D BING 1107160 Chapter4
90
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Chapter III has provided elaboration on how this study was approached, the
theoretical frameworks were deployed, and data were gathered and analyzed.
Although data for this study were collected from four sources: journal entries,
videotaped PSTs‘ teachings, stimulated recalls, and interviews, the presentation of
findings in this chapter is based on journal entries and transcripts of stimulated
recall as the primary sources of data. Meanwhile, the PSTs‘ videotaped teachings
were used as the information for further elaboration in stimulated recall protocols,
and transcripts of interviews were used to enrinch the PSTs‘ profile relative to
their reflections on their teaching practices.
This section, therefore, focuses on the presentation and discussion of the
findings based on each PST‘s case, as also called within-case analysis, followed
by cross-case analysis through the presentation of similarities and differences
found among the participants. The flow of findings will be discussed from the
elements of reflection, the level of reflection, and the issues/concerns in the EFL
PSTs‘ reflections regarding their reflective practice during the field teaching
program. A summary of findings is also presented at the end of the chapter.
4.1 Findings
4.1.1 Elements of Reflection
In terms of elements of reflection, the findings of this study indicated that the
participants‘ reflections demonstrated the reflective phases or reflection elements
as proposed by Dewey (1933) and Loughran (1996). All elements of reflection in
the first reflective phase, as argued by Loughran (1996), i.e. suggestions, problem,
and hypothesis, were identified in all participants‘ data. The second reflective
phase, i.e. reasoning and testing, also emerged in the participants‘ data.
The participants‘ data from reflective teaching journals and interviews yielded
with the first reflective phase. It was clear that the PSTs did not apply all phases
of elements in every situation. The variation and the number of phases employed
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
91
over time probably, as Loughran (1996) suggests, indicate the development of an
individual‘s reflective processes.
From both data, teaching journals and interviews during stimulated protocol
session, only few of the cycles reached to testing the hypothesis. It is probably
closely related to the PSTs‘ limited experience and knowledge on teaching world
so that commonly they have suggestions in mind, or problems to be solved and
come with the hypothesis and/or reasoning but could not figure out what to do in
the future time. Also there is not much they could say in their reflections due to
their limited exposure to the real teaching experience.
In the following section, the presentation of the findings with regard to
elements of reflection will be divided into two parts. First, the result of analysis
will be presented on individual-based case, or also known as within-case analysis.
In so doing, each participant‘s uniqueness will be explored and each PST‘s
progress in developing reflective process will be covered. Second, each of PST‘s
data will be compared and contrasted in cross-case analysis section in order to see
the significant similarities and differences in their elements of reflection.
4.1.1.1 Within-case Analysis
In this section, the results of analysis will be presented on individual-based
case in order to explore each PST‘s uniqueness and to cover each participant‘s
progress in their reflectivity.
4.1.1.1.1 PST 1
During the field teaching program, PST 1 was assigned to teach at the senior
high school. In terms of yielded data, PST 1 submitted the most reflective
teaching entries among the other participants. She emailed the researcher her
journal entries on weekly basis. Until the end of the field teaching program, she
submitted total eight teaching journals. The first entry was her reflection about the
commencement of the program in the host school, and the last entry was her
reflection on the end of the program. The rest of the entries were her reflections
on her real teaching experience in the classroom she was assigned to teach.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
92
In PST 1‘s data, all elements of reflection were identified indicating the
development of her reflection process. Overall, as illustrated by Figure 4.1, PST
1‘s overview of elements of reflection found in her journal entries reflects her
process of reflection which took place during the field teaching program. The
most frequent occurring element was suggestions, yielding with total fifteen
occurrences in all of her teaching journal entries. Yielding with total eight
occurrences, reasoning was placed the second and the rest, problem, hypothesis
and testing, were revealed equally, each yielded with total seven occurrences, in
her reflection process as detected in her teaching entries. In addition, during the
stimulated recall protocol, all elements of reflection emerged throughout the
process of digging into PST 1‘s reflections of her teaching. The reflective phase of
PST 1‘s reflection process is recapitulated in Table 4.1. Henceforth, Entry #1 and
the like represent reflective teaching journal entries submitted by the PSTs in
which they reflected their field teaching experiences pertinent to each PST‘s
concerns, while SR represents the PSTs‘ reflections during the stimulated recall
sessions.
Table 4.1 Recap of PST 1’s elements of reflection in reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Occurrence in
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
Entry #7
Entry #8
Total in RTJ
Total in SR
TOTAL
Suggestions
1
1
1
3
2
4
2
1
15
3
18
Problem
1
2
2
1
1
7
4
11
PST 1
Hypothesis
1
2
2
2
7
1
8
Reasoning
1
1
2
2
1
1
8
4
12
Testing
2
2
3
7
3
10
Overall, total occurrences of PST 1‘s reflective phases as indicated from her
reflective teaching journal entries and stimulated recall session, as illustrated in
Table 4.1, yielded with suggestions as the most frequent occurring element,
followed by reasoning, problem, and testing as the second, third and fourth
occurrences respectively. The least frequent element emerged in her data was
hypothesis.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
93
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Suggestions
Problem
Hypothesis
Reasoning
Testing
Figure 4.1 PST 1’s trend of elements of reflection in reflective teaching journal entries and
stimulated recall session
As Figure 4.1 illustrates the trend from PST 1‘s data, in journal Entry #1 and
#2, PST 1 showed typical development of reflection of a novice teacher as she
only focused on exploring some suggestions, such as comparing the theory about
teaching she got and the real practice she found during her observation week at
the host school, and the problems she faced, such as her fear that the students
might not want to accept her teaching delivery. The following entries, however, as
indicated in journal Entry #3, #4, #5, and #6, revealed further development in her
reflection process as she involved all of the elements of reflection. In the last two
entries, as shown in journal Entry #7 and #8, suggestions and reasoning were the
only elements explored while the other three were absent. In her case, the absence
of problem, hypothesis, and testing does not mean her reflection process ceased to
develop. Instead, she indicated another further development in reflectivity as she
came with more elaborative justification for the suggestions that crossed her
minds.
The following is presentation of selected extracts of findings in PST 1‘s
reflective teaching journals and transcripts of interview during stimulated recall
protocol session.
4.1.1.1.1.1 Suggestions
Suggestions, as also mentioned in Chapter II, Section 2.3.1, as part of the
phases in reflective cycle, take place in the teaching and learning process when
situations occur which cause the teacher to stop and think, and his/her mind
begins to ponder with two or more ideas, considers and reconsiders options for
appropriate action, or even structures and restructures classroom activities
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
94
(Dewey, 1933; Loughran, 1996). In all PST 1‘s entries of teaching journals and
during stimulated recall session, suggestions were never absent in her reflective
cycle process. Besides problem, this phase most of the time became PST 1‘s point
of departure in her reflection.
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Figure 4.2 Frequency of suggestions’ occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.2 demonstrates overall frequency of PST 1‘s suggestions throughout
her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated recall interview.
It indicates a trend towards the development of reflective process in PST 1‘s
teaching practice during the field teaching program. As the program went on, the
use of suggestions became more explored and realized by PST 1.
In the following vignette, PST 1 believed that her teaching and learning
process was already right on the track, as she experienced in her Microteaching
class, only that when she evaluated the teaching media she used, a suggestion
occurred to her that more efforts need to be done in preparing interesting teaching
media, which she believed will eventually attract the students‘ attention.
―I think that my teaching philosophy agrees with what I experienced in Microteaching class. The
thing to be changed is that I should be more creative with my teaching media so that the students
will be more interested in my classroom.‖ (S#6_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
Such efforts to make the students more engaged in her classroom were also
confirmed during the stimulated protocol as PST 1 conveyed that in preparation
for exercising speaking, she provided many teaching resources, for example, more
models and samples of dialogues in order to help the students exercise their
pronunciation as revealed in the following extract of transcript:
―So I took other dialogues and had them exercise their dialogues in pairs. That way could help their
pronunciation be more natural. So, yeah, at first I gave them more models and exercises in
dialogue.‖ (S#3_SR-PST1)
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
95
4.1.1.1.1.2 Problem
In a reflective cycle, as mentioned in Chapter II, Section 2.3.2, problem in a
teaching and learning process accounts for the perplexing and/or worrisome
situation which prevents the teacher to further his/her activities in the classroom in
order to stop and think about the difficulty encountered. In doing so, the teacher
re-inspects the problematic situation and therefore intellectualizes it to be solved
(Dewey, 1933; Loughran, 1996). In all of PST 1‘s teaching journal entries,
problem emerged only in entries 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Unlike suggestions, this element
of reflection does not commonly occur due to its categorization of complexities of
problematic situation (Dewey, 1933; Loughran, 1996) which is more complex
than issues or worries emerged as suggestions.
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Figure 4.3 Frequency of problem’s occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.3 illustrates overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring problem
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall session. This phase sometimes became PST 1‘s point of departure in her
reflective teaching journals. During the stimulated recall session, however, the
increase in this element indicates that when guided and stimulated properly, the
reflective phase did exist in her teaching reflection process.
