DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER'S REFLECTIVE SKILL THROUGH PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

Participants:Nassiba Iskakova, Zakira Seidualiyeva.

Key words: development of reflection, professional support, ongoing development. analysis of planning, teaching and assessment,

The purpose of the research: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of professional support on the development of teacher’s reflective skills which is provided by support trainers. Also, it tended to provide them with professional support in the process of ongoing professional development and create conditions for improving the level of professional skills.  As support  trainers, we noticed the lack of teachers’ reflective skill when they write a reflective account on their lessons concentrating on four focuses: planning, teaching, assessesment and complex analysis. Our  aim  was to assist in writing reflective reports and help teachers to analyze their planning, teaching, and assessment. Systemic professional support allows  to develop  teachers’ reflective skill, to guide their  professional development.Thus, literature articles were reviewed and identified the research question “How is teacher’s reflective skill enhanced through the professional support to identify the difficulties and find their solutions?”  

Research issue: “How is teacher’s reflective skill enhanced through the professional support to identify the difficulties and find their solutions?”

Methodology. Participants in the research consisted of focus group: 10 teachers. Data collection methods were chosen as qualitative and quantitative techniques: • an initial interview with focus group-teachers • an in-between interview with focus group-teachers • the final survey with focus group-teachers Owing to qualitative we can see only the figures and it does not show the progress in reflection quality. For this reason the quantitative research was also tended to be used to quantify attitudes and opinions that are more helpful to keep statistics and see how the teachers are aware of reflective skill.

Results and outcomes: The independent assessment of reflective accounts that was given by experts of the Center for Pedagogical Measurement revealed that teachers’ reflective skill level was improved. According to annual results, it was found a progress in the writing of reflective account. Also, in order to identify the progress of reflective skill development, the focus group was interviewed as initial, in-between and final surveys. Thus, following to this algorithm, there is a gradual improvement in teachers’ reflection, which facilitates their professional development. Overall, the teachers need the professional support to enhance their reflection. Also, they need to constantly improve their professional competence, including professional development, readiness for innovations, ability to adapt to constant changes in the educational environment and development of creativity. A pedagogical reflection is considered to be the crucial key to success in each teacher’s professional practice. A modern teacher should be able to analyze his/her own professional teaching in the area of planning, teaching and assessment and predict the results of their influence on the student in the learning process. The ability to reflect will allow teachers to make changes in teaching based on observations, feedbacks, analyses of students’ success and the effectiveness of the assessment methods and strategies which are used during teaching. Based on the analysis teachers could identify the area of development and forecast the development of practice. It is a big chance for us to exchange our experience on the world stage with international teachers where we could share with our practice. Reflection is considered to be the core component of teacher’s effective ongoing development in order to become a skilled teacher. And we think our findings will help not only in our organization as well as teachers all around Europe to improve their practice.

Resources: 1.Wallace, M. Training Foreign Language Teachers: A Reflective Approach (Cambridge Teacher Training and Development) – Cambridge University Press, 1991. 2.Hargreaves A. (2000), the Effect of Teacher Professional Development in Raising the Quality of Teaching, p. 151152). 3.Knowles M. Sh., Andragogy: The Adult Learning Theory. 4.Zimnyaya I.A. (2001) Linguopsychology of speech activity. Moscow – Voronezh: Russian Academy of Education. 5. Vostroknutov S.I. (2008) Improving the reflective skills of students in the process of preparing for professional practice // Pedagogy. 6. Dewey J. (1859–1952) Experience and Reflective Thinking.