Redefining Teaching and Learning Cycle: A Study on Reflective Insights For Enhancing an Intercultural EFL Lesson Delivery in Timor, Eastern Indonesia
Keywords:
teaching and learning cycle, reflective practice, EFL lesson delivery, intercultural competence, instructional enhancementAbstract
This qualitative study explores the reflective insights of an EFL teacher in Timor, Eastern Indonesia, with the aim of identifying strategies to enhance lesson delivery within Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC) model. The TLC is a spiral framework for running language instruction and incorporating assessment as a reflective stage within each stage. This study draws on the teacher’s reflective journal, which captures classroom observations, self-evaluation, and decision-making processes during lesson delivery of each TLC model stage. This study utilizes thematic analysis in identifying key themes across the TLC stages. Results of the study underscore the themes, including questioning skills, recycling the cycle to support student comprehension, enhancing teaching approach and classroom management, providing relevant examples and revising based on student feedback, and improving support for student writing. The results suggest that the teacher’s reflective insights corresponded to students needs, create participatory learning atmosphere, and inform instructional decision-making. These insights have implications for, firstly, EFL teachers to revisit their reflective practices; secondly, teacher educators to provide advocacy in preparing effective reflective practice, and, thirdly, policymakers as they can inform the development professional development programs the refinement of the TLC model to strengthen its applicability and impact in diverse educational contexts. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of research on the role of teacher reflection in optimizing instructional practices and student learning outcomes within the TLC framework.
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