Plenary by Tom Farrell

Reflective Practice For Language Teachers

Date: Monday 18 April 2011 [09:00 - 10:10]
Where: Auditorium 2

please check your local time

Reflective practice generally means that language teachers subject their assumptions, beliefs and
teaching practices to a critical analysis so that they can become more aware of their practice. Gaining teaching experience as a language teacher is not enough to provide automatic professional development, for we do not learn much from experience as much as we learn from reflecting on that experience; thus experience combined with systematic reflection can lead to professional growth so that we can become more effective language teachers. This interactive plenary outlines what reflective practice is and how language teachers can do it regardless of their level of teaching experience. I am hoping that this interactive talk will give you a chance to take a reflective break as you begin to explore, examine, challenge and reflect on your assumptions, beliefs and classroom practices.

Thomas S.C. Farrell is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Brock University, Canada.

His professional interests include Reflective Practice, and Language Teacher Education and Development. He has been a language teacher and language teacher educator since 1978 and has worked in Korea, Singapore and Canada.

He is series editor for TESOL’s Language Teacher Research six volume series. His recent books include Reflective Language Teaching: From Research to Practice (2008, Continuum Press); Teaching Reading to English Language Learners: AReflective Approach (2008, Thousand Oaks, Ca: Corwin Press); Talking, Listening and Teaching. A Guide to Classroom Communication (2009, Thousand Oaks, Ca: Corwin Press); Essentials in Language Teaching (2010, London: Continuum Press—with George Jacobs).