Exploring experienced teachers’ attitudes to critical incidents

ABSTRACT

A teacher’s professional life comprises several experiences with a pivotal role in shaping the very essence of teaching. Critical Incidents constitute a significant part of these aforementioned experiences of teachers. Within this study conducted at a high-school in Turkey, 17 experienced teachers’ critical incidents which left a mark in their professional lives and their attitudes towards these incidents were revealed through Critical Incident Technique developed by Flanagan in 1954. Besides, teachers’ current opinions regarding their attitudes at the time of incidents were questioned. This study aimed to explore the difference between the way how teachers acted towards critical incidents and how they would act if they experienced the incidents today. The study also targeted to demonstrate if teacher attitudes undergo a change as they become experienced. This study is expected to contribute to literature concerning teachers’ mental lives and to have implications for teachers and other researchers on the field in terms of reflective teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical incidents
• critical incident technique
• narrative inquiry
• teacher development
• reflective teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emrah Akdağ

Emrah Akdağ has been an English language teacher for more than 23 years besides giving classes related to language exams, such as TOEFL, IELTS, FCE, YDS, and LYS. He has got MA degree from the ELT Department of Cukurova University and is still continuing PhD education under the roof of the same university. His research focuses on PBL, Educational Technology, and Critical Thinking. He still conducts research on EFL-related issues at high school context.