Promoting teacher reflection: what is said to be done

Abstract

The present article’s aim is to evaluate studies that promote teacher reflection. Through programmes of professional development, teachers are being encouraged to improve their reflective practice. This paper explores the grounding of what is advocated as reflective teaching and looks at possible differences between what is evidenced in research and what is promoted in practice. For this purpose, the content of a collection of texts published in teacher journals was analysed. The texts disseminated reflections on action to teachers. An analytical framework was used to evaluate the professional development proposals for teachers’ reflective practice. The findings indicated there was a lack of agreement about how to conduct reflection, as well as a wide variety of types of reflection. Many proposals lacked empirical and theoretical support. A strong trend was noted towards prescription, despite the fact that little justification was provided for the advice. This led us to conclude that teachers are provided with only limited information on how to improve their reflective practice, which may hamper its use.

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