Reflective
Practice for Teachers… with a Little Help from AI
Have
you ever had one of those days where a teaching problem just won’t
untangle itself? You turn it over in your head again and again, but instead of
getting clearer, it just gets knottier?
Yep been
there.
Let
me introduce (or maybe reintroduce) you to a reflective tool that’s stood the
test of time: Cooperative Development. This approach was popularised by
Julian Edge in the early 1990s, and despite the decades, it still feels
incredibly fresh and powerful.
So...
what is Cooperative Development?
At
its heart, it’s a structured, supportive way of reflecting on a teaching issue.
It borrows ideas from Rogerian counselling so think humanistic,
non-judgemental, and focused on deep listening.
There
are two roles:
- The Speaker,
who talks through a problem or challenge they’re facing.
- The Understander,
who listens carefully- not to advise or fix- but to reflect and clarify.
That’s
it. No unsolicited advice. No “have you tried…” Just patient, respectful
listening. And you’d be amazed how effective that can be.
I've
been both Speaker and Understander many times over the years, and I’m always
struck by how powerful it feels. There’s something almost magical about being
listened to so fully. It helps you find clarity and answers that were already
there, just waiting for the right conditions to emerge.
The
Challenge: Finding the Right Partner
Now,
being the Speaker is great. You feel heard. You get clearer. But the
Understander role takes time, practice, and... well, another person.
That’s not always easy to find.
Maybe
your colleagues are busy. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable being that open.
Maybe it’s 11pm and this problem just won’t let you sleep.
Enter:
AI as your (surprisingly helpful) Understander
OK,
hear me out. I’m not claiming that AI can replace the warmth and empathy of a
trusted colleague. But if you’re feeling stuck and need a space to reflect
right now, an AI tool can actually do a pretty decent job of playing that
Understander role.
I’ve
tried a few different methods, and here’s the one I’d recommend if you’d like
to give this a go:
🛠
Step-by-Step: Reflective Practice with AI
1.
Use a Voice-to-Text Tool
Open
up something that records your voice and gives you a transcript. You could use:
- Notes on your phone
- A Word document with
dictation
- Or my favourite: Otter.ai – it’s accurate and has a
decent free version.
2.
Set a Timer for 10 Minutes
Pick
a small (or large) teaching issue you want to reflect on. It could be:
- “How can I better
recycle vocabulary?”
- “Why is this one
learner so hard to connect with?”
Start
talking.
Out
loud.
Don’t
just think it through in your head... actually say it. That bit’s
important. Speak freely, without censoring yourself. If you veer off-topic, no
problem. If it feels a bit rambling or emotional, all the better.
Keep
going for at least 10 minutes. When the timer goes
off, if you’ve still got more to say, go for it. But don’t stop before
the 10-minute mark.
No
one else is going to hear this. So be honest. Be messy. Let your brain do its
thing.
3.
Download the Transcript
In
Otter, it’s easy to download your transcript. Save it somewhere you can copy
and paste from.
4.
Open ChatGPT (or another AI tool)
While
you can try this with other tools like Claude, Gemini, or Pi, I’ve found
ChatGPT works really well for this.
Paste
in the following prompt:
Hi,
I’ve been thinking about my teaching and I have some notes. You are a
world-renowned English language teacher educator who has CELTA, Delta, an MA
TESOL, and many years’ experience. You’re also an empathetic coach. Please read
these notes and let me know what you think. Is that all clear?
Then,
once it responds, paste in your transcript.
Let
the AI reflect it back to you. You might find it simply summarises your
thoughts… or you might be surprised at how clearly it identifies patterns,
reframes ideas, or gently nudges you toward a new perspective.
Use
it Once... or Make it a Habit
You
might do this once and feel a big shift. Or you might find it useful to return
to this exercise regularly, using it to work through different classroom puzzles.
Either
way, it's a gentle, powerful way to create space for reflection—even when
you're flying solo.
Want
More Practical Ideas Like This?
If
this kind of AI-supported reflective practice sounds useful, you’ll find loads
more in my course AI-Powered Language
Teaching. It’s packed with real, classroom-ready ways to use AI to
support your teaching—not just gimmicks, but ideas that actually make your life
easier and your lessons better.
So
why not give this a go? Pick a small teaching issue today and try the 10-minute
voice reflection. Who knows where it might lead?
Happy
reflecting!