The following vignette shows how problems were intellectualized in order to
be solved. PST 1 encountered some problems during her classroom interaction
with the students.
―Thank God I felt relieved in the classroom today. I was not nervous anymore because my teaching
partner helped me controlling the students and dealing with the students‘ questions. Nevertheless,
there‘s a student who is sooo annoying that I kept shutting him down by asking him to answer my
questions. Another problem I faced in the classroom was when I was presenting my teaching
material, the In-focus suddenly was in trouble and I couldn‘t go further with my explanation in
detail and clearly.‖ (P#4_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
96
In these perplexing situations, PST 1 dealt with an annoying student, which
she tried to tame by posing him some questions to answer, and a technical
problem with the electrical device she used in delivering her teaching material.
The In-focus was in trouble and there was no way she could handle the material
clearly.
Such problematic situations were also resonated with the clarification from
PST 1 during the interview session in stimulated protocol that:
―Well, basically they are attentive when I was teaching them, only that sometimes they were quite
noisy and would only stop when I ordered them to be quiet. Maybe because the class is small and
basically they are willing to learn. Well, I think the problem in teaching this unit was in speaking
activity when I asked them to make dialogue. It was difficult for them even if I had asked them to
work in pair. The good thing was they were willing to do speaking practice. They didn‘t refuse to
be assigned to practice in front of the classroom. Only that they lack expression [in terms of tone
and stressing]. I mean, I asked them to speak naturally but their expression was still flat. Also they
still relied on the text [when doing the dialogue].‖ (P#3_SR-PST1)
PST 1 reflected that in general she was having problems with the noisy classroom
that most of the time needed her attention in order to be shut down. She also
encountered the poor students‘ ability in composing dialogue although they were
assigned to work in pairs. Besides that, natural expression was also become an
issue because she believed that the students should speak in natural way, requiring
their attention to the tone and stress in appropriate way. However, the bright side
of her students was they have motivation to learn despite their lack in
comprehending what being delivered to them.
4.1.1.1.1.3 Hypothesis
As expounded in Chapter II, Section 2.3.3, hypothesis is the action of using
one suggestion after another as a leading idea to initiate and guide observation and
other operation in collection of factual material (Dewey, 1933). In other words, in
this stage of reflection, a suggestion becomes a more definite supposition that is
testable and perhaps measurable. This guiding idea (Farrell, 2012) is used as a
leading idea, or hypothesis where the initial suggestion can be used as a working
hypothesis to initiate and guide observation and other operations in the collection
of factual material. In all of PST 1‘s teaching journals entries, hypothesis only
occurred in entries 3, 4, 5, and 6. This element of reflection commonly emerged
hand-in-hand with the occurrence of the element of testing because most of the
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
97
time the hypothesis being formulated is followed with putting the assumption into
test, whether overtly or covertly (Dewey, 1933).
2
1
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6 Entry #7 Entry #8
SR
Figure 4.4 Frequency of hypothesis’ occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.4 shows overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring hypothesis
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall interview. This phase indicates PST 1‘s attention to her teaching and
learning process in the classroom as she could identify what seemed to work well
or not. The trend towards the development of reflective process in PST 1‘s
teaching practice during the field teaching program suggests the realization of
hypothesis as the field teaching program went on.
The following vignette portrays how hypothesis emerged during one of the
teaching episodes. As for PST 1, her hypothesis occurred to her as she noted that:
―I came to the classroom alone, without my partner. I don‘t know where she is for she never
showed up while our mentor teacher had suggested that we work in team. Well, actually I was a bit
irritated because she never came as the controller. Basically, today‘s teaching and learning process
was fun. Some of the students were noisy but they wanted to go with the lesson. They were calmer
when Miss R came to do videotaping which made me think that it is important to work in team so
that one can be the teacher and the other could play the role of controlling the students. In that way,
the students could be prevented from being noisy, wandering around, going in and out of the
classroom, chattering, etc. At the end of the class I reflected that being a teacher is tiring and a hard
work.‖ (H#1_RTJ-PST1_Entry #3)
The abovementioned excerpt illustrates how the supposition of working in team
became measurable as PST 1 assumed that the presence of other people apart from
the teacher in the classroom would help the classroom management by looking at
the classroom situation when Miss R came.
During the stimulated protocol, PST 1 held a tentative judgement when she
reflected about her teaching instruction and the root of the problem pertaining to a
certain activity. She said:
―When I asked them to make a short dialogue using the expression, they were confused. Then I
gave them a situation and sample of dialogue but probably they still didn‘t quite understand.
Perhaps because of my instruction, well, I don‘t know, perhaps it‘s my shortcoming. Probably it‘s
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
98
better for me to give them the simplest model they can understand before asking them for further
practice.‖ (H#1_SR-PST1)
4.1.1.1.1.4 Reasoning
Reasoning, as also elaborated in Chapter II, Section 2.3.4, as Loughran (1996)
noted in his study, became the element of reflection which took place in the
second stages of reflective phases. The incorporation of reasoning followed by
testing showed the high possibility of an increased degree of sophistication in the
process of reflection. Throughout PST 1‘s entries of teaching journals, reasoning
placed the second most frequent element of reflection revealed in PST 1‘s
reflection. It was only absent in two first entries of her journals, which indicates
the process of reflection did exist in PST 1‘s teaching and learning process during
the field teaching program.
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Figure 4.5 Frequency of reasoning’s occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.5 presents overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring of reasoning
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall interview. This element of reflection most of the time emerged when PST
provided the justification for the root of the problem, the justification for taking a
suggestion into her mind and acted it out, as well as justification relative to the
hypothesis being made and the testing being implemented or imaginatively
implemented. This phase indicates PST 1‘s ability to move to the second phase of
reflective cycle in the reflection process (Loughran, 1996). Proper guidance and
stimulation proved to be effective in revealing this reflective phase during the
stimulated recall session.
The following vignette illustrates how reasoning occurred to PST 1 when she
contemplated about the teaching and learning process in her classroom. She
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
99
justified her reasons for claiming that the teaching was still teacher-centered as
the following:
―The teaching and learning process was still dominated by me. Why? Because when I asked them to
discuss in group they still highly relied on me by asking about what the passage discussed. They
were still not aware of the benefit of discussion with their friends. They were more sure that the
right answer is from the teacher. However, I helped them by mingling around guiding each group
and checked the things they didn‘t understand.‖ (R#2_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
When being confirmed during the stimulated recall session about her justification
for choosing a certain text in a teaching episode and claiming that the text was not
easy to chew for the students, she argued:
―A bit difficult for them, Mam, because they were still confused. I have explained over and over
again but they were still confused. Well, I shouldn‘t have given them some situations, rather I
should have just given them one situation. I mean, I should have given the topic along with the
situation, while in this meeting I gave them two situations instead of one. Maybe they were
confused. I then asked them to choose the situation they preferred but they got more and more
confused… Well, I should have given them only one topic so that it could be more focused.‖
(R#1_SR-PST1)
Meanwhile, when reflecting about the field teaching program at the end of the
program implementation, PST 1 reflected in her last teaching journal entry that:
―There are many stories and impressions during my assignment as a student teacher at the school.
First, I will talk about the school environment. The first time I was assigned at the school I felt
happy because it is still part of the campus area. But the thing that didn‘t impress me much was that
I couldn‘t feel I was in a new situation. Second, all the teachers and administrative staffs were very
kind. They really welcomed us, only that we didn‘t spend much time socializing and having small
talk with them. Probably because we just came to the school only during our teaching time so that
we didn‘t see them much. Meanwhile, my mentor teacher was always there so that I didn‘t find any
difficulties consulting my lesson plan. Next, I have good impression of the students. They are
respectful of the teacher. [Whenever we met outside of the classroom] they always said hi and
shook our hands. But some of them overacted a bit. Apart from inside the classroom, I seldom had
small talk with them. Maybe because there are not many students in the school that I didn‘t really
feel emotional relationship with them. Moreover, even though the school is located in two separate
locations, but I‘ve never visited the other one. I just know the situation from my friends who were
scheduled to teach there. They said that the situation of the school where I was scheduled is better
than theirs because the students‘ motivation to learn was better here.‖ (R#3_RTJ-PST1_Entry #8)
The above extract demonstrates that having spent a considerable amount of time
during the field teaching program in the host school, the student teacher justified
her impressions by drawing a holistic reasoning of the way she felt, welcomed,
treated, and blended with the school atmosphere and its elements.
4.1.1.1.1.5 Testing
Testing, as elaborated in Chapter II, Section 2.3.5, is the phase when the
hypothesis is being tested overtly or covertly (Dewey, 1933) in order to give
verification. In this reflective cycle, hypothesis testing takes place when the
refined idea is reached, and the testing of this refined hypothesis takes place
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
100
which can be executed openly or imaginatively (Farrell, 2012). As Loughran
(1996) notes, reasoning requires the teacher understand the natural consequences
which might follow an action. In this way, direct observation or experimental
testing need to be considered because the consequences may not always lead to
confirmation of the hypothesis being tested. In search of testing in the PSTs‘
reflection process, it was found that in general, the PSTs were likely to apply
imaginative testing in their teaching reflection.
