Educating Through Reflective Practice: English Teacher Training in Armenia

This chapter describes an innovative teacher training programme at the American University of Armenia (AUA). The AUA TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Master’s Program offers a distinct approach to teacher education, with reflective practice at its core. Student teachers’ experiences will be reviewed through the lens of Farrell’s (Promoting Teacher Reflection in Second Language Education, Routledge, 2015) five-stage framework for reflection on practice. The framework is helpful for examining student teachers’ ongoing professional development as they review their philosophies, principles, theories, teaching practices, and transitions to broader communities of practice. As Armenia prioritizes high-quality English education on national and institutional levels, AUA fulfils a need not presently addressed in other local university programmes. Reflective practice is embedded in all MA curricula, including the Teaching Practicum and Internship classes. These courses involve both novice and experienced student teachers in collaborative teaching practice, enabling them to reflect with mentors and supervisors. Student teachers further design either original EFL-oriented research or unique curricula and materials for local contexts, addressing practical and theoretical topics for everyday real-world challenges. These endeavours directly impact education in Yerevan and other regions of Armenia. This chapter illustrates how engaging in reflective practice advances student teachers’ growth as EFL educators. The chapter may be useful for policymakers and teacher trainers in light of a greater need for reflection in teacher education.