Reflective language teaching is a comprehensive guide for teachers and teacher educators interested in the role of reflection in second language education. Farrell organizes each section in the following manner: (i) an overview of major research findings, (ii) a case study vignette, (iii) suggestions for and examples of how to apply research and theory in practice, and (iv) a brief teacher scenario. The author includes a series of questions after each subsection meant to encourage readers to reflect on chapter content and their own situation. As indicated in the title, Farrell translates research into practice into this easy to follow, step-by-step instructional book.
Farrell begins with a discussion of what reflective language teaching is and its relevance for second language education. In Ch. 2, he illustrates the process of self-reflection with his personal education and professional career trajectories. Chs. 3and 4 discuss how teacher beliefs, practices, and narratives influence classroom practice and why it is important for teachers and teacher educators to take the time to reflect on how their past experiences have shaped their current beliefs and practices. Ch. 5 talks about the impact of language proficiency on a teacher's ability to teach accurately and effectively. It also offers concrete ways to obtain language support and improve one's second language proficiency. In Ch. 6, Farrell demonstrates how metaphors and maxims are windows into how teachers interpret and perceive their experiences and what teachers’ philosophies are about their roles as educators and about the teaching process. Ch. 7 presents different classroom communication acts, interaction patterns, and participant structures.
The author then describes various research techniques that teachers and teacher educators can utilize for professional development in second language pedagogy. Ch. 8 offers an outline for how to conduct action research in the classroom. Ch. 9 goes into depth on the benefits of teaching journals as a means of reflection and ways in which journals can be used individually and in groups. Ch. 10 focuses on teamwork and describes types of tasks and goals teacher development groups can utilize. Farrell goes on to discuss the role, techniques, and application of classroom observation in Ch. 11. Ch. 12 builds on these research methods by detailing types of critical friendships that teachers can build so that they have a partner to share, reflect, teach, and learn with. Ch. 13 presents the final analytic method of concept mapping as a reflection tool for both teachers and students. In the final chapter, the author provides a framework for using reflective language teaching in professional development. He gives suggestions about how to select form the reflective teaching techniques presented in the book and how to organize a professional development workshop or teacher development group. He concludes by outlining a four-phase workshop he conducted with a group of Korean and Thai EFL instructors.
