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Reflective Practice
International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives
Volume 20, 2019 - Issue 1
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Original Articles

The ‘thinking aloud’ process: a way forward in social work supervision

Pages 97-110 | Received 18 Aug 2017, Accepted 27 Dec 2018, Published online: 11 Jan 2019
 

ABSTRACT

Within current neoliberal discourses, critical reflection provides opportunity for innovation in social work practice. This article describes a thinking aloud process used with supervisor–supervisee dyads in community-based child welfare social work to assist critical reflection via the use of open-ended questioning and inquiry. The strength of thinking aloud permitted a deeper appreciation of how the supervision session is utilised to reflect on practice and provided a learning tool within supervision. The feedback from the dyads concurred that thinking aloud assisted in stimulating reflection, developing solutions to the key issues discussed, and was transformative in recognising areas for future development. The process of thinking aloud supports the opportunity and space for the supervisor and supervisee to articulate meaning, critically develop insight, reconstruct, and transport this into future practice. Thinking aloud offers an example of how knowledge can be co-constructed by practitioners within practice and critical reflection captured within qualitative research approaches.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matt Rankine

Dr Matt Rankine works as a Lecturer at the University of Auckland in Aotearoa/New Zealand and is involved in the delivery of social work theory and practice skills papers, child protection for the Bachelor of Social work and Masters (Professional) degrees and Postgraduate Professional Supervision papers. Matt has provided external supervision to a range of inter-professional disciplines for many years and has practised in social work working with children, young people and families in Aotearoa/New Zealand and in the United Kingdom.

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