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Kolb's experiential learning theory in action: fostering empathy and practical skills in language teacher education.

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Title: Kolb's experiential learning theory in action: fostering empathy and practical skills in language teacher education.
Authors: Javahery, Pourya1 (AUTHOR) pouryajavahery@gmail.com, Bavandi, Zahra2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Reflective Practice. Feb2026, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p30-44. 15p.
Subject Terms: *Education of college teachers, *Language & languages, *Empathy, *Qualitative research, *Philosophy of education, *Internship programs, *Learning, *Kolb's Experiential Learning theory, *Research methodology, *Problem-based learning, *Comparative studies, *Continuing education, Self-efficacy, Statistical sampling, Interviewing, Questionnaires, Descriptive statistics, Reflection (Philosophy), Social perception, Hospital medical staff, Thematic analysis, Conceptual structures, Phenomenology, Grounded theory, Professional competence
Geographic Terms: Iran
Abstract: This study investigates the impact of unknown language modules on the empathy, understanding of language acquisition, and teaching practices of language teachers, utilizing Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) as the theoretical framework. Conducted with 12 language teachers in Iran, including both pre-service and in-service educators, the research employed a qualitative methodology with data collected through semi-structured interviews, narrative notes, and reflective notes. The research design included purposive sampling, and data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis revealed that engaging in the unknown language modules significantly enhanced participants' empathy towards beginner language learners by immersing them in the challenges of novice language acquisition. This experiential learning process facilitated a deeper understanding of students' cognitive and emotional struggles and led to notable improvements in teaching practices. Teaching strategies adopted by participants included greater use of scaffolding, learner-centered approaches, and individualized support for language learners. The study highlights how Kolb's ELT effectively addresses the theory-practice gap in teacher education, allowing participants to reflect on and integrate their experiences with theoretical knowledge. The findings suggest that incorporating similar experiential learning modules into teacher training programs can bridge the gap between theory and practice, fostering more empathetic and effective teaching strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Reflective Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
FullText Text:
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Reflective+Practice%22">Reflective Practice</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p30-44. 15p.
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  Data: This study investigates the impact of unknown language modules on the empathy, understanding of language acquisition, and teaching practices of language teachers, utilizing Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) as the theoretical framework. Conducted with 12 language teachers in Iran, including both pre-service and in-service educators, the research employed a qualitative methodology with data collected through semi-structured interviews, narrative notes, and reflective notes. The research design included purposive sampling, and data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis revealed that engaging in the unknown language modules significantly enhanced participants' empathy towards beginner language learners by immersing them in the challenges of novice language acquisition. This experiential learning process facilitated a deeper understanding of students' cognitive and emotional struggles and led to notable improvements in teaching practices. Teaching strategies adopted by participants included greater use of scaffolding, learner-centered approaches, and individualized support for language learners. The study highlights how Kolb's ELT effectively addresses the theory-practice gap in teacher education, allowing participants to reflect on and integrate their experiences with theoretical knowledge. The findings suggest that incorporating similar experiential learning modules into teacher training programs can bridge the gap between theory and practice, fostering more empathetic and effective teaching strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Reflective Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/14623943.2025.2521108
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 30
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Education of college teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language & languages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empathy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Philosophy of education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Internship programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kolb's Experiential Learning theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Problem-based learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Continuing education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self-efficacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reflection (Philosophy)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hospital medical staff
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Conceptual structures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phenomenology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grounded theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional competence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Iran
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Kolb's experiential learning theory in action: fostering empathy and practical skills in language teacher education.
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            NameFull: Javahery, Pourya
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            NameFull: Bavandi, Zahra
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            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 27
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            – TitleFull: Reflective Practice
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