Table 1 Working with Borton’s reflective model

This is the description and self-awareness level and all questions start with the word “what”.

This stage combines the reflective processes of identifying the experience and describing it in detail.

This is the level of analysis and evaluation when we look deeper at what was behind the experience.

This stage breaks down the situation and tries to make sense of it by analysis and evaluation, drawing on previous experience and knowledge.

This is the level of synthesis. Here we build on the previous levels these questions to enable us to consider alternative courses of action and choose what we are going to do next.

This stage combines the process of exploring alternatives and planning actions that will be put into practice.

Examples

What happened?

What did I do?

What did others do?

What was I trying to achieve?

What was good or bad about the experiences

Examples

So what is the importance of this?

So what more do I need to know about this?

So what have I learnt about this?

Examples

Now what could I do?

Now what do I need to do?

Now what might I do?

Now what might be the consequences of this action?