Recently, reflective practice is becoming an important feature (Farrell , 1991) and prominent

paradigm (Sze, 1999) in language teachers education programs around the world. Similarly
Scale (2012) considers it as a key to become proffesional teachers by which these
proffesional teachers are required to promote effective teaching (imer, imer, and Vekli,
2013).Taking into account these importances, it could be said that reflective practice may
promote effective learning. Therefore, teachers have been encouraged to carry out reflective
practice in their teaching ( Schon, 1991; Farrel, 2005; Farrell, 2007). However, to apply this
practice, there are some shortcoming and barrier which should not be taken for granted.

Before going further, it is necessary to understand the definition of reflective practice.There

is more than a hundered definition proposed by experts (Farrel, 2008). Schn (1987; 1991),
defines it as thinking back on what have done after doing the practice ,called reflection on
action. He also suggest that reflection can be taken placed during the action, named reflection
in action. Rather differently, Ghaye and Ghaya (1998) defines reflective practice as a process
of research conducted by teachers individually or collectively in which the outcome are used
to challenge and reconstruct the action and eventually develop insight. The more practical
definition viewed by teaching perspective is provided by Richard and Farrel (2005) and
Bolton (2010). They agreed that reflective practice as a process of critical examinations
towards classroom experiences which leads to a better understanding of ones teaching
practice and routines. Thus, it could be concluded that reflective practice is a process of
research conducted by teachers individually or collectively to evaluate critically on what has
been done in their own practice and make an improvement in their practice based on their
evaluation.

The steps to apply reflective practice are sequential and continual as Kolb, Dewey, Gibbs,
explain in their cycles. In general, the models proposed by them are more likely similar. It
begins with observing the action that has been done, thinking back and evaluating the action
by finding the reason why it went right or wrong, planning and syntesising future action for
an improvement, and experimenting it again with the plan. However, Gibbs includes feeling
in his cycle. According to him, it is important to record emotions in reflective practice in
order that the practitioner can evaluate and manage their feeling better after doing reflective
practice.

Despite the term reflective practice has been defined and the steps already been set up by
several experts as above, undeniably it has been criticized as unclear definition and lack of
clarity by some opponents (Newman, 2006; Kinsella, 2003; Bengtsson cited in Sze, 1999)
They claimed that the term reflective practice lead to many different interpretations and
confusion among practicioners. Shabeeb and Akkary (2014) found that there was
misinterpretation about the meaning of reflective practice by some teachers and even the
director of proffesional development in a school in Libanon. However, Farrel (2008) said that
he does not think reflective practice is lack of clarity at the scholar level. According to him a
teachers or reflection groups ought to decide what their idea about reflective practice based
on their interpretation. Indeed, the definition and the stages explained is unlikely to make
practicioner missguided. It is probably that misinterpretation takes place because the teachers
do not fully understand the meaning for reflective practice itself.

Appart from that, reflective practice offers a number of benefits. Firstly, it makes teachers
become more aware of their practice. This practice allows teachers to act in a deliberate,
intentional manner and to keep them away from the action without fundamental reasons
(Farrel, 2008; Brookfield, 1995; Ghaya & Ghaye). It means teacher aware of belief and the
theories underlying their practice. Reflection also allows educators to recognize their feeling
look at how experienced teachers personal beliefs and theories influence their perception and
evaluation of their teaching ( Scale, ...Farrel, 2008). This claim is consistent with studies
conducted by Farrel (2010) and Farrel and Ives (2015) which highlighted that teachers
become more aware of their beliefs about teaching after discussing with other experienced
teachers they work with and Farrel (2007) founded the teacher become confident and feel
good after reflecting their feeling.

Moreover, Harnett (2012) argues reflective practice makes teachers become more aware of
their faults. The faults done may lead problems take place. When teaching practice
comprises repeated problems, reflection can predict the common order and pattern of the
problems (Ghaye & Ghaya, 1998). Having such awareness, the teachers, seemingly can
anticipate the problems and be more careful in making decision. For instance, after learning
their faults teacher become understand how to deal with challanging learner behaviour in the
classroom, selecting material and task that suit to learners need and abilities, as well as
monitoring and recording learners progress appropriatly (Brookfield, 1995).

