Strategies for Fostering Reflection
Hatton and Smith (1995) reported four activites that in in the process of reflection:
Action Research Projects
Case and cultural studies
Practical experiences
Structured curriculum tasks:
Reading fiction and non-fiction
Oral interviews
Writing tasks such as narratives, biographies, reflective essays, and keeping journals.
However, although these strategies have the potential to encourage reflection, there is little research evidence to show that this is actually being achieved.
Obviously "fact" questions do not promote reflection (e.g., What are the functional areas of an air base?). But posing hypothetical situations produced similarly disappointing results (e.g., Assume you have inherited a significant sum of money and wish to buy land in an environmentally sensitive area on which to build. What factors will go into your decision and why?). In contrast, the most successful probe asked learners to write a one page letter to a parent, sibling or other significant person in their lives.