Page 30 - ELG2312 Dec Issue 487

REVIEWS .

The Reflective Cycle of the Teaching Practicum
By Fiona Farr and Angela Farrell
Equinox, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-78179849-2
or many undergraduate trainee
teachers in the UK, the final year
spent in classrooms in different schools
Fcan be a harrowing experience. The
most demanding of the three stints I did was
usefully situated next to a police station just
outside Northampton; help was at hand if
needed, I felt. As with most readers of this
journal, though, I survived and eventually did
most of my learning on the job, in my own
case in central Turkey.
I should point out that much of what
has been published over the past decade
on reflective practice (RP) I have found
confusing, and it was with a degree of caution
I approached this title. So here goes: the book
under review here focuses on the practice
cycle or ‘practicum’ of the ELT education
programme, and if you’re looking for
entertaining anecdotes relating to alarming
episodes experienced by novice teachers,
then the chapters within are probably not for
you. However, as they outline the reflective
thought processes of ten teachers during their
practicum in schools in Ireland on a course
leading to an MA in ELT, then much of it will
probably resonate.
The reflective model presented here is
labelled ‘PENSER’, and if you listened even
a little on your High School French course
you’ll recognise that verb without my needing
to remind you. It’s also an acronym describing
the cycle outlined by the authors: Puzzle
identification, Embracing, Noticing, Solving,
and Experimentation and Research. The cycle
of these five steps in five weeks is repeated
three times over the course of an academic
year. For each cycle, student teachers
are asked to identify one aspect of their
teaching practice where they felt particularly
challenged, and on which they could focus
during the following cycle. All crystal clear
thus far, I think you’ll agree. Let’s take a
closer look.
Chapter One introduces the concept
of RP; it explains its origin and provides Chapters four to seven trace the reflective appropriate teacher talk and interactive
several evidence-based cases showing how thinking and professional development skills, including the role and features of L2
effective it may be. Also outlined are the of the ten teachers involved in the study. classroom communication. Case studies
inevitable pros and cons. In the following Chapter Four focuses on challenges faced involving two more course participants,
chapter the authors explain their PENSER in the early days of lesson planning and Nina and Maria, are examined in chapter
approach, and cover the literature related preparation. For novice teachers, classroom Eight, as they engage in post-observation
to RP theories, frameworks and approaches. management is of the utmost importance, feedback sessions. In the concluding chapter
Moving closer to the classroom, Chapter and the following chapter provides snapshots the authors suggest that the RP model
Three discusses socio-cultural theory and, of challenges faced by the research cohort, they outline may be introduced on teacher
almost inevitably, Vygotsky’s theory of anxiety being one of the main issues. Chapter development programmes. I would fully
the zone of proximal development (ZPD). Six introduces the reader to three cases, of agree; this title more than most on the same
After reading here how short his life was, which 22 year-old Shona is the first. By going topic, manages to clarify the value of RP
however, I think perhaps we should refrain through the PENSER stages, Shona was to ELT practitioners.
from continually stating how inchoate his able to overcome her initial difficulties with
notion of the ZPD appears. Completing teaching English grammar. The targeted RP
this chapter are immensely insightful involved in PENSER also enabled the two
sections on the huge value to novice others to assume a more confident and expert Wayne Trotman is a teacher
teachers of mentorship and observation teacher identity and role. educator at Izmir Katip
by teacher educators, cooperating teachers Corpus linguistics is used in Chapter Çelebi University, Izmir, Turkey.
and peers. Seven to assist with the development of
30 December 2023