Proposes a discourse-based approach to analysis of coherence in the teaching philosophies of language instructors. Background is provided by the reflective practice model, which highlights social ontology and personal appropriation of foreign language teaching expertise. An exploratory study confirms the utility of examining conceptual metaphors…

Argues that student teacher portfolios are a viable, effective, appropriate tool for documenting teacher growth and development and for promoting reflective practice. Traces the unique paths of two pre-service foreign language teachers who constructed a professional identity from the historical and cultural conditions of their classroom…

This study investigated the use of dialog journals and peer response to them in a semester-long student teaching practicum. Subjects were nine teachers of English as a Second Language, focusing on the indicators of peer help occurring in the writing and responses and on evidence that peer responses promote reflection. A number of journal excerpts…

Three essays on second-language instruction are presented. One describes a letter exchange between teachers as a means of exploring and understanding classroom and instructional issues; another (in French) describes a teacher's reflective examination of the immersion teaching experience; and a third reports on a classroom study of the…

An instructional module designed to help prepare college-level teaching assistants (TAs) for their duties in second language instruction is presented. The purpose of this module is to assist TAs in integrating what they are learning about teaching methods, language acquisition, and the nature of the profession. There are five parts, each…

A fourth-grade teacher in a Spanish partial immersion program describes her search for and use of Latin American folk tales to enhance the curriculum and student learning. Excerpts from the teacher's journal over a period of a year, and covering the beginnings of two school years, reflect on her experiences and on student comprehension and…

A small-scale study of Fordham University (New York) English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teacher trainees (n=11) investigated the extent to which the teachers, in a practicum, reflected on issues that are the focus of the ESL teacher education program. Specifically, it asked: whether teachers have a thorough understanding of theory and research on…

This study investigated ways in which regular group discussion might promote reflective teaching. Subjects were three experienced teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Korea who came together in weekly meetings to reflect on their work. Two were college teachers, and one taught in a private company. The study examined what the…

A collection of brief articles of reflective teaching focuses on how second language teachers can use reflective practice for their own continuing professional development. The first title in the "Reflections on Practice" series, this collection introduces the concept of the reflective practitioner of language teaching and serves as a foundation…

Interviews with two college faculty in linguistics and two in Spanish over three years probed attitudes about the nature of pedagogical content knowledge of new faculty. In each discipline, a core concept around which knowledge of teaching revolved was found: in linguistics, argumentation; in Spanish, production. It also emerged that direct…

The discussion of reflective techniques for second language teaching is intended for teacher trainees and in-service teachers and focuses on practical applications of the reflective method. Each chapter presents an important dimension of teaching and poses questions for classroom observation, investigation, and critical reflection. The suggested…

Chapters in this volume include the following: "Innovations in TESOL Teacher Education: A Quiet Revolution" (Karen E. Johnson); "Building Bridges among University, School, and Community" (Donald F. Hones); "Sustainable Strategies for Professional Development in Education Reform" (Nancy Clair, Carolyn Temple Adger); "Developing Professionals:…

This new book supports the professional development and training of Modern Languages teachers in higher education. It links insights from pedagogical and applied linguistic research to the practicalities of the undergraduate language syllabus. The aim is to interpret research for the classroom practitioner so that teaching can be based on sound…