3
2
1
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6 Entry #7 Entry #8
SR
Figure 4.6 Frequency of testing’s occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
For PST 1, as Figure 4.6 reveals, testing only began to spring into her
reflection at the fourth meeting of her teaching. Throughout her teaching journal
entries, testing was revealed in her fourth, fifth, and sixth entries. It was absent in
the first three entries of her journals, indicating her process of reflection which
still in the first cycle of the reflective process, which is considered as normal in
the development of PST‘s reflection process (Loughran, 1996). This element
mostly accompanied the occurring hypothesis. This phase also indicates her ability
to move to the second phase of reflective cycle in the reflection process, as
evident during stimulated recall session.
The following vignette illustrates how PST 1 was confronted with some
problems and suggestions and along with her observation, she came with some
ideas to test her working hypotheses in the following meetings.
―When I asked some of the students to read aloud, most of them mispronounced some words, they
even misspelled the words I asked them to spell. For the next meetings, I then decide to teach them
how to pronounce the word before reading. In terms of classroom interaction, some students kept
going in and out of the classroom and also made some noises that ruined their classmates‘
concentration. Probably I was not too strict with the rules which lead them that way. Therefore, I
have to be stricter in the future and speak louder so that I could impress them and make them follow
the rule. I think that my teaching philosophy agrees with what I experienced in Microteaching class.
The thing to be changed is that I should be more creative with my teaching resources so that the
students will be more interested in my classroom.‖ (T#1_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
101
In this case, PST 1 thought that word pronunciation and spelling were
indicative of the classroom problem. Also, she was troubled managing the
classroom when some students seemed to ignore the rule during the lesson.
Therefore, her imaginative testing (such as teaching pronunciation explicitly,
being stricter to the students and speaking louder, as well as being more creative
with teaching resources) got in way of her reflection process. Similar case also
applied during her fifth and sixth meeting of teaching as noted below:
―Besides that, I will teach them how to write analytical exposition text by using mind mapping.
However, since I didn‘t prepare any mind map and explaining what mind map is, they became
confused and didn‘t know what to do. For the following meeting I have to prepare the media and
explain about it in detail.‖ (T#2_RTJ-PST1_Entry #5)
―My teaching technique in this meeting was mind mapping, which is appropriate in teaching
writing. My only drawback today was I didn‘t prepare the media as sophisticated as I made in
Microteaching class… One of my shortcomings in this meeting was not providing the students with
vocabulary list pertaining to their writing acivity so that they were having difficulty during
composing time because of their limited vocabulary. Perhaps I should provide them with related
vocabularies in order to help them write… I think this meeting‘s success was when they came with
ideas for writing. However, I think I haven‘t managed to make the students understand how to make
a correct sentence. Sometimes they write ―can‖ followed by ―to‖, while I have told them that it‘s
not correct. Perhaps I shouldn‘t ask them to compose a paragprah, since it‘s difficult for them.
Instead, I should focus on teaching them how to make correct sentences [before composing
activity].‖ (T#3_RTJ-PST1_Entry #6)
The foregoing extracts demonstrate how covert testing in the fifth meeting of PST
1‘s teaching became overt testing in the following meeting as she verified the
hypothesis that mind map would help the students in composing activity. As the
hypothesis was tested out, PST 1 found out some flaws, making her rethought
about the way she prepared the teaching resources. Moreover, other covert
testings also emerged in her reflection, such as providing the students with
vocabulary list and focusing on teaching them how to make correct sentences
before writing activity.
4.1.1.1.2 PST 2
In terms of submitted journal entries, PST 2 yielded total six teaching journals.
Unlike PST 1 whose first entry was about the commencement of the program in
the host school and the last one was about her reflection on the end of the
program, all of her submitted journal entries were about her reflections on her
teaching and learning experience in the classroom she was assigned to teach. In
PST 2‘s data, all elements of reflection were identified indicating the development
of her reflection process. Similar to the trend found in her journal entries,
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
102
hypothesis was also the least frequent occurring element during the stimulated
recall session.
Table 4.2 Recap of PST 2’s elements of reflection in reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Occurrence in
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
Total in RTJ
Total in SR
TOTAL
Suggestions
2
1
2
1
1
1
8
3
11
Problem
3
1
1
1
1
7
2
9
PST 2
Hypothesis
1
1
2
1
3
Reasoning
1
1
1
1
4
4
8
Testing
1
1
2
4
5
9
Overall, total occurrences of PST 2‘s reflective phases as indicated from the
submitted journal entries and stimulated recall session, as illustrated in Table 4.2,
yielded with suggestions as the most frequently occurring element and hypothesis
as the least frequent appearing element. After suggestions, the revealed elements
were problem and testing, while reasoning positioned the next occurrence.
Similar to PST 1, in journal Entry #1 and #2, PST 2 showed typical
development of reflection of a novice teacher as she only focused on exploring
some suggestions, such as ways to break the ice in the classroom, and the
problems she faced, such as students‘ difficulty in grammar and comprehending
the materials in general. In Entry #3, she showed further development of
reflection as she came with justification for reviewing the previous lesson. The
following entries, as indicated in journal Entry #4, #5, and #6, revealed more
progress in her reflection process because she managed to reflect in a full cycle as
indicated by the revelation of suggestions, problem, and hypothesis in the first
phase and reasoning and testing in the second phase of the reflective cycle. This
trend was more evident during the stimulated recall session as more revelation
identified in the second phase. Such further progress in her reflectivity partly lent
to cognitive stimulation during the interview session.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
103
5
4
Suggestions
3
Problem
Hypothesis
2
Reasoning
1
Testing
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.7 PST 2’s trend of elements of reflection in reflective teaching journal entries and
stimulated recall session
As illustrated by Figure 4.7, PST 2‘s overview of elements of reflection
reflects her process of reflection which took place during the field teaching
program. In all of her submitted journal entries, the most frequently occurring
element was suggestions, yielding with total eight occurrences. Yielding with total
seven occurrences, problem placed the second, while reasoning and testing,
occurred equally, each yielded with total four occurrences. The least occurring
element in her reflection process as detected in her teaching entries was
hypothesis, yielding with only two. The trend, however, was quite different during
the stimulated recall protocol, revealing testing as the most frequently occurring
element followed by reasoning, suggestions, and problem as the second, third,
and fourth occurrences respectively. This is due to more stimulation given during
the stimulated recall session encouraged her to reflect more on over or cover
testing in her teaching experience.
4.1.1.1.2.1 Suggestions
In all of PST 2‘s teaching journal entries, suggestions were never absent in her
reflective cycle process. Like PST 1, besides problem, this phase most of the time
became PST 2‘s point of departure in her reflection. Figure 4.8 demonstrates
overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring suggestions throughout her reflective
teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated recall interview.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
104
3
2
1
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.8 Frequency of suggestions’ occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective
teaching journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.8 illustrates the presence of suggestions in the development of PST
2‘s reflective process during the field teaching program. During the field teaching
experience, the use of suggestions was explored and realized by PST 2. This
reflective phase was mostly revealed during the stimulated recall session as she
was encouraged to talk about the suggestions came to her during her teaching
practice.
In the following selected vignettes, suggestions are presented. At the third
meeting, for example, suggestions came to PST 2 when she examined the
classroom situation. She was a bit annoyed by some inconsiderate students and
some thoughts came to her mind as illustrated in the following extract:
―After the third meeting, I started to feel a bit annoyed since it seems that the students don‘t know
or perhaps they don‘t want to appreciate what I have done for their class so far; from preparing and
making teaching media, preparing teaching materials and explaining in front of the class until my
mouth went dry. But now, as I‘m reflecting it, I start to think about many things like: (a) the ways to
make them understand the material I‘m delivering to them because as far as I‘m concerned they still
don‘t get whatever I deliver to them, (b) the ways to make them want to do the tasks that I assign
them to do, or (c) maybe they‘re bored with the way I teach since I always use teaching media
which I put on the whiteboard and pair work technique.‖ (S#4_RTJ-PST2_Entry #3)
In this way, PST 2, during her reflection-on-action after the class dismissal,
thought deeply about how to deal with the students who she felt did not quite
welcome her in their classroom. As she reflected, she examined some things such
as the way to make them understand the material, the appropriate instruction she
could use in order to make the students willing to face the tasks given to them,
and the consideration that perhaps the source of the problem was her instead of
the students.
In other occasion, when reviewing one of her teaching episodes during the
stimulated recall session, PST 2 acknowledged that she kept what her lecturer, Mr.
