ABSTRACT
Reflective practice (RP) has been long established in teacher education as a means of promoting teacher development. However, what has often been lacking from discussions on reflection is how RP ‘gets done’ (Mann & Walsh, 2013). Most commonly used processes for reflection tend to focus on individual written modes, such as diary writing or journalling and portfolios. But these tend to be limiting and have been criticised for producing reflections which can lack depth and criticality. Recent research has identified a need for supporting and even ‘teaching’ reflection in teacher education courses and have called for evidenced-based and data-led approaches to reflection that give clear examples of how it might be best supported. There has also been a move away from a singular focus on individual reflection to incorporate dialogic, collaborative modes that align with socio-constructivist paradigms which highlight co-construction, interaction and mediation. This chapter takes its starting point here and evidences precisely how teachers are supported and trained to do RP through the analysis of a UK-based MA programme which serves as a case study of an INSET programme. The chapter provides data from key modules on the programme which provide examples of how RP gets done by outlining a variety of practices that include reflective activities, tasks and tools. This chapter will be useful for teacher educators or curriculum developers of INSET programmes in particular, who are looking for ways of embedding RP into the curriculum.
