Contribution of Reflective Practices to Strengthening the Pedagogical Autonomy of French Teachers in Secondary Education

Background/purpose. This study explores the role of reflective practices in enhancing the pedagogical autonomy of French language teachers in Moroccan secondary education. It begins with the observation that, although reflective thinking is essential for professional development, its effectiveness is often limited by obstacles such as lack of time, inadequate training, and insufficient institutional support. The main objective is to examine the relationship between the frequency of reflective practices and various dimensions of teacher autonomy, and to identify the most commonly used forms of reflection and the main challenges teachers face.

Materials/methods. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data. An online questionnaire was administered to a sample of 210 teachers, including closed-ended questions to assess reflective practices and autonomy, as well as open-ended questions to capture teachers' perceptions of difficulties. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a subsample to gain deeper insights into the institutional and pedagogical context. Data analysis involved statistical techniques (ANOVA, MANOVA) and thematic content analysis.

Results. Findings show that most teachers engage in some form of reflective practice and that there is a statistically significant relationship between the frequency of such practices and levels of autonomy, particularly regarding method selection, content adaptation, and activity design. However, teachers also reported several barriers, such as time constraints, lack of specialized training, and weak institutional support.

Conclusion. This study advocates several measures to institutionalize reflexivity: incorporating dedicated modules on reflective practices into professional development programs for teachers; allocating specific time slots for individual and collective reflection; promoting professional learning communities (PLCs) to facilitate peer collaboration; and strengthening pedagogical support, particularly for novice teachers. These actions aim to establish a sustainable culture of reflection and facilitate the gradual development of pedagogical and professional autonomy.

Keywords: Reflective practices, pedagogical autonomy, French language teachers, secondary education, professional development.

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