Resource 1: Action-reflection cycle

 Background information / subject knowledge for teacher

The diagram shows the following steps in the action-reflection cycle:

• Plan an activity.
• Act by putting the plan into practice, and observe how it goes.
• Record what you observe.
• Reflect on what happened.
• Revise your plan, or make a new plan.
• Put the revised or new plan into action, and observe again.
• Record and reflect again.
• And so on, and so on …

Everything you do as a teacher can become part of an action-reflection cycle.

(See also Key Resource: Researching in the classroom.)