Informal dialogic reflections for language teachers

This study investigates the integration of dialogic reflection, that of reflective practice that emphasizes the importance of dialogue in fostering in critical thinking, meaning making, and the reconceptualization of professional practices (Brown & Sawyer, 2016), with John Macmurray’s (1961) relational philosophy to address the tensions between functional and personal dimensions of education within high-performance systems. In such systems, education is often reduced to measurable outcomes and instrumental goals, sidelining the personal and relational aspects of teaching and learning. Building on Fielding and Moss’s (2010) critique of performative education, this research emphasizes the need for informal, open-ended, invitational dialogue that prioritizes person-centeredness and ethical deliberation over closure and instrumentalism. The study aims to fill a critical gap in the literature by proposing a relational, dialogic approach to reflection that contrasts with confrontational or prescriptive methods, fostering a deeper understanding of the purpose and practice of education. The research employs a qualitative design, utilising in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven language teachers (English, Chinese, and Malay) from a mainstream secondary school in Singapore. These teachers engaged in dialogic reflection, guided by critical questions about the purpose of education, the nature of knowledge, and the role of relationships in teaching and learning (Fielding & Moss, 2010). The interviews were designed to elicit teachers’ beliefs and practices, focusing on the interplay between academic goals and holistic student development. Data were analysed using Dialogic Discourse Analysis with codes derived from the dimensions of personal and functional meaning, ensuring a relational understanding of their educational practices. Key findings reveal that dialogic reflection enables teachers to: (1) critically examine and redefine the purpose and scope of language education, (2) reconceptualize well-being and personal relationships in schools, and (3) challenge the disciplinarity of language education by integrating personal and functional perspectives. Teachers reported a shift in their understanding of education, moving beyond instrumental goals to embrace a more holistic, person-centred approach. This transformation highlights the potential of dialogic reflection to foster autonomy, self-creation, and new ways of living within educational practices. The study contributes to the field by proposing a relational dialogic reflection framework that bridges functional and personal perspectives. This framework offers actionable insights for teachers, researchers, and policymakers, advocating for a more person-centred, ethically grounded approach to professional development in language education. By prioritizing dialogue and relationality, the framework challenges the dominance of performative paradigms and supports the creation of educational environments that value both personal growth and functional achievement.