The Impact of Mentor Teachers' Advice and Feedback on Pre-service Teachers' Reflection
Vol.31,No.1(2026)
Reflection on one’s own teaching practice is considered a key competence of future teachers, with mentor teachers playing a crucial role in facilitating it. Although non-directive skills (such as asking questions) are important for supporting reflection, mentors typically use directive skills, particularly advice and feedback, in mentoring conversations. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of mentor teachers’ advice and feedback and how these skills influence student teachers’ reflection during mentoring dialogues. Six mentor– student teacher pairs participated in the study, and a total of 24 mentoring dialogues were analyzed. The results showed that despite the mentors’ strongly dominant approach to leading the dialogues, student reflection was nevertheless supported. Three levels of reflection were identified—descriptive, developmental, and transformative—along with varying degrees of elaboration. Feedback was typically specific, mostly positive, often reasoned, and framed from the pupils’ perspective. Advice was generally justified, accompanied by modelling and the mentor’s sharing of personal experience, and framed from the pupils’ perspective. At the same time, the advice offered multiple options for application in practice. Feedback emerged as a typical trigger for desirable transformative and elaborated reflection. The study concludes by outlining implications for practice and research in the context of the ongoing reform of mentor education in the Czech Republic.
mentoring; mentor teacher; pre-service teacher; feedback; advice; reflection
Beek, G. J., Zuiker, I., & Zwart, R. C. (2019). Exploring mentors’ roles and feedback strategies to analyze the quality of mentoring dialogues. Teaching and Teacher Education, 78(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.10.006
Burgos, P., & Lounek, V. (2024). Průběžná evaluační zpráva: Evaluace pokusného ověřování Systému podpory provázejících učitelů. Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy. https://msmt.gov.cz/uploads/Pregradual/NPI_PEZ_final_new.pdf
Clarà, M. (2015). What is reflection? Looking for clarity in an ambiguous notion. Journal of Teacher Education, 66(3), 261–271. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487114552028
Clarke, A., Triggs, V., & Nielsen, W. (2014). Cooperating teacher participation in teacher education: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 84(2), 163–202. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654313499618
Copland, F. (2012). Legitimate talk in feedback conferences. Applied Linguistics, 33(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amr040
Crasborn, F. J. A. J., & Hennissen, P. P. M. (2010). The skilled mentor: Mentor teachers’ use and acquisition of supervisory skills (Doctoral dissertation). Technische Universiteit Eindhoven. https://doi.org/10.6100/IR675808
Crasborn, F. J. A. J., Hennissen, P. P. M., Brouwer, N., Korthagen, F. A. J., & Bergen, T. C. M. (2008). Promoting versatility in mentor teachers’ use of supervisory skills. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(3), 499–514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.05.001
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2014). Strengthening clinical preparation: The holy grail of teacher education. Peabody Journal of Education, 89(4), 547–561. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2014.939009
Davis, E. A. (2006). Characterizing productive reflection among preservice elementary teachers: Seeing what matters. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(3), 281–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.11.005
Dunn, T. G., & Taylor, C. A. (1993). Cooperating teacher advice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 9(4), 411–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X(93)90007-4
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Hawkey, K. (1998). Mentor pedagogy and student teacher professional development: A study of two mentoring relationships. Teaching and Teacher Education, 14(6), 657–670. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(98)00015-8
Hennissen, P. P. M., Crasborn, F. J. A. J., Brouwer, N., Korthagen, F. A. J., & Bergen, T. C. M. (2011). Clarifying pre-service teacher perceptions of mentor teachers’ developing use of mentoring skills. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(6), 1049–1058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2011.03.009
Hennissen, P. P. M., Crasborn, F. J. A. J., Brouwer, N., Korthagen, F. A. J., & Bergen, T. C. M. (2008). Mapping mentor teachers’ roles in mentoring dialogues. Educational Research Review, 3(2), 168–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2008.01.001
Hobson, A. J., Ashby, P., Malderez, A., & Tomlinson, P. D. (2009). Mentoring beginning teachers: What we know and what we don’t. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(1), 207–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.09.001
Hobson, A. J., & Malderez, A. (2013). Judgementoring and other threats to realizing the potential of school-based mentoring in teacher education. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 2(2), 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-03-2013-0019
Hoffman, J. V., Wetzel, M. M., Maloch, B., Greeter, E., Taylor, L., DeJulio, S., & Vlach, S. K. (2015). What can we learn from studying the coaching interactions between cooperating teachers and preservice teachers? A literature review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 52, 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.09.004
Husu, J., Toom, A., & Patrikainen, S. (2008). Guided reflection as a means to demonstrate and develop student teachers’ reflective competencies. Reflective Practice, 9(1), 37–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623940701816642
Korthagen, F. A. J., Kessels, J., Koster, B., Lagerwerf, B., & Wubbels, T. (2011). Jak spojit praxi s teorií: didaktika realistického vzdělávání učitelů. Paido.
Kullman, J. (1998). Mentoring and the development of reflective practice: Concepts and context. System, 26(4), 471–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(98)00033-5
Lazarová, B. (2010). Mentoring jako forma kolegiální podpory a strategie dobré školy. Pedagogika, 55(3–4), 254–264.
Lejonberg, E., & Tiplic, D. (2016). Clear mentoring: Contributing to mentees’ professional self-confidence and intention to stay in their job. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 24(4), 290–305. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2016.1252110
Loughran, J. (1996). Developing reflective practice: Learning about teaching and learning through modelling. Falmer Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203453995
Matsko, K. K., Ronfeldt, M., Nolan, H. G., Klugman, J., Reininger, M., & Brockman, S. L. (2020). Cooperating teacher as model and coach: What leads to student teachers’ perceptions of preparedness? Journal of Teacher Education, 71(1), 41–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487118791992
Maynard, T., & Furlong, J. (1993). Learning to teach and models of mentoring. In H. Hagger, D. McIntyre, & M. Wilkin (Eds.), Mentoring: Perspectives on school-based teacher education (pp. 69–85). Routledge.
