Assessing teachers' perception, practice, and challenges of implementing reflective teaching in EFL: The case of Tarcha zuriya woreda secondary schools' grade nine in focus

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to explore EFL teachers’ perception, practice and challenges of implementing reflective teaching in seven s elected secondary schools in woreda of Tarcha Zuriya. The descriptive survey strategy was applied in the investigation. Thirty-two respondents (English language teachers`) were selected by comprehensive sampling technique to participate in filling questionnaire. Ten respondents from them were selected by simple random sampling technique for classroom observation and those ten teachers participated during observation are also choose for interview too to triangulate data. The relevant data were collected through close-ended questionnaires from instructors, semi-structured interview and none—participant observation of classroom. Quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of data was used. The data gained from questionnaire were checked for its completeness summarized, ordered and encoded in computer then analyzed by SPSS version 26. The data were shown quantitatively in the form of percentage, frequency, value of mean as well as deviation of standard whereas qualitative information was analyzed by describing. Finding of the data showed teachers’ perception of reflective teaching inclined in moderate (medium)perception. In practice of reflective teaching, the mean value falls on ‘rarely’ that indicate the majority of respondents have doubt in implementing reflective teaching practice as a way their teaching style. Lastly, the finding of teachers` challenges on reflective teaching displayed that reflective teaching is a challenge-full activity as it requires considerable amount of time and energy to frequently record and plan lesson. Giving and taking feedback are also demanding tasks in reflective teaching. To sum up, as result showed EFL teachers` perception, practice and challenges of implementing reflective teaching in selected high schools of Tarcha Zuriya Woreda were moderately perceived, less practiced and implementing considered as a challenge full activity. So, EFL teachers need to enhance their knowledge about the use and implementation of reflective teaching.