researcher uses two kinds of data collection techniques of case

study as qualitative study which are reflective teaching journal and structured
interviews.
3.3.1 Reflective teaching Journal
Reflective writing is used here to refer to strategies which require teachers

to express in written form their thoughts, beliefs and attitudes, typically in relation

to particular topics or experiences (Borg, 2006). As a main tool of data collection,

Kolb (1984) recognized that reflection was a necessary part of engaging the

learner, thus suggesting that reflective journaling can produce meaningful or

purposive learning. Others (Boud, 2001; Brookfield, 1998; Goldsmith, 1996;

Moon, 1999) identified reflective journaling as an especially successful strategy

for encouraging the adult learner to acquire and practice reflective skills and to

develop introspective abilities.

1. Structured Interview

One of the typical data collection tools of qualitative research is the

interview. Keith Richards (2009) illustrates interviews as a way to explore

people's experiences and worldviews and the meanings they believe in. Through

interviews, researchers ask questions to get specific or more open-ended

information and produce richer information. Researchers and participants are

required to build interactions in conducting interviews, therefore meeting and

bonding between researchers and participants is one of the challenges in

conducting interviews. Interviews can be described as 'conversation with a

purpose' (Burgess, 1984) or 'professional conversation' (Kvale, 1996) and have

been described as 'the gold standard of qualitative research' (Silverman, 2000).

structured interviews are the most controlled form of data collection. in this type

of interview, specific information is obtained in a way that allows as little

variation as possible. Structured interviews are often also called oral

questionnaires.
3.4 Data Analysis

After the researchers collected data with reflective teaching journal and

interviews. Furthermore, the collected data will be analyzed for data distribution

and to answer research questions. Miles and Huberman (1992) describe that there

are four process lines in qualitative research data analysis, they are (1)

understanding the meaning of data analysis, (2) analysis when collecting data; (3)

data reduction; (4) data presentation; (5) drawing conclusions and verification.

3.4.1 Reflective Teaching Journal

Analyze the results of reflective teaching journal data collection framed by

the levels of reflection by Hatton & Smith (1995) using thematic analysis.

Thematic analysis involves creating a systematic record of coding and themes

used in the journal. Halliday and Mathiessen's (2014) functional grammar was

used for text analysis, specifically in identifying logico-semantic relations within

each sentence. The logico-semantic relation was used to determine reflective

thought units (RTUs) within each journal entry.

3.4.2 Structured Interview

The results of the structured interviews were evaluated using a qualitative

approach. The interview is a correct transcription, and the findings are also

translated into English. To answer the research questions, the researcher

combined the information obtained from interviews. Then, the researcher

summarizes the results of interview, condenses the data, classifies important data,

looks for important information related to the research objectives, and draws

conclusions based on the results.