Reflective practice has become an increasingly essential skill among English language teachers. Recent studies have indicated that reflective practice actively and systematically engage teachers in examining and improving their teaching assumptions, expectations, actions, and decisions. As a result, reflective practice helps teachers transition from being curriculum transmitters to being autonomous decision makers who continually learn and reconstruct their teaching experiences through reflection (Widodo & Ferdiansyah, 2018; Crandall & Christison, 2016; Larrivee, 2008). This paper presents a case study of the instructional practices and reflections of a novice English as a second language (ESL) teacher in a Philippine university who implemented the whole brain teaching method in reading and writing classes during his first year of teaching. Anchored on Farrell’s (2015) framework for reflecting on practice that encompasses five levels (philosophy, principles, theory, practice, and beyond practice), the teacher’s reflections were qualitatively coded and analyzed using data from teacher logs, peer observation records, semi-structured interviews, lesson study reviews, and teaching portfolio. The results revealed recurring themes of (1) establishing morality, (2) welcoming diversity, (3) fostering curiosity, (4) inspiring creativity, (5) negotiating authority, (6) sharing accountability, and (7) constructing global-local identity, which significantly influenced the personal and professional decisions and actions of the novice teacher. Thus, implications for adopting a holistic approach for reflective practice in the pre-service and in-service ESL teacher programs were discussed.

Authors:
Randy Magdaluyo, University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah, Oman
Claire Orpilla, University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah, Oman
Leah Alconis, University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah, Oman

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Randy Magdaluyo is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah in Oman

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