H, told them in the Microteaching class that a certain case, like failure to execute
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
105
the lesson plan well as planned beforehand, would more likely to happen in the
real classroom as she experienced during her teaching practice. She recalled that:
―The students in this classroom are also in trouble when it comes to grammar as they couldn‘t
assemble even a good sentence containing a subject. It‘s sooooo difficult to them. That‘s why when
I talked to the mentor teacher, I said: Mam, it’s impossible to reach the stated objective as planned
when the students’ ability is far below the standard, even worse, I think, it’s close to minus. So, they
have nothing at all. Then I remembered what Mr. H told us in Microteaching class that things like
this will more likely to happen. All that we need is we have to identify what to be the students‘
difficulties and not to be stuck with the lesson plan because once we are determined with what have
been planned in it, nothing will work out.‖ (S#1_SR-PST2)
In this way, PST 2, in almost all her teaching sessions, decided to keep examining
her students‘ progress and made possible modifications on her lesson plans during
the teaching and learning sessions so that the students‘ need could be covered.
4.1.1.1.2.2 Problem
In all of PST 2‘s teaching journal entries, problem emerged mostly in the first
journal entry. Afterwards, in entries 2, 3, 5, and 6, she reflected about the
problems she encountered in her classroom less. The only part when problem was
absent in her reflection was in entry 4. Like PST 1, this reflective phase also
sometimes became PST 2‘s point of departure in her reflective teaching journals.
3
2
1
0
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.9 Frequency of problem’s occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
As Figure 4.9 illustrates, the frequently occurring problem throughout PST 2‘s
reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated recall session
signals her concern over the problem she came across in the real classroom. As a
novice teacher, this element is sometimes explored more than the other elements
due to its easiness to spot during the classroom interaction.
In the following selected extracts, PST 2 experienced some problems in
different ways. She encountered difficulties in her first teaching session.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
106
Classroom management, teacher-students interaction, as well as lesson plan
implementation are of paramount problems in her classroom.
―Actually I was very nervous ever since the commencement day of our field teaching. But when I
walked into the classroom, I took a deep breath. After greeting the students, I tried to implement my
lesson plan. At the beginning, everything went smoothly. They seemed to listen to the lesson
attentively. However, I realized I ended up talking to myself. Then I tried to break the silence by
throwing some jokes. Some of them smiled, some even laughed out loud and some of them tried to
ask some questions.‖ (P#1_RTJ-PST2_Entry #1)
And she further continued in her teaching journal entry:
―Considering the lesson plan, I felt it didn‘t go as I planned before because whenever I asked them
to do something like understanding passages, writing, or speaking, they just kept silent. While in
fact, before asking them to write or speak, I have provided them with explanation and sufficient
examples using media. I found out that they are having trouble with grammar. For example, out of
the two sentences I asked them to make, none of them was correct. At last, I ended up explaining
grammar rather than focusing on what I have planned before. So, my lesson plan didn‘t work at
all.‖ (P#2_RTJ-PST2_Entry #1)
As her first real teaching experience, PST 2 could not come with alternatives in
managing the problems she was exposed to. To her realization, at least she could
handle the situation a bit so that the students were in order but not with the lesson
plan which did not go as planned.
During the interview in stimulated recall session, she confessed that the other
problem adding to the students‘ inability to complete the classroom activities and
tasks well was because their limited knowledge on grammar. She recalled that:
―That‘s the biggest problem I encountered. Because they are really in trouble in terms of grammar.
In each classroom activity, especially [when teaching] expression in speaking and when I asked
them to write a simple dialogue using the given expression, having provided them with exact
similar situation, they couldn‘t make the dialogue. Well, actually they know nothing at all. Writing
was the most difficult thing to deal with during the classroom instruction because such activity
would stuck due to their limited knowledge. They have no vocabulary storage at all when they were
asked to write. They would keep asking Mam, what is it in English if we want to say this.... They
kept asking, asking, and asking.‖ (P#1_SR-PST2)
In her reflection after the teaching activity, unlike PST 1 who assumed that the
students questioning things was the indication of their willingness to learn, PST 2
assumed that such a situation indicated the students‘ poor ability. She even tended
to exaggerate the students‘ ability by claiming that the students know nothing at
all as she stated they are really in trouble in terms of grammar; actually they know
nothing at all; and the students have no vocabulary storage at all when they were
asked to write. Of course this is not the real case since the students that PST 2 was
facing in the classroom were high school students who certainly have been
exposed to English lessons at least since their junior high school, making them
people with minimum mastery of basic English vocabularies at the very least.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
107
4.1.1.1.2.3 Hypothesis
In all of PST 2‘s teaching journal entries, hypothesis was only revealed later in
entries 4 and 5. As shown in Figure 4.7 earlier, in her reflection process, this
element definitely occurred hand-in-hand with the appearance of testing because
the hypothesis being formulated were then followed with either overt or covert
testing. This phase indicates PST 2‘s attention to her teaching and learning
process in the classroom as she could identify what seemed to work well or not.
Figure 4.10 deals with overall frequency of PST 2‘s occurring hypothesis
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall interview.
1
0
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.10 Frequency of hypothesis’ occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
The following vignette demonstrates how hypothesis emerged during her
teaching practices. As for PST 2, after revealing the importance of English to the
students, she managed to persuade them to be more open about their problems.
Having shared the stories, she came into some hypothetical conclusions as the
following:
―Thank God… After I explained to them about [learning and the importance of] English, they
started to be open about their problem in learning English. Most of them are having troubles in
grammar and limited vocabularies so that they are facing difficulties in speaking, writing, listening,
even reading that they cannot comprehend the passages. So, it is difficult. Besides that, they said
that their English teacher at the school did not care whether they understand or not what the teacher
was delivering and she kept going. Also, they acknowledged that I spoke too fast in front of the
classroom while all this time whenever I asked them whether I spoke too fast or not, they just said
that it was fine.‖ (H#1_RTJ-PST2_Entry #4)
The aforementioned reflection clearly shows how PST 2 transformed the
information she gathered from the students into tenable suppositions and working
hypotheses. She assumed that the students‘ difficulty in learning English might be
due to the students‘ problems in grammar and vocabularies, the subject teacher‘s
ignorance of the students‘ need, and the PST‘s pace in the classroom in delivering
the material.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
108
In other occasion, when developing plan for the next teaching by considering
the students‘ difficulty in composing a text, PST 2 would like to test her
hypothesis that by providing worksheet to the students, it would help them write
what the syllabus required. She reflected:
―For the next meeting, the lesson would be analytical exposition text which writing as part of the
taught skill. At the previous meeting when teaching report text, I found out that the students
couldn‘t write. Ideally, they should be able to produce a report text or analytical exposition text.
However, in fact, they are struggling with composing simple present sentences, let alone composing
a text. Since I have to teach analytical exposition text as required in the syllabus, I tried to make
worksheet (guidance) which could help the students compose a text.‖ (H#2_RTJ-PST2_Entry #5)
Further, when reflecting about the problems she faced during teaching a topic, she
hypothesized as follows:
―I think it‘s not difficult to transfer [the knowledge]. But it seems they‘re quite difficult to
understand. Probably because they‘re not accustomed to my teaching that so far it‘s only about 20%
or 30% of the material they could understand.‖ (H#1_SR-PST2)
The extract of transcript above signifies that during the first times of her teaching,
PST 2 found the level of the students‘ comprehension on the teaching material she
delivered was very low. Judging from her teaching frequency, she tentatively
concluded that probably it was about spending more time and familiarizing her
teaching instructions with the students that would root out the problems.
4.1.1.1.2.4 Reasoning
In a similar fashion to PST 1, this reflective phase only appeared from PST
2‘s third entry onwards, indicating the process of reflection did exist in her
teaching and learning process during the field teaching program. In order to be
able to move to the second phase of reflective cycle in the reflection process,
proper guidance and stimulation need to be effectively addressed to PST 2, as the
encouragement towards this phase during stimulated recall session proved to be
able to reveal her justification the most.
4
2
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.11 Frequency of reasoning’ occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
109
As Figure 4.11 illustrates, reasoning occurred in PST 2‘s process of reflection
from the third entry onwords. In journal Entry #3, PST 2 justified that due to
technical problem with power supply which hindered her from using overhead
projector, she decided to review the previous lesson. In journal Entry #4, she
accounted for why she claimed it was a bad day. Moreover, in journal Entry #5,
she explained why she was concerned with the students‘ low motivation in
learning English, which then she found out the answer to such situation as she
revealed in journal Entry #6.
The following vignette illustrates how the reasoning took place when PST 2
was caught up in the problem of her students‘ lack of motivation as reflected in
the following excerpt:
―I‘m really concerned with the students because they are very lazy, no motivation to learn a
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Chapter III has provided elaboration on how this study was approached, the
theoretical frameworks were deployed, and data were gathered and analyzed.
Although data for this study were collected from four sources: journal entries,
videotaped PSTs‘ teachings, stimulated recalls, and interviews, the presentation of
findings in this chapter is based on journal entries and transcripts of stimulated
recall as the primary sources of data. Meanwhile, the PSTs‘ videotaped teachings
were used as the information for further elaboration in stimulated recall protocols,
and transcripts of interviews were used to enrinch the PSTs‘ profile relative to
their reflections on their teaching practices.
