Reflective Journals and Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Professional Development: A Correlational Study

Abstract

Teacher professional development is essential for any teacher training program. To achieve this, pre-service teachers should engage in various activities and practices. One important practice is reflection, which can help teachers improve both their professional and personal performance. In Morocco, English Language Teaching (ELT) training programs, such as those at the Regional Center for Education and Training (CRMEF), use reflective portfolios to foster the professional development of pre-service teachers. This article examines the relationship between Moroccan pre-service EFL teachers maintaining reflective portfolios and their professional development. Data were collected from n=49 teacher trainees from different Moroccan CRMEFs. This correlational study was conducted using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, ranging from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree." Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha, which indicated that the items had relatively high internal consistency. The Alpha coefficient for the items related to maintaining reflective portfolios was α = .939, and for those concerning teacher professional development was α = .976. The survey, created using Google Forms, was shared with participants via institutional emails and social media platforms. The collected data were processed and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Due to the violation of some assumptions in this study, a Spearman’s Rho correlation coefficient test was employed.  The results demonstrated a statistically significant positive correlation between keeping reflective portfolios and teacher professional development, r = .572, N = 49, p = 0.000. This study also offers pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research.