Through reflective practice teachers can also consult their problems of their teaching practice
with others. Brookfield ( 1995) says, a teacher is not a lone ranger who hereoicly fight for
his or her own chaostic problems. It means that teachers should not solve their problem
alone because they have friend and colleagues to share with. Similarly, Harnett (2012)
reflection enable teachers to share their idea and experience with their collegues. By sharing
teachers would able to exhange ideas and gain better understanding toward a variety of
encountered issues. Then, they are more likely to able to find the solution to tackle the
problem (Farrel, 2008).Thus, it has been agreed that reflective practice work best when it is
shared ( Schon, 1991; Farrel, 2008; Dowson, 2012).

Furthermore, reflective practice enable teachers to keep develop their professionalism.

Reflective practice is a continues cyclical process ( Ghaye & Ghaya, 1998) as it can be seen
in Kolb, Gibbs and Deweys cycle. These process are more likely to make the teachers to be
life-long learners ( Scale) as they always learn from their experience and make a better
change to improve their teaching in the next action and this process take place continuesly.
Besides, if this practice is mentored by experts, take university lecturers, for instance.
Teachers are more likely to be exposed with the theories underlying their practice and be
exposed with updated research studies which can guide them to develop their profesionalism.

On the other hand, reflective practice may benefit students. According to Brookfield (1995) it
develops students critical thinking skill and creates democratic learning environment for
learners.He claimed that teachers who regularly carry out reflective practice are more likely
to invite their students to questions critically to their own practice. The teachers show an
openness of their ideas, believe, assumptions, and action to be critiqued and they appreciate
those critique seriously. Hence, students voiced are listened and fairness is nourished.
Indeed, Brookfield believed that this could be one of powerful encouragement to develop
students critical thinking habits because teachers have created a climate in which change and
risking failures are valued. As a result, learners also are encourgared to reflect and improve
their learning (Scale). According to him, these are they key skills in active learning.

Although reflective practice benefits both teachers and learners, it requires teachers who are
skillful in research. Moran and Dallat (1994) claims teachers are presupposed to be
reaserchers doing sequential steps of research. In fact, not all teachers have the skills (
Harnett, 2012) and they might require the skills and prior knowledge before they study and
examine their own practice. If teachers do not get any adequate support, they are more likely
to face challenge in doing reflective practice. Some teachers are confused in using tools to
collect evidence (Shabeeb and Akkary 2014) and do not know how to make journal and
evaluate their critically (Farrel, 1999). According to them, this is because not all teachers
know and have skill in reflective practice. Therefore, they need sufficient support to teach
them skill and give them help to take up the reflective practice.

Moreover, teachers need to allocate more time to do the complex process of reflection. In
their busy daily teaching, reflective practice requires teachers willingness to devote their
time to write journals or use other tool to record their practice. Then, they have to manage
time to arrange meeting with their colleagues or supervisors. Farrell (1999) noticed that too
little time to get to know each other among the participants of group discussions. It indicates
the extended time required to do reflection.

Appart from the limitation above, Brookfield (1995) claims culture of secrecy may hinder
teacher to critically reflect their own practice. He says, Where a culture of secrecy exists,
reflection is doomed. According to him culture of secrecy is unwillingness to share private
dilemmas, uncertainties, and frustrations of practice to the public. Teachers might have the
unwillingness to share their failure of their practice to the others because they tend to be
anxious to blamed and judged by their colleges or even they might think their reputation
would be down if they share with others. If this anxiety is too much, it can hinder reflective
practice to be taken placed (Farrel, 1999). According to Dowson (2012), the anxiety can also
lead to an unscholarly echo-chamber. It means that the teachers may have done journaling
and docummenting their practice, but they do not want to share and consult with their
colleagues. By doing so, they merely reflect based on their own assumption and view and
they do not get input or new insight from out side. As a result, the reflective practice may not
be effective.

To sum up, reflective practice is a contiual process of learning done by teachers through
reseraching their own practice. This process enable teachers to be aware of their practice and
to dig deeper their understanding toward the strengths and weakness of their performance.
However, this practice requires teachers to be skillful in examining their own practice and it
relatively takes time. Even, this practice can be hindered by anxiety which is undergoned
by the teachers.