This section, therefore, focuses on the presentation and discussion of the
findings based on each PST‘s case, as also called within-case analysis, followed
by cross-case analysis through the presentation of similarities and differences
found among the participants. The flow of findings will be discussed from the
elements of reflection, the level of reflection, and the issues/concerns in the EFL
PSTs‘ reflections regarding their reflective practice during the field teaching
program. A summary of findings is also presented at the end of the chapter.
4.1 Findings
4.1.1 Elements of Reflection
In terms of elements of reflection, the findings of this study indicated that the
participants‘ reflections demonstrated the reflective phases or reflection elements
as proposed by Dewey (1933) and Loughran (1996). All elements of reflection in
the first reflective phase, as argued by Loughran (1996), i.e. suggestions, problem,
and hypothesis, were identified in all participants‘ data. The second reflective
phase, i.e. reasoning and testing, also emerged in the participants‘ data.
The participants‘ data from reflective teaching journals and interviews yielded
with the first reflective phase. It was clear that the PSTs did not apply all phases
of elements in every situation. The variation and the number of phases employed
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
91
over time probably, as Loughran (1996) suggests, indicate the development of an
individual‘s reflective processes.
From both data, teaching journals and interviews during stimulated protocol
session, only few of the cycles reached to testing the hypothesis. It is probably
closely related to the PSTs‘ limited experience and knowledge on teaching world
so that commonly they have suggestions in mind, or problems to be solved and
come with the hypothesis and/or reasoning but could not figure out what to do in
the future time. Also there is not much they could say in their reflections due to
their limited exposure to the real teaching experience.
In the following section, the presentation of the findings with regard to
elements of reflection will be divided into two parts. First, the result of analysis
will be presented on individual-based case, or also known as within-case analysis.
In so doing, each participant‘s uniqueness will be explored and each PST‘s
progress in developing reflective process will be covered. Second, each of PST‘s
data will be compared and contrasted in cross-case analysis section in order to see
the significant similarities and differences in their elements of reflection.
4.1.1.1 Within-case Analysis
In this section, the results of analysis will be presented on individual-based
case in order to explore each PST‘s uniqueness and to cover each participant‘s
progress in their reflectivity.
4.1.1.1.1 PST 1
During the field teaching program, PST 1 was assigned to teach at the senior
high school. In terms of yielded data, PST 1 submitted the most reflective
teaching entries among the other participants. She emailed the researcher her
journal entries on weekly basis. Until the end of the field teaching program, she
submitted total eight teaching journals. The first entry was her reflection about the
commencement of the program in the host school, and the last entry was her
reflection on the end of the program. The rest of the entries were her reflections
on her real teaching experience in the classroom she was assigned to teach.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
92
In PST 1‘s data, all elements of reflection were identified indicating the
development of her reflection process. Overall, as illustrated by Figure 4.1, PST
1‘s overview of elements of reflection found in her journal entries reflects her
process of reflection which took place during the field teaching program. The
most frequent occurring element was suggestions, yielding with total fifteen
occurrences in all of her teaching journal entries. Yielding with total eight
occurrences, reasoning was placed the second and the rest, problem, hypothesis
and testing, were revealed equally, each yielded with total seven occurrences, in
her reflection process as detected in her teaching entries. In addition, during the
stimulated recall protocol, all elements of reflection emerged throughout the
process of digging into PST 1‘s reflections of her teaching. The reflective phase of
PST 1‘s reflection process is recapitulated in Table 4.1. Henceforth, Entry #1 and
the like represent reflective teaching journal entries submitted by the PSTs in
which they reflected their field teaching experiences pertinent to each PST‘s
concerns, while SR represents the PSTs‘ reflections during the stimulated recall
sessions.
Table 4.1 Recap of PST 1’s elements of reflection in reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Occurrence in
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
Entry #7
Entry #8
Total in RTJ
Total in SR
TOTAL
Suggestions
1
1
1
3
2
4
2
1
15
3
18
Problem
1
2
2
1
1
7
4
11
PST 1
Hypothesis
1
2
2
2
7
1
8
Reasoning
1
1
2
2
1
1
8
4
12
Testing
2
2
3
7
3
10
Overall, total occurrences of PST 1‘s reflective phases as indicated from her
reflective teaching journal entries and stimulated recall session, as illustrated in
Table 4.1, yielded with suggestions as the most frequent occurring element,
followed by reasoning, problem, and testing as the second, third and fourth
occurrences respectively. The least frequent element emerged in her data was
hypothesis.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
93
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Suggestions
Problem
Hypothesis
Reasoning
Testing
Figure 4.1 PST 1’s trend of elements of reflection in reflective teaching journal entries and
stimulated recall session
As Figure 4.1 illustrates the trend from PST 1‘s data, in journal Entry #1 and
#2, PST 1 showed typical development of reflection of a novice teacher as she
only focused on exploring some suggestions, such as comparing the theory about
teaching she got and the real practice she found during her observation week at
the host school, and the problems she faced, such as her fear that the students
might not want to accept her teaching delivery. The following entries, however, as
indicated in journal Entry #3, #4, #5, and #6, revealed further development in her
reflection process as she involved all of the elements of reflection. In the last two
entries, as shown in journal Entry #7 and #8, suggestions and reasoning were the
only elements explored while the other three were absent. In her case, the absence
of problem, hypothesis, and testing does not mean her reflection process ceased to
develop. Instead, she indicated another further development in reflectivity as she
came with more elaborative justification for the suggestions that crossed her
minds.
The following is presentation of selected extracts of findings in PST 1‘s
reflective teaching journals and transcripts of interview during stimulated recall
protocol session.
4.1.1.1.1.1 Suggestions
Suggestions, as also mentioned in Chapter II, Section 2.3.1, as part of the
phases in reflective cycle, take place in the teaching and learning process when
situations occur which cause the teacher to stop and think, and his/her mind
begins to ponder with two or more ideas, considers and reconsiders options for
appropriate action, or even structures and restructures classroom activities
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
94
(Dewey, 1933; Loughran, 1996). In all PST 1‘s entries of teaching journals and
during stimulated recall session, suggestions were never absent in her reflective
cycle process. Besides problem, this phase most of the time became PST 1‘s point
of departure in her reflection.
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Figure 4.2 Frequency of suggestions’ occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.2 demonstrates overall frequency of PST 1‘s suggestions throughout
her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated recall interview.
It indicates a trend towards the development of reflective process in PST 1‘s
teaching practice during the field teaching program. As the program went on, the
use of suggestions became more explored and realized by PST 1.
In the following vignette, PST 1 believed that her teaching and learning
process was already right on the track, as she experienced in her Microteaching
class, only that when she evaluated the teaching media she used, a suggestion
occurred to her that more efforts need to be done in preparing interesting teaching
media, which she believed will eventually attract the students‘ attention.
―I think that my teaching philosophy agrees with what I experienced in Microteaching class. The
thing to be changed is that I should be more creative with my teaching media so that the students
will be more interested in my classroom.‖ (S#6_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
Such efforts to make the students more engaged in her classroom were also
confirmed during the stimulated protocol as PST 1 conveyed that in preparation
for exercising speaking, she provided many teaching resources, for example, more
models and samples of dialogues in order to help the students exercise their
pronunciation as revealed in the following extract of transcript:
―So I took other dialogues and had them exercise their dialogues in pairs. That way could help their
pronunciation be more natural. So, yeah, at first I gave them more models and exercises in
dialogue.‖ (S#3_SR-PST1)
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
95
4.1.1.1.1.2 Problem
In a reflective cycle, as mentioned in Chapter II, Section 2.3.2, problem in a
teaching and learning process accounts for the perplexing and/or worrisome
situation which prevents the teacher to further his/her activities in the classroom in
order to stop and think about the difficulty encountered. In doing so, the teacher
re-inspects the problematic situation and therefore intellectualizes it to be solved
(Dewey, 1933; Loughran, 1996). In all of PST 1‘s teaching journal entries,
problem emerged only in entries 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Unlike suggestions, this element
of reflection does not commonly occur due to its categorization of complexities of
problematic situation (Dewey, 1933; Loughran, 1996) which is more complex
than issues or worries emerged as suggestions.
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Figure 4.3 Frequency of problem’s occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.3 illustrates overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring problem
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall session. This phase sometimes became PST 1‘s point of departure in her
reflective teaching journals. During the stimulated recall session, however, the
increase in this element indicates that when guided and stimulated properly, the
reflective phase did exist in her teaching reflection process.
The following vignette shows how problems were intellectualized in order to
be solved. PST 1 encountered some problems during her classroom interaction
with the students.
