An insight into reflective teaching levels of Vietnamese EFL teachers in a premier language center

Abstract

AbstractThe purpose of this inquiry was to examine the degrees of reflective teaching (RT) amongst English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers working at a private language center in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, and to provide suggestions for its successful implementation. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating a quantitative survey and a qualitative interview. The results evinced that although the majority of participants perceived themselves as being involved in RT practices, their self-reported levels did not consistently correlate with their actual practices. Most teachers were categorized as contextual levels, with only a minor number attaining the dialectical level. In the meantime, a few teachers were classified under the technical level. Demographic information had an insignificant impact. The results imply that supplementary professional development (PD) opportunities could be advantageous for EFL teachers in the area to enhance their RT skills. Despite being conducted in a solitary English language center, the findings of this study may have far-reaching implications for EFL teachers in other developing nations.

Keywords

• reflective teaching levels
• Vietnamese EFL teachers
• a premier language center