Questions 1-7
The reading passage has seven sections, A-G.
Choose the correct heading for sections A-G from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-xi in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
- The difficulties experienced by educators
- Reflection is different for teachers and students
- The help required from outside sources
- Ways in which to teach students reflective learning
- Some of the doubts expressed by educators
- The negative effects of reflective learning
- How contemplation helps make for better learning
- The usefulness of working with your fellow students
- Examples of reflective learning in fiction
- How reflective learning is helping students pass exams
- Research carried out into the amount of time that should go into reflection
The answer is vii. Section A primarily discusses how reflective practice, or contemplation, assists teachers in improving the quality of education by enhancing their professional development and increasing learner performance. The section specifies that 'Reflective practice, the ability to reflect on an action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning, has become a focus of interest and a powerful movement in teacher education.' This aligns with heading (vii) 'How contemplation helps make for better learning'. The entire section provides background on why reflective thinking benefits teachers and positively impacts educational outcomes.
Associated Text:
Reflective practice, the ability to reflect on an action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning, has become a focus of interest and a powerful movement in teacher education. Reflection simply means thinking about something, but for some, it is a well-defined and crafted practice that carries very specific meaning and associated action. Reflective teaching, at a very general level involves ‘thinking about one’s teaching’. It is a process where teachers think over their teaching practices, analyze how something was taught and how the practice might be improved or changed for better learning outcomes.
The answer is viii. Section B discusses the usefulness of working with fellow students in the context of reflective practices, particularly in pre-service teacher training. It states, 'Coaching and peer involvement are two aspects of reflective practices seen most often at the pre-service level.' The research cited emphasizes both the importance of coaching by teacher educators and the support found within peer reflective groups for developing reflective skills. This best matches heading (viii) 'The usefulness of working with your fellow students'.
Associated Text:
Coaching and peer involvement are two aspects of reflective practices seen most often at the pre-service level. They found that the use of peer reflective groups encouraged student teachers to challenge existing theories and their own preconceived views of teaching while modeling for them a collaborative style of professional development that would be useful throughout their teaching careers.
The answer is ii. Section C highlights the differences between reflection in student teachers and in practicing teachers. It says, '...much of the literature is about reflection in student teachers. Sometimes it is difficult to dissociate the literature that concerns the development of reflective student teachers from that of reflective practising teachers, and as these two groups are substantially different in their likely uses of reflection.' This directly supports heading (ii) 'Reflection is different for teachers and students'.
Associated Text:
Sometimes it is difficult to dissociate the literature that concerns the development of reflective student teachers from that of reflective practising teachers, and as these two groups are substantially different in their likely uses of reflection.
The answer is i. Section D details the difficulties educators face in developing reflective practice among experienced teachers. It discusses the complexity and abstract nature of the concept, as well as the lack of guidance in the literature: 'They were particularly interested in investigating the conditions under which reflection might flourish - a subject on which there was little guidance in the literature.' This is best described by heading (i) 'The difficulties experienced by educators'.
Associated Text:
They were particularly interested in investigating the conditions under which reflection might flourish - a subject on which there was little guidance in the literature.
The answer is xi. Section E describes research into how much time is required for proper systematic reflection among teachers. The passage states, 'The researchers estimate that the initial training of the teachers to view events objectively took between 20 and 30 hours, with the same number of hours again being required to practice the skills of reflection.' This provides specific attention to the research on the time commitment necessary for developing reflective skills, matching heading (xi) 'Research carried out into the amount of time that should go into reflection'.
Associated Text:
The researchers estimate that the initial training of the teachers to view events objectively took between 20 and 30 hours, with the same number of hours again being required to practice the skills of reflection.
The answer is iii. Section F focuses on the support and encouragement teachers need from external sources (administrators and colleagues) to develop reflective practice. It states, 'Support from administrators', 'The second is the availability of sufficient time and space', and 'The third is the development of a collaborative environment with support from other teachers.' These necessities indicate the importance of external help, which aligns with heading (iii) 'The help required from outside sources'.
