Innovation in Language Learning

This study explores the notion of reflexivity, teachers’ critical consciousness and self-awareness of their positionality, assumptions, and power, among the language teachers of the Bangladeshi host community and the Rohingya refugee community in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In the context of the Myanmar Curriculum Pilot, launched in 2021 by UNICEF and few other implementing partners to deliver Rohingya children education based on the Myanmar national curriculum, these teachers are contending with new professional and cultural challenges. The introduction of a socio-culturally responsive, reflective and reflexive curriculum has transformed the pedagogical practices in the camps.

Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers from both groups in order to obtain nuanced, in-depth reflections of their attitudes towards language, curriculum, and teacher identity. In addition, a broader range of data on self-reported reflexive practices and beliefs was collected using a survey questionnaire (n = 60 per group).

The findings indicate that reflexivity was at the core of professional practice of teachers. Educators described the roles they have played in reacting to curriculum changes, adapting pedagogy, and addressing cultural and linguistic diversity. Host-community teachers highlighted the importance of reflexivity to understand the refugee learners’ needs, and to manage their own positionality as ‘outsiders’. In contrast, the ‘insiders’, teachers from the Rohingya community, also highlighted how reflexivity helped them to balance personal identity, community expectations, and the responsibility of preparing children for a possible return to Myanmar.

Teachers identified reflexivity as a gateway towards resilience, professional growth and empathy against multiple challenges, including large numbers of students, limited resources and unpredictable futures. The paper concludes that reflexivity is not only a theoretical concept but also a practical tool that enables teachers to navigate the complexity of refugee education. A commitment to reflexivity among teachers could strengthen the quality and inclusivity of education in emergencies in crisis settings.