The Perception of Persian Language Teachers to Non-Persian Speakers (AZFA) of Reflective Teaching: Examining the Role of Educational and Experiential Factors in Professional Development

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The present research aimed to investigate the level of the perception of Persian language teachers to non-Persian speakers (AZFA) of the components of reflective teaching and analyze the role of educational and experimental variables in its formation. This research attempts to fill the gap between theoretical foundations and field evidence, given the lack of empirical studies in teaching Persian to non-Persian speakers. The research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method with a survey approach. 34 teachers from universities and centers teaching Persian to non-Persian speakers participated in this research by the convenience sampling with voluntary participation. The data collection tool was a localized Trinh's (2024) questionnaire with twelve items on a Likert scale and four components (source of information, development of professional thinking, growth of teaching skills, and solving educational problems), whose validity was confirmed by experts and its reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.87. Data analysis was done with SPSS-26 and statistical tests (Friedman, independent t-test, analysis of variance, regression, Spearman). The mean of the components (>4) indicated a positive attitude of teachers towards reflective teaching, but no significant difference was observed between the components (P>0.05). In addition, demographic variables (age, gender, educational degree) did not have a significant effect; while educational and experiential factors (level of classes taught, completion of teacher training courses, source of familiarity with reflective teaching) had a significant relationship with some components; thus, the findings show that reflective teaching is a teachable skill and depends on educational factors. Designing teacher training courses with an emphasis on reflective teaching can improve the quality of education and professional development of Persian language teachers to non-Persian speakers (AZFA).

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References

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Persian Language International Teaching Studies
Volume 10, Issue 18
September 2024
Pages 103-120

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History

  • Receive Date: 20 February 2024
  • Revise Date: 26 April 2024
  • Accept Date: 19 May 2024

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