Iranian EFL teachers’ reflective practices and learners’ evaluation of teachers’ effectiveness: Exploring possible relationships

Abstract

Although reflective teaching is believed to be a significant feature of effective teachers, there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate its influence on learners’ evaluation. This study examines the relationship between EFL teachers' degree of reflection and learners’ evaluation of teacher effectiveness. Data were collected from 71 Iranian EFL teachers teaching at the private language institutes and 296 language learners. Reflective teaching inventory designed by Akbari, Behzadpour, and Dadvand (2007) was administered to the teachers and their learners’ evaluation was elicited through Murdoch’s (2000) checklist. The statistical analysis revealed significant positive relationships between reflection subscales and learners’ evaluation. It was thus assumed that understanding how reflection can change language learners’ evaluations can shed light on the role of reflection in improving teachers' performance and consequently learners’ appraisal. Hence, 10 teachers with the highest degree of reflection participated in follow-up interviews. Analysis of the interview data, indicated how reflection subscales contribute to teachers' in getting higher ratings from learners. In line with these findings, the implications for teachers, administrators and teacher education are discussed.