Year: 2026 | Month: July | Volume: 13 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 442-457
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260746
Reflective Practice in Navigating Challenges in the Enactment of HOTS: Insight from Indonesian EFL Teachers
Fatwadika Adinia Dakoranis1, Puji Astuti1
1Universitas Negeri Semarang, Master’s Program of English Language Education, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia.
Corresponding Author: Fatwadika Adinia Dakoranis
ABSTRACT
This study aims to explore English teachers' collective understanding of how they navigate challenges in enacting HOTS through their reflective practices. The research used a qualitative approach with a case study design incorporating three English teachers as research participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and teachers' reflective journals, then analyzed using thematic analysis guided by Farrell’s reflective practice framework. The results showed that teachers faced various challenges in the enactment of HOTS, including limited student abilities and motivation, large class sizes, limited learning time and facilities, and limited opportunities for collaborative learning. Nevertheless, teachers can respond to these challenges through reflective practices. These reflective practices help them evaluate the learning process, design improvements for future learning, and make pedagogical decisions directly by adjusting the classroom situation. The study's findings show that reflection is not only an evaluation but also a mechanism for addressing challenges and strengthening agency in adaptive decision-making. In doing so, reflective practice enables teachers to adjust learning strategies to students' needs and dynamic learning conditions. This study concludes that reflective practice is an important component in supporting the effective implementation of HOTS and contributing to the professional development of teachers, and improving the quality of English language learning.
Keywords: Challenges, EFL Teachers, HOTS, Reflective Practice, Teachers' Professional Development
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