―Thank God I felt relieved in the classroom today. I was not nervous anymore because my teaching
partner helped me controlling the students and dealing with the students‘ questions. Nevertheless,
there‘s a student who is sooo annoying that I kept shutting him down by asking him to answer my
questions. Another problem I faced in the classroom was when I was presenting my teaching
material, the In-focus suddenly was in trouble and I couldn‘t go further with my explanation in
detail and clearly.‖ (P#4_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
96
In these perplexing situations, PST 1 dealt with an annoying student, which
she tried to tame by posing him some questions to answer, and a technical
problem with the electrical device she used in delivering her teaching material.
The In-focus was in trouble and there was no way she could handle the material
clearly.
Such problematic situations were also resonated with the clarification from
PST 1 during the interview session in stimulated protocol that:
―Well, basically they are attentive when I was teaching them, only that sometimes they were quite
noisy and would only stop when I ordered them to be quiet. Maybe because the class is small and
basically they are willing to learn. Well, I think the problem in teaching this unit was in speaking
activity when I asked them to make dialogue. It was difficult for them even if I had asked them to
work in pair. The good thing was they were willing to do speaking practice. They didn‘t refuse to
be assigned to practice in front of the classroom. Only that they lack expression [in terms of tone
and stressing]. I mean, I asked them to speak naturally but their expression was still flat. Also they
still relied on the text [when doing the dialogue].‖ (P#3_SR-PST1)
PST 1 reflected that in general she was having problems with the noisy classroom
that most of the time needed her attention in order to be shut down. She also
encountered the poor students‘ ability in composing dialogue although they were
assigned to work in pairs. Besides that, natural expression was also become an
issue because she believed that the students should speak in natural way, requiring
their attention to the tone and stress in appropriate way. However, the bright side
of her students was they have motivation to learn despite their lack in
comprehending what being delivered to them.
4.1.1.1.1.3 Hypothesis
As expounded in Chapter II, Section 2.3.3, hypothesis is the action of using
one suggestion after another as a leading idea to initiate and guide observation and
other operation in collection of factual material (Dewey, 1933). In other words, in
this stage of reflection, a suggestion becomes a more definite supposition that is
testable and perhaps measurable. This guiding idea (Farrell, 2012) is used as a
leading idea, or hypothesis where the initial suggestion can be used as a working
hypothesis to initiate and guide observation and other operations in the collection
of factual material. In all of PST 1‘s teaching journals entries, hypothesis only
occurred in entries 3, 4, 5, and 6. This element of reflection commonly emerged
hand-in-hand with the occurrence of the element of testing because most of the
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
97
time the hypothesis being formulated is followed with putting the assumption into
test, whether overtly or covertly (Dewey, 1933).
2
1
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6 Entry #7 Entry #8
SR
Figure 4.4 Frequency of hypothesis’ occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.4 shows overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring hypothesis
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall interview. This phase indicates PST 1‘s attention to her teaching and
learning process in the classroom as she could identify what seemed to work well
or not. The trend towards the development of reflective process in PST 1‘s
teaching practice during the field teaching program suggests the realization of
hypothesis as the field teaching program went on.
The following vignette portrays how hypothesis emerged during one of the
teaching episodes. As for PST 1, her hypothesis occurred to her as she noted that:
―I came to the classroom alone, without my partner. I don‘t know where she is for she never
showed up while our mentor teacher had suggested that we work in team. Well, actually I was a bit
irritated because she never came as the controller. Basically, today‘s teaching and learning process
was fun. Some of the students were noisy but they wanted to go with the lesson. They were calmer
when Miss R came to do videotaping which made me think that it is important to work in team so
that one can be the teacher and the other could play the role of controlling the students. In that way,
the students could be prevented from being noisy, wandering around, going in and out of the
classroom, chattering, etc. At the end of the class I reflected that being a teacher is tiring and a hard
work.‖ (H#1_RTJ-PST1_Entry #3)
The abovementioned excerpt illustrates how the supposition of working in team
became measurable as PST 1 assumed that the presence of other people apart from
the teacher in the classroom would help the classroom management by looking at
the classroom situation when Miss R came.
During the stimulated protocol, PST 1 held a tentative judgement when she
reflected about her teaching instruction and the root of the problem pertaining to a
certain activity. She said:
―When I asked them to make a short dialogue using the expression, they were confused. Then I
gave them a situation and sample of dialogue but probably they still didn‘t quite understand.
Perhaps because of my instruction, well, I don‘t know, perhaps it‘s my shortcoming. Probably it‘s
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
98
better for me to give them the simplest model they can understand before asking them for further
practice.‖ (H#1_SR-PST1)
4.1.1.1.1.4 Reasoning
Reasoning, as also elaborated in Chapter II, Section 2.3.4, as Loughran (1996)
noted in his study, became the element of reflection which took place in the
second stages of reflective phases. The incorporation of reasoning followed by
testing showed the high possibility of an increased degree of sophistication in the
process of reflection. Throughout PST 1‘s entries of teaching journals, reasoning
placed the second most frequent element of reflection revealed in PST 1‘s
reflection. It was only absent in two first entries of her journals, which indicates
the process of reflection did exist in PST 1‘s teaching and learning process during
the field teaching program.
4
3
2
1
0
Entry
#1
Entry
#2
Entry
#3
Entry
#4
Entry
#5
Entry
#6
Entry
#7
Entry
#8
SR
Figure 4.5 Frequency of reasoning’s occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.5 presents overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring of reasoning
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall interview. This element of reflection most of the time emerged when PST
provided the justification for the root of the problem, the justification for taking a
suggestion into her mind and acted it out, as well as justification relative to the
hypothesis being made and the testing being implemented or imaginatively
implemented. This phase indicates PST 1‘s ability to move to the second phase of
reflective cycle in the reflection process (Loughran, 1996). Proper guidance and
stimulation proved to be effective in revealing this reflective phase during the
stimulated recall session.
The following vignette illustrates how reasoning occurred to PST 1 when she
contemplated about the teaching and learning process in her classroom. She
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
99
justified her reasons for claiming that the teaching was still teacher-centered as
the following:
―The teaching and learning process was still dominated by me. Why? Because when I asked them to
discuss in group they still highly relied on me by asking about what the passage discussed. They
were still not aware of the benefit of discussion with their friends. They were more sure that the
right answer is from the teacher. However, I helped them by mingling around guiding each group
and checked the things they didn‘t understand.‖ (R#2_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
When being confirmed during the stimulated recall session about her justification
for choosing a certain text in a teaching episode and claiming that the text was not
easy to chew for the students, she argued:
―A bit difficult for them, Mam, because they were still confused. I have explained over and over
again but they were still confused. Well, I shouldn‘t have given them some situations, rather I
should have just given them one situation. I mean, I should have given the topic along with the
situation, while in this meeting I gave them two situations instead of one. Maybe they were
confused. I then asked them to choose the situation they preferred but they got more and more
confused… Well, I should have given them only one topic so that it could be more focused.‖
(R#1_SR-PST1)
Meanwhile, when reflecting about the field teaching program at the end of the
program implementation, PST 1 reflected in her last teaching journal entry that:
―There are many stories and impressions during my assignment as a student teacher at the school.
First, I will talk about the school environment. The first time I was assigned at the school I felt
happy because it is still part of the campus area. But the thing that didn‘t impress me much was that
I couldn‘t feel I was in a new situation. Second, all the teachers and administrative staffs were very
kind. They really welcomed us, only that we didn‘t spend much time socializing and having small
talk with them. Probably because we just came to the school only during our teaching time so that
we didn‘t see them much. Meanwhile, my mentor teacher was always there so that I didn‘t find any
difficulties consulting my lesson plan. Next, I have good impression of the students. They are
respectful of the teacher. [Whenever we met outside of the classroom] they always said hi and
shook our hands. But some of them overacted a bit. Apart from inside the classroom, I seldom had
small talk with them. Maybe because there are not many students in the school that I didn‘t really
feel emotional relationship with them. Moreover, even though the school is located in two separate
locations, but I‘ve never visited the other one. I just know the situation from my friends who were
scheduled to teach there. They said that the situation of the school where I was scheduled is better
than theirs because the students‘ motivation to learn was better here.‖ (R#3_RTJ-PST1_Entry #8)
The above extract demonstrates that having spent a considerable amount of time
during the field teaching program in the host school, the student teacher justified
her impressions by drawing a holistic reasoning of the way she felt, welcomed,
treated, and blended with the school atmosphere and its elements.
4.1.1.1.1.5 Testing
Testing, as elaborated in Chapter II, Section 2.3.5, is the phase when the
hypothesis is being tested overtly or covertly (Dewey, 1933) in order to give
verification. In this reflective cycle, hypothesis testing takes place when the
refined idea is reached, and the testing of this refined hypothesis takes place
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
100
which can be executed openly or imaginatively (Farrell, 2012). As Loughran
(1996) notes, reasoning requires the teacher understand the natural consequences
which might follow an action. In this way, direct observation or experimental
testing need to be considered because the consequences may not always lead to
confirmation of the hypothesis being tested. In search of testing in the PSTs‘
reflection process, it was found that in general, the PSTs were likely to apply
imaginative testing in their teaching reflection.