Associated Text:
The first is support from administrators in an education system, enabling teachers to understand the requirements of reflective practice and how it relates to teaching students. The second is the availability of sufficient time and space. The third is the development of a collaborative environment with support from other teachers. Support and encouragement were also required to help teachers in the program cope with aspects of their professional life with which they were not comfortable.
The answer is v. Section G discusses doubts and challenges regarding the implementation of reflective practice among teachers. It mentions the cultural obstacles and motivational factors, saying, 'there appear to be many unexplored matters about the motivation to reflect – for example, the value of externally motivated reflection as opposed to that of teachers who might reflect by habit.' This focus on unresolved questions and reservations best matches heading (v) 'Some of the doubts expressed by educators'.
Associated Text:
There appear to be many unexplored matters about the motivation to reflect – for example, the value of externally motivated reflection as opposed to that of teachers who might reflect by habit.
Questions 8-9
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 8-9
on your answer sheet.
8. It was believed that reflection could help teachers…
9. What did the teachers working with Wildman and Niles often fail to do when they attempted to practice reflection?
The answer is B. In Section D, the passage says, 'reflective practice could help teachers to feel more intellectually involved in their role and work in teaching and enable them to cope with the paucity of scientific fact and the uncertainty of knowledge in the discipline of teaching.' Option (B) is supported because it states that reflection helps strengthen teachers' intellectual connection to their work, which matches the author's view.
Associated Text:
reflective practice could help teachers to feel more intellectually involved in their role and work in teaching and enable them to cope with the paucity of scientific fact and the uncertainty of knowledge in the discipline of teaching.
The answer is C. In Section E, the passage explains that teachers tended 'to evaluate events rather than review the contributory factors in a considered manner by, in effect, standing outside the situation.' This shows that the main issue was their failure to thoughtfully examine possible causes of classroom events. This matches option (C).
Associated Text:
Further observation revealed the tendency of teachers to evaluate events rather than review the contributory factors in a considered manner by, in effect, standing outside the situation.
Questions 10-14
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 10-14 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
The answer is NOT GIVEN. Nowhere in Sections D or E does the passage mention that teachers in the experimental strategy were required to record their reflections in writing; it only describes group discussions and reflection on teaching events. Thus, the statement's accuracy cannot be confirmed based on the passage.
Associated Text:
The answer is YES. Section D states, 'They were concerned that many would be drawn to these new, refreshing conceptions of teaching only to find that the void between the abstractions and the realities of teacher reflection is too great to bridge.' This supports the idea that Wildman and Niles worried teachers might find reflective practice too abstract to apply in reality.
Associated Text:
They were concerned that many would be drawn to these new, refreshing conceptions of teaching only to find that the void between the abstractions and the realities of teacher reflection is too great to bridge.
The answer is NO. Section F states: 'Wildman and Niles identify three principles that facilitate reflective practice in a teaching situation.' However, it does not say that all three principles are designed specifically to help teachers cope with problems that may arise as a result of reflection, but rather to facilitate reflective practice generally. Therefore, the statement contradicts the passage.
Associated Text:
Wildman and Niles identify three principles that facilitate reflective practice in a teaching situation. The first is support from administrators in an education system, enabling teachers to understand the requirements of reflective practice and how it relates to teaching students. The second is the availability of sufficient time and space. The third is the development of a collaborative environment with support from other teachers.
The answer is NOT GIVEN. The passage in Section G discusses the importance and difficulty of motivation as a factor in adopting reflective practice, but it does not explicitly state or suggest that overcoming the difficulties will depend on the nature and intensity of teachers’ motivation. Therefore, there is insufficient information to confirm or deny this claim based on the text.
Associated Text:
The answer is YES. Section G makes it clear that 'There appear to be many unexplored matters about the motivation to reflect – for example, the value of externally motivated reflection as opposed to that of teachers who might reflect by habit.' This confirms that many aspects of the motivation to reflect, including comparisons of different types of motivation, remain unstudied.
Associated Text:
There appear to be many unexplored matters about the motivation to reflect – for example, the value of externally motivated reflection as opposed to that of teachers who might reflect by habit.
