LINKING INSTRUCTION AND REFLECTION

 Reflection results in “critical consciousness” in which learners become actors, not observers, and authors of their own decisions. (Freire, 2005). 

There has been a principal paradigm shift in language teaching that involves a significant move from the traditional teacher-centered classroom toward more student-centered practices. This move has implications for teaching as a stronger importance is being placed on learner reflections and autonomy. Reflection has been described as the second part of the learning equation. The first part is the learning experience. It could be any learning experience such as discussing a topic, presenting a report, constructing a model, or conducting an experiment. The reflection is thinking about the experience so that it becomes new knowledge.

THE EQUATION CAN BE WRITTEN AS ACTION + REFLECTION = LEARNING.

AS SHOWN in the learning equation, students learn by doing, constructing, building, talking, and writing - the action of learning. They also have to think about events, activities, and experiences - reflection of learning. In most classrooms, the students do the first part of the equation, but time is not provided for the second part, reflection. Both experience and reflection are needed to produce new knowledge. Effective learners often are parallel processing, that is reflecting upon activities even as they are doing or experiencing new activities. Students may not even realize they are learning something new until they stop to reflect. For example, they may be so engaged in an experiment that they do not think of it as learning. PROVIDING TIME for them to reflect on the experiment allows them to use higher-order thinking skills such as critical analysis, problem-solving, synthesis, evaluation, identifying patterns, and creating meaning.

The most effective learning environment provides time for action and reflection. Teachers may find this difficult because of the pressure to cover the curriculum and prepare students for exams. They plan the action part for the time available, but they do not allow time for the reflection component. Therefore, activities often end without providing formal or informal ways for students to think about and discuss what they have learned. This prevents the process of making meaning from experiences and true learning is lost. It is important that just as teachers learn from teaching the subject, students have the opportunity to benefit from both action and reflection. As learners, students are constantly revising their knowledge and beliefs to create a new framework of understanding. Reflection is the power that drives the process. Through reflection, students build upon and develop existing understandings to generate new knowledge. An additional benefit of reflections is the ability to diagnose student learning. Teachers can learn about any misunderstandings, missing knowledge, or lack of connections in their learning when they listen to or read their reflections. It is an important source of information for adjusting or adding activities to strengthen learning. 

REFLECTION THEN BECOMES AN INFORMAL METHOD OF ASSESSMENT