3
2
1
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6 Entry #7 Entry #8
SR
Figure 4.6 Frequency of testing’s occurrence in the PST 1’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
For PST 1, as Figure 4.6 reveals, testing only began to spring into her
reflection at the fourth meeting of her teaching. Throughout her teaching journal
entries, testing was revealed in her fourth, fifth, and sixth entries. It was absent in
the first three entries of her journals, indicating her process of reflection which
still in the first cycle of the reflective process, which is considered as normal in
the development of PST‘s reflection process (Loughran, 1996). This element
mostly accompanied the occurring hypothesis. This phase also indicates her ability
to move to the second phase of reflective cycle in the reflection process, as
evident during stimulated recall session.
The following vignette illustrates how PST 1 was confronted with some
problems and suggestions and along with her observation, she came with some
ideas to test her working hypotheses in the following meetings.
―When I asked some of the students to read aloud, most of them mispronounced some words, they
even misspelled the words I asked them to spell. For the next meetings, I then decide to teach them
how to pronounce the word before reading. In terms of classroom interaction, some students kept
going in and out of the classroom and also made some noises that ruined their classmates‘
concentration. Probably I was not too strict with the rules which lead them that way. Therefore, I
have to be stricter in the future and speak louder so that I could impress them and make them follow
the rule. I think that my teaching philosophy agrees with what I experienced in Microteaching class.
The thing to be changed is that I should be more creative with my teaching resources so that the
students will be more interested in my classroom.‖ (T#1_RTJ-PST1_Entry #4)
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
101
In this case, PST 1 thought that word pronunciation and spelling were
indicative of the classroom problem. Also, she was troubled managing the
classroom when some students seemed to ignore the rule during the lesson.
Therefore, her imaginative testing (such as teaching pronunciation explicitly,
being stricter to the students and speaking louder, as well as being more creative
with teaching resources) got in way of her reflection process. Similar case also
applied during her fifth and sixth meeting of teaching as noted below:
―Besides that, I will teach them how to write analytical exposition text by using mind mapping.
However, since I didn‘t prepare any mind map and explaining what mind map is, they became
confused and didn‘t know what to do. For the following meeting I have to prepare the media and
explain about it in detail.‖ (T#2_RTJ-PST1_Entry #5)
―My teaching technique in this meeting was mind mapping, which is appropriate in teaching
writing. My only drawback today was I didn‘t prepare the media as sophisticated as I made in
Microteaching class… One of my shortcomings in this meeting was not providing the students with
vocabulary list pertaining to their writing acivity so that they were having difficulty during
composing time because of their limited vocabulary. Perhaps I should provide them with related
vocabularies in order to help them write… I think this meeting‘s success was when they came with
ideas for writing. However, I think I haven‘t managed to make the students understand how to make
a correct sentence. Sometimes they write ―can‖ followed by ―to‖, while I have told them that it‘s
not correct. Perhaps I shouldn‘t ask them to compose a paragprah, since it‘s difficult for them.
Instead, I should focus on teaching them how to make correct sentences [before composing
activity].‖ (T#3_RTJ-PST1_Entry #6)
The foregoing extracts demonstrate how covert testing in the fifth meeting of PST
1‘s teaching became overt testing in the following meeting as she verified the
hypothesis that mind map would help the students in composing activity. As the
hypothesis was tested out, PST 1 found out some flaws, making her rethought
about the way she prepared the teaching resources. Moreover, other covert
testings also emerged in her reflection, such as providing the students with
vocabulary list and focusing on teaching them how to make correct sentences
before writing activity.
4.1.1.1.2 PST 2
In terms of submitted journal entries, PST 2 yielded total six teaching journals.
Unlike PST 1 whose first entry was about the commencement of the program in
the host school and the last one was about her reflection on the end of the
program, all of her submitted journal entries were about her reflections on her
teaching and learning experience in the classroom she was assigned to teach. In
PST 2‘s data, all elements of reflection were identified indicating the development
of her reflection process. Similar to the trend found in her journal entries,
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
102
hypothesis was also the least frequent occurring element during the stimulated
recall session.
Table 4.2 Recap of PST 2’s elements of reflection in reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Occurrence in
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
Total in RTJ
Total in SR
TOTAL
Suggestions
2
1
2
1
1
1
8
3
11
Problem
3
1
1
1
1
7
2
9
PST 2
Hypothesis
1
1
2
1
3
Reasoning
1
1
1
1
4
4
8
Testing
1
1
2
4
5
9
Overall, total occurrences of PST 2‘s reflective phases as indicated from the
submitted journal entries and stimulated recall session, as illustrated in Table 4.2,
yielded with suggestions as the most frequently occurring element and hypothesis
as the least frequent appearing element. After suggestions, the revealed elements
were problem and testing, while reasoning positioned the next occurrence.
Similar to PST 1, in journal Entry #1 and #2, PST 2 showed typical
development of reflection of a novice teacher as she only focused on exploring
some suggestions, such as ways to break the ice in the classroom, and the
problems she faced, such as students‘ difficulty in grammar and comprehending
the materials in general. In Entry #3, she showed further development of
reflection as she came with justification for reviewing the previous lesson. The
following entries, as indicated in journal Entry #4, #5, and #6, revealed more
progress in her reflection process because she managed to reflect in a full cycle as
indicated by the revelation of suggestions, problem, and hypothesis in the first
phase and reasoning and testing in the second phase of the reflective cycle. This
trend was more evident during the stimulated recall session as more revelation
identified in the second phase. Such further progress in her reflectivity partly lent
to cognitive stimulation during the interview session.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
103
5
4
Suggestions
3
Problem
Hypothesis
2
Reasoning
1
Testing
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.7 PST 2’s trend of elements of reflection in reflective teaching journal entries and
stimulated recall session
As illustrated by Figure 4.7, PST 2‘s overview of elements of reflection
reflects her process of reflection which took place during the field teaching
program. In all of her submitted journal entries, the most frequently occurring
element was suggestions, yielding with total eight occurrences. Yielding with total
seven occurrences, problem placed the second, while reasoning and testing,
occurred equally, each yielded with total four occurrences. The least occurring
element in her reflection process as detected in her teaching entries was
hypothesis, yielding with only two. The trend, however, was quite different during
the stimulated recall protocol, revealing testing as the most frequently occurring
element followed by reasoning, suggestions, and problem as the second, third,
and fourth occurrences respectively. This is due to more stimulation given during
the stimulated recall session encouraged her to reflect more on over or cover
testing in her teaching experience.
4.1.1.1.2.1 Suggestions
In all of PST 2‘s teaching journal entries, suggestions were never absent in her
reflective cycle process. Like PST 1, besides problem, this phase most of the time
became PST 2‘s point of departure in her reflection. Figure 4.8 demonstrates
overall frequency of PST 1‘s occurring suggestions throughout her reflective
teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated recall interview.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
104
3
2
1
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.8 Frequency of suggestions’ occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective
teaching journal entries and stimulated recall session
Figure 4.8 illustrates the presence of suggestions in the development of PST
2‘s reflective process during the field teaching program. During the field teaching
experience, the use of suggestions was explored and realized by PST 2. This
reflective phase was mostly revealed during the stimulated recall session as she
was encouraged to talk about the suggestions came to her during her teaching
practice.
In the following selected vignettes, suggestions are presented. At the third
meeting, for example, suggestions came to PST 2 when she examined the
classroom situation. She was a bit annoyed by some inconsiderate students and
some thoughts came to her mind as illustrated in the following extract:
―After the third meeting, I started to feel a bit annoyed since it seems that the students don‘t know
or perhaps they don‘t want to appreciate what I have done for their class so far; from preparing and
making teaching media, preparing teaching materials and explaining in front of the class until my
mouth went dry. But now, as I‘m reflecting it, I start to think about many things like: (a) the ways to
make them understand the material I‘m delivering to them because as far as I‘m concerned they still
don‘t get whatever I deliver to them, (b) the ways to make them want to do the tasks that I assign
them to do, or (c) maybe they‘re bored with the way I teach since I always use teaching media
which I put on the whiteboard and pair work technique.‖ (S#4_RTJ-PST2_Entry #3)
In this way, PST 2, during her reflection-on-action after the class dismissal,
thought deeply about how to deal with the students who she felt did not quite
welcome her in their classroom. As she reflected, she examined some things such
as the way to make them understand the material, the appropriate instruction she
could use in order to make the students willing to face the tasks given to them,
and the consideration that perhaps the source of the problem was her instead of
the students.
In other occasion, when reviewing one of her teaching episodes during the
stimulated recall session, PST 2 acknowledged that she kept what her lecturer, Mr.
