A Systemic View on Emotion and eflection in Language Teacher Education Research

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article aims at looking into the inter-relationship among emotions and language in reflective processes fostered by qualitative research in language teacher education. My goal is to advance our understanding of this phenomenon with an assemblage of conceptual tools such as languaging, emotioning, conversation, reflection and orthogonal interactions. Based on Maturana and Davilla’s (2009) Matrix of Human Existence, I put together a conceptual model that may help researchers further understand and foster structured reflective spaces about emotions in language education. I discuss some challenges of our post-modern bio-cultural age and offer the practice of liberating conversation as a means to move forward. I then discuss some studies from the literature of emotions in language teacher education in light of the conceptual framework presented based on Maturana (2001, 2004) and Maturana and Davila (2009). Finally, I draw some implications and highlight the importance of this theme for the present moment.

Keywords

• emotions
• reflection
• biology of knowing
• language teacher education