28 and success of learning the language should be both maintained and encouraged in
order to keep their curiosity in learning the language.
5. Reflective Thinking
Reflection in the process of teaching and learning is believed to bring improvement. It refers to a conscious process of thinking with its statements and
judgments that are supported by explanations and facts to support the opinion Lipman, 2003. In the context of teaching and learning, it can be interpreted that
teacher-student relationship should not be only one way communication but two ways. It means that communication is not about teacher explains to the students
and they listen. It is more about the connection between the two which should be real. Both parties should be able to express their actual feelings through language,
feeling and action so that both can understand each other better. When both have deeper understanding about what each is doing and feeling, learning will be more
effectively conducted. The teacher as the one with the highest authority in class can use the students‘ reflection in order to make changes and improvements.
Freire ―hypothesized the dialectical nature of learning, in which we learn by engaging in reflection and action upon the
world in order to transform it‖ Freire,
1974:36 as in Grinnell, 2003: 7.
In order to practice doing reflective thinking, there are a four-stage learning cycle consisting both experience and action Kolb, 1984 as in Grinnell,
200l3: 7-9. The following are the four steps:
29
1. Concrete experience in which learners begin the learning process by
experiencing some activity or event that has the potential to add to or change the knowledge or skills of the learner.
2. Reflective observation in which the learner must review the experience and
understand its value. It allows the learner to extract the salient features cognitive and emotional of the experience.
3. Abstract conceptualization in which the learner is encouraged to connect the
new experience to past knowledge and to generalize the salient features of the experience into enduring concepts or rules.
4. Active experimentation in which the learner plans to translate this new
knowledge into action.
The four steps refer to the learners‘ experiences to improve their knowledge and to understand the value and its relationship with their previous
knowledge. The practices to conduct, relate, and reflect the experiences assist the learners to think more critically as the active participants in learning. ―It is
generally accepted that the practice of reflection is deeply rooted in critical thinking and is connect
ed to external realities, enfolded with the practitioner‘s inner feelings.‖ Kabilan, 2007: 683.
Reflection can be conducted in various ways. One of the effective ways is through reflective journal writing. It provides opportunities for students both the
active and passive ones to express themselves through writing. It can also be a way for those who do not get used to convey their feelings in spoken. There are
some advantages of doing reflective journal writing Cisero, 2006: 232:
Writing allows students to contextualize the new information they are acquiring Elbow, 1993, allowing them to make sense of what they are learning rather than
merely memorizing. Students are able to ask questions, admit confusion, make connections, and grow
ideologically Good and Whang 1999 Students may begin to see learning as a never-ending journey that does not
necessarily stop outside of the classroom or after they have graduated.
30 It can be concluded that through journal writing, students are able to not
only recall their memories about the lesson but also to honestly express what they are actually feeling about what they have done.
The success of using reflection to improve the quality of education has been supported by some studies specifically in the field of education. Kabilan in
his study with 18 students in the bachelor of education TESOL degree program found that ―reflecting on reflections actually strengthens the students‘ positive
feelings and attitudes toward improving their teaching and learning‖ Kabilan, 2007: 695. Cisero in his study with students of an undergraduate educational
psychology found that reflective journal writing help students especially those who are not high achievers acquire the skills of self-reflection or press them to
put more effort into learning‖ Cisero, 2006: 2. In short, reflection improves both
students‘ academic enhancement and their positive attitudes in their learning process.
6. Empowerment