H, told them in the Microteaching class that a certain case, like failure to execute
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
105
the lesson plan well as planned beforehand, would more likely to happen in the
real classroom as she experienced during her teaching practice. She recalled that:
―The students in this classroom are also in trouble when it comes to grammar as they couldn‘t
assemble even a good sentence containing a subject. It‘s sooooo difficult to them. That‘s why when
I talked to the mentor teacher, I said: Mam, it’s impossible to reach the stated objective as planned
when the students’ ability is far below the standard, even worse, I think, it’s close to minus. So, they
have nothing at all. Then I remembered what Mr. H told us in Microteaching class that things like
this will more likely to happen. All that we need is we have to identify what to be the students‘
difficulties and not to be stuck with the lesson plan because once we are determined with what have
been planned in it, nothing will work out.‖ (S#1_SR-PST2)
In this way, PST 2, in almost all her teaching sessions, decided to keep examining
her students‘ progress and made possible modifications on her lesson plans during
the teaching and learning sessions so that the students‘ need could be covered.
4.1.1.1.2.2 Problem
In all of PST 2‘s teaching journal entries, problem emerged mostly in the first
journal entry. Afterwards, in entries 2, 3, 5, and 6, she reflected about the
problems she encountered in her classroom less. The only part when problem was
absent in her reflection was in entry 4. Like PST 1, this reflective phase also
sometimes became PST 2‘s point of departure in her reflective teaching journals.
3
2
1
0
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.9 Frequency of problem’s occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
As Figure 4.9 illustrates, the frequently occurring problem throughout PST 2‘s
reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated recall session
signals her concern over the problem she came across in the real classroom. As a
novice teacher, this element is sometimes explored more than the other elements
due to its easiness to spot during the classroom interaction.
In the following selected extracts, PST 2 experienced some problems in
different ways. She encountered difficulties in her first teaching session.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
106
Classroom management, teacher-students interaction, as well as lesson plan
implementation are of paramount problems in her classroom.
―Actually I was very nervous ever since the commencement day of our field teaching. But when I
walked into the classroom, I took a deep breath. After greeting the students, I tried to implement my
lesson plan. At the beginning, everything went smoothly. They seemed to listen to the lesson
attentively. However, I realized I ended up talking to myself. Then I tried to break the silence by
throwing some jokes. Some of them smiled, some even laughed out loud and some of them tried to
ask some questions.‖ (P#1_RTJ-PST2_Entry #1)
And she further continued in her teaching journal entry:
―Considering the lesson plan, I felt it didn‘t go as I planned before because whenever I asked them
to do something like understanding passages, writing, or speaking, they just kept silent. While in
fact, before asking them to write or speak, I have provided them with explanation and sufficient
examples using media. I found out that they are having trouble with grammar. For example, out of
the two sentences I asked them to make, none of them was correct. At last, I ended up explaining
grammar rather than focusing on what I have planned before. So, my lesson plan didn‘t work at
all.‖ (P#2_RTJ-PST2_Entry #1)
As her first real teaching experience, PST 2 could not come with alternatives in
managing the problems she was exposed to. To her realization, at least she could
handle the situation a bit so that the students were in order but not with the lesson
plan which did not go as planned.
During the interview in stimulated recall session, she confessed that the other
problem adding to the students‘ inability to complete the classroom activities and
tasks well was because their limited knowledge on grammar. She recalled that:
―That‘s the biggest problem I encountered. Because they are really in trouble in terms of grammar.
In each classroom activity, especially [when teaching] expression in speaking and when I asked
them to write a simple dialogue using the given expression, having provided them with exact
similar situation, they couldn‘t make the dialogue. Well, actually they know nothing at all. Writing
was the most difficult thing to deal with during the classroom instruction because such activity
would stuck due to their limited knowledge. They have no vocabulary storage at all when they were
asked to write. They would keep asking Mam, what is it in English if we want to say this.... They
kept asking, asking, and asking.‖ (P#1_SR-PST2)
In her reflection after the teaching activity, unlike PST 1 who assumed that the
students questioning things was the indication of their willingness to learn, PST 2
assumed that such a situation indicated the students‘ poor ability. She even tended
to exaggerate the students‘ ability by claiming that the students know nothing at
all as she stated they are really in trouble in terms of grammar; actually they know
nothing at all; and the students have no vocabulary storage at all when they were
asked to write. Of course this is not the real case since the students that PST 2 was
facing in the classroom were high school students who certainly have been
exposed to English lessons at least since their junior high school, making them
people with minimum mastery of basic English vocabularies at the very least.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
107
4.1.1.1.2.3 Hypothesis
In all of PST 2‘s teaching journal entries, hypothesis was only revealed later in
entries 4 and 5. As shown in Figure 4.7 earlier, in her reflection process, this
element definitely occurred hand-in-hand with the appearance of testing because
the hypothesis being formulated were then followed with either overt or covert
testing. This phase indicates PST 2‘s attention to her teaching and learning
process in the classroom as she could identify what seemed to work well or not.
Figure 4.10 deals with overall frequency of PST 2‘s occurring hypothesis
throughout her reflective teaching journal entries and transcript of stimulated
recall interview.
1
0
Entry #1
Entry #2
Entry #3
Entry #4
Entry #5
Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.10 Frequency of hypothesis’ occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
The following vignette demonstrates how hypothesis emerged during her
teaching practices. As for PST 2, after revealing the importance of English to the
students, she managed to persuade them to be more open about their problems.
Having shared the stories, she came into some hypothetical conclusions as the
following:
―Thank God… After I explained to them about [learning and the importance of] English, they
started to be open about their problem in learning English. Most of them are having troubles in
grammar and limited vocabularies so that they are facing difficulties in speaking, writing, listening,
even reading that they cannot comprehend the passages. So, it is difficult. Besides that, they said
that their English teacher at the school did not care whether they understand or not what the teacher
was delivering and she kept going. Also, they acknowledged that I spoke too fast in front of the
classroom while all this time whenever I asked them whether I spoke too fast or not, they just said
that it was fine.‖ (H#1_RTJ-PST2_Entry #4)
The aforementioned reflection clearly shows how PST 2 transformed the
information she gathered from the students into tenable suppositions and working
hypotheses. She assumed that the students‘ difficulty in learning English might be
due to the students‘ problems in grammar and vocabularies, the subject teacher‘s
ignorance of the students‘ need, and the PST‘s pace in the classroom in delivering
the material.
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
108
In other occasion, when developing plan for the next teaching by considering
the students‘ difficulty in composing a text, PST 2 would like to test her
hypothesis that by providing worksheet to the students, it would help them write
what the syllabus required. She reflected:
―For the next meeting, the lesson would be analytical exposition text which writing as part of the
taught skill. At the previous meeting when teaching report text, I found out that the students
couldn‘t write. Ideally, they should be able to produce a report text or analytical exposition text.
However, in fact, they are struggling with composing simple present sentences, let alone composing
a text. Since I have to teach analytical exposition text as required in the syllabus, I tried to make
worksheet (guidance) which could help the students compose a text.‖ (H#2_RTJ-PST2_Entry #5)
Further, when reflecting about the problems she faced during teaching a topic, she
hypothesized as follows:
―I think it‘s not difficult to transfer [the knowledge]. But it seems they‘re quite difficult to
understand. Probably because they‘re not accustomed to my teaching that so far it‘s only about 20%
or 30% of the material they could understand.‖ (H#1_SR-PST2)
The extract of transcript above signifies that during the first times of her teaching,
PST 2 found the level of the students‘ comprehension on the teaching material she
delivered was very low. Judging from her teaching frequency, she tentatively
concluded that probably it was about spending more time and familiarizing her
teaching instructions with the students that would root out the problems.
4.1.1.1.2.4 Reasoning
In a similar fashion to PST 1, this reflective phase only appeared from PST
2‘s third entry onwards, indicating the process of reflection did exist in her
teaching and learning process during the field teaching program. In order to be
able to move to the second phase of reflective cycle in the reflection process,
proper guidance and stimulation need to be effectively addressed to PST 2, as the
encouragement towards this phase during stimulated recall session proved to be
able to reveal her justification the most.
4
2
0
Entry #1 Entry #2 Entry #3 Entry #4 Entry #5 Entry #6
SR
Figure 4.11 Frequency of reasoning’ occurrence in the PST 2’s data of reflective teaching
journal entries and stimulated recall session
Sitti Nurfaidah, 2016
EFL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ REFLECTION: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDONESIAN INSTRUCTIONAL
CONTEXT
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia| repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
109
As Figure 4.11 illustrates, reasoning occurred in PST 2‘s process of reflection
from the third entry onwords. In journal Entry #3, PST 2 justified that due to
technical problem with power supply which hindered her from using overhead
projector, she decided to review the previous lesson. In journal Entry #4, she
accounted for why she claimed it was a bad day. Moreover, in journal Entry #5,
she explained why she was concerned with the students‘ low motivation in
learning English, which then she found out the answer to such situation as she
revealed in journal Entry #6.
The following vignette illustrates how the reasoning took place when PST 2
was caught up in the problem of her students‘ lack of motivation as reflected in
the following excerpt:
―I‘m really concerned with the students because they are very lazy, no motivation to learn a