Reflective assignments in TESOL and applied linguistics

TESOL/applied linguistics students are invariably asked to engage in a range of reflective tasks during their university programmes, and may wish to continue to do so in their professional careers for further development purposes. In this chapter we explore the nature of such assignments, both written and spoken. We also unpack the various facets of what an examiner might consider important components to be included in a reflective assignment, accompanied by a range of real examples. Finally, we present some common pitfalls that students may wish to avoid and the answers to some frequently asked questions they may wish to consider.