Mena, J., Hennissen, P. P. M., & Loughran, J. J. (2017). Developing pre-service teachers’ professional knowledge of teaching: The influence of mentoring. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.03.024
Merket, M. (2022). An analysis of mentor and mentee roles in a pre-service teacher education program: A Norwegian perspective on the future mentor role. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(5), 524–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2022.2127261
Michailidi, E., & Stavrou, D. (2021). Mentoring in-service teachers on implementing innovative teaching modules. Teaching and Teacher Education, 105, 103414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103414
Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy [MŠMT]. (2023a). Kompetenční rámec absolventa a absolventky učitelství. https://msmt.gov.cz/uploads/kompetencni_ramec_absolventa_2023_10.pdf
Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy [MŠMT]. (2023b). Standard studia k výkonu specializační činnosti provázejícího učitele. https://msmt.gov.cz/file/59828/
Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy [MŠMT]. (2023c). Systém podpory provázejících učitelů s cílem zvyšování kvality pedagogických praxí budoucích učitelů. https://msmt.gov.cz/uploads/O_200/Pokusne_overovani_provazejici_ucitele/Material_PO_provazejici_ucitele.pdf
Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy [MŠMT]. (2024). Rámcové požadavky na studijní programy, jejichž absolvováním se získává odborná kvalifikace k výkonu regulovaných povolání pedagogických pracovníků. Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy. https://msmt.gov.cz/uploads/Pregradual/Ramcove_pozadavky_na_studijni_programy_2024_new.pdf
Oosterheert, I. E., & Vermunt, J. D. (2001). Individual differences in learning to teach: Relating cognition, regulation and affect. Learning and Instruction, 11(2), 133–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-4752(00)00019-0
Píšová, M., et al. (2011). Mentoring v učitelství: výzkumný záměr Učitelská profese v měnících se požadavcích na vzdělávání (2. vyd.). Univerzita Karlova, Pedagogická fakulta.
Sedláčková, J., & Fořtová, N. (2025). What’s in it for me: Mentors’ perspectives on their role in language teacher education in the Czech context. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2025.2514642
Spilková, V., & Zavadilová, B. (2021). Mentoring jako prostředek podpory profesního učení studentů učitelství a učitelů. Pedagogická orientace, 31(1), 4–34. https://doi.org/10.5817/PedOr2021-1-4
Strong, M., & Baron, W. (2004). An analysis of mentoring conversations with beginning teachers: Suggestions and responses. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 47–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2003.09.005
Svojanovsky, P. (2017). Supporting student teachers’ reflection as a paradigm shift process. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, 338–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.05.001
Svojanovský, P., & Obrovská, J. (2024). Modelling individuality but advising universality: Ethnography of mentoring pre-service teachers with regard to student diversity. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2024.2311694
Svojanovský, P. (2025). The impact of supervisory behaviour on pre-service teachers’ reflection during mentoring dialogues: Not all imperators are the same. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-01-2025-0005
Tonna, M. A., Bjerkholt, E., & Holland, E. (2017). Teacher mentoring and the reflective practitioner approach. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 6(3), 210–227. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-04-2017-0032
van Ginkel, G., Oolbekkink, H., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop, N. (2016). Adapting mentoring to individual differences in novice teacher learning: The mentor’s viewpoint. Teachers and Teaching, 22(2), 198–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1055438
Vásquez, C. (2004). “Very carefully managed”: Advice and suggestions in post-observation meetings. Linguistics and Education, 15(1–2), 33–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2004.10.004
Vlčková, K., et al. (2020). Řízení třídy: Studenti učitelství a jejich provázející učitelé. Munipress.
Voerman, L., Meijer, P. C., Korthagen, F. J., & Simons, R. J. (2012). Types and frequencies of feedback interventions in classroom interaction in secondary education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(8), 1107–1115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.06.006
Waite, D. (1993). Teachers in conference: A qualitative study of teacher-supervisor face-to-face interactions. American Educational Research Journal, 30(4), 675–702. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312030004675
Wang, X., Husu, J., & Toom, A. (2025). What makes a good mentor of in-service teacher education? A systematic review of mentoring competence from a transformative learning perspective. Teaching and Teacher Education, 153, 104822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104822
Waring, H. Z. (2013). Two mentor practices that generate teacher reflection without explicit solicitations: Some preliminary considerations. RELC Journal, 44(1), 103–119. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688212473296
Waring, H. Z., & Song, G. (2018). Advice in education. In E. MacGeorge & L. Van Swol (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Advice (pp. 217–236). Oxford University Press.
Wilkins-Canter, E. A. (1997). The nature and effectiveness of feedback given by cooperating teachers to student teachers. The Teacher Educator, 32(4), 235–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/08878739709555150
Young, J. R., Bullough, R. V., Jr., Draper, R. J., Smith, L. K., & Erickson, L. B. (2005). Novice teacher growth and personal models of mentoring: Choosing compassion over inquiry. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 13(2), 169–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611260500105477
Zákon č. 563/2004 Sb., o pedagogických pracovnících a o změně některých zákonů. (2014). https://aplikace.mvcr.cz/sbirka-zakonu/SearchResult.aspx?q=563/2004&typeLaw=zakon&what=Cislo_zakona_smlouvy
Copyright © 2026 Studia paedagogica