Realisation of reflective teaching during the teaching practice of English major students

Abstract

Abstract. There is a unique establishment realizing tertiary education in Transcarpathia. It is the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education located in Berehove/Beregszász. This is a relatively new college established 22 years ago, in 1996. It can be considered exceptional because instruction, besides other languages, is also given in Hungarian, the native language of one of the many national minorities living in Transcarpathia. As outlined in the Charter of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, the language of instruction is Ukrainian, Hungarian and English. The free choice of the language of instruction is aligned with paragraph 3 of Article 48 of the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”, which states that “… Ukraine’s higher education establishments of a private form of ownership have the right to choose a language of instruction provided that the official language is taught as a separate discipline to all persons enrolled in such institutions” [4]. Microteaching presents the very first chance for student-teachers to try reflecting on their teaching, i.e. implement reflective teaching in their teaching process. It is the first step of pre-service teachers when they can start developing their classroom skills, and acquire a repertoire of teaching strategies. The second step on the long road of becoming competent teachers is the teaching practicum. This is the time when student-teachers become aware of how they teach, of the kinds of decisions they make as they teach, and of the value and consequences of particular instructional decisions that they make during their teaching [6]. This is possible to achieve through observing one’s own teaching and reflecting on it, i.e. implementing the reflective approach to teaching.