
You are here: Home > Critical reflection on teaching > Levels of reflection	Search:

Levels of reflection

In a sense, we reflect constantly as we teach, responding to ongoing situations in the classroom as they arise. This is sometimes called reflection-in-action.

Reflection-in-action usually happens very fast, perhaps even intuitively. It can be transient and quickly forgotten. It is only after a teaching event that there is time for in-depth reflection. This is sometimes called reflection-on-action.

When the process of reflection-on-action is rigorous, systematic and ongoing, teachers are acting as reflective practitioners.

The chart below differentiates levels at which reflection can take place, from the fleeting and transient to the in-depth, ongoing critical examination of teaching.

Rapid reflection	Immediate and automatic	Ongoing decision-making while teaching, happens very fast, almost constantly, often privately.
Repair	Thoughtful	Teacher makes a decision to alter behaviour in response to cues from students.
Review	Less formal At a particular point in time	Teacher thinks about, writes about or discusses some element of teaching or students’ learning; often interpersonal and collegial.
Research	More systematic Over a period of time	Thinking and observation become more sharply focussed around particular issues; involves collecting data over time. Eg Action research, exploratory practice, teaching journals.
Retheorizing and Reformulating	Long term Informed by public academic theories	More abstract and more rigorous; teachers critically examine their practical theories, and consider these in the light of academic theories.

Adapted from Zeichner and Liston 1996: 47, cited in Bailey, K. A. Curtis and D. Nunan 2001 Pursuing Professional Development: the self as source Heinle and Heinle (Thomson Learning) 41 – 42.

Site Credits

Resources