They have lessons to teach me: Critical reflection and autoethnography in an Australian adult migrant English program

Abstract

<p>In this chapter, autoethnography is used to highlight critical issues in English language teaching (ELT), viewed through my eyes as a teacher working with refugee-background English language learners in an Australian adult migrant English program (AMEP). I begin with a brief introduction to autoethnography and discuss recommendations made in recent literature for this methodology in ELT to adopt a more critical approach. I then reflect on the two-year period I taught in the AMEP and incidents that prompted me to reconsider assumptions I had held about my position and privilege as a teacher. I discuss some practical applications of critical reflection in my teaching practice and consider possible ways forward for teachers and researchers in AMEP seeking to engage in collective inquiry and dialogue around critical issues.</p>