Stimulated recall, teacher beliefs, and teacher practices: Using structured reflective practice to examine teacher talk

Abstract

Teacher talk is one of the key instructional components in English language teaching classrooms. This study used reflective practice and stimulated recall to investigate teacher beliefs and practices about teacher talk. Data came from two participants who teach English as a second language (ESL) courses at a private university in the United States. Findings of the study illustrated a disconnect between teacher beliefs and practices regarding teacher talk, suggested that quality and quantity of teacher talk are intertwined constructs that cannot be understood in isolation of each other, and highlighted the role of silent time in teacher talk. Implications for how stimulated recall through reflective practice can be used as a teacher education tool are discussed.