TEACHER EDUCATION AND REFLECTIVE THINKING BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION

The connection between theory and practice in teacher education is a topic which always provokes heated discussion. This article presents efforts on how to complement theory with practice in the education of future teachers of German as a Foreign Language (FL). The education of teachers of German as a Foreign Language at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, Slovenia, serves as an example to point out the instruments which are, according to empirical results, important for the connection of theoretical knowledge and practical performance. The development of reflective thinking in future language teachers during and after their classroom lessons plays an important role. For the first time, students are in the position where they need to analyse their professional performance, to reflect upon it and to connect theory with practice.