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Beginning with the reasons for carrying out action research, this guide for language teachers can be used by them to analyse and investigate their own expertise and develop it in a systematic way.
This book presents first-person accounts providing the basis for exploring the challenges and constraints of action research.
This hands-on, practical guide for ESL/EFL teachers and teacher educators outlines, for those who are new to doing action research, what it is and how it works. Straightforward and reader friendly, it introduces the concepts and offers a step-by-step guide to going through an action research process, including illustrations drawn widely from international contexts. Specifically, the text addresses: action research and how it differs from other forms of research the steps involved in developing an action research project ways of developing a research focus methods of data collection approaches to data analysis making sense of action research for further classroom action. Each chapter includes a variety of pedagogical activities: Pre-Reading questions ask readers to consider what they already know about the topic Reflection Points invite readers to think about/discuss what they have read action points ask readers to carry out action-research tasks based on what they have read Classroom Voices illustrate aspects of action research from teachers internationally Summary Points provide a synopsis of the main points in the chapter Bringing the 'how-to' and the 'what' together, Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching is the perfect text for BATESOL and MATESOL courses in which action research is the focus or a required component.
Based on original research, this book explores the fundamental relationship between research and practice in English language teaching. Teacher Research in Language Teaching uses empirical evidence taken from an international survey of over 1,700 teachers and educational managers, over a period of six years. It examines their views of research, whether they read ELT research, and whether they do their own research. The author goes on to explore the process which teachers go through in learning to do research, and the research cultures within teaching institutions. The book concludes with a review of the key findings to emerge from the research and a discussion of strategies through which language teacher research engagement can be promoted more productively.
Responding to the linguistic and cultural diversity of the U.S. K–12 student population and an increasing emphasis on STEM, this book offers a model for professional development that engages teachers in transformative action research projects and explicitly links literacy to mathematics and science curriculum through sociocultural principles. Providing detailed and meaningful demonstrations of participatory action research in the classroom, Razfar and Troiano present an effective, systemic approach that helps preservice teachers support students’ funds of knowledge. By featuring teacher and researcher narratives, this book centers teacher expertise and offers a more holistic and humanistic understanding of authentic and empathetic teaching. Focusing on integrating instructional knowledge from ESL, bilingual, and STEM education, the range of cases and examples will allow readers to implement action research projects in their own classrooms. Chapters include discussion questions and additional resources for students, researchers, and educators.
This qualitative-interpretative study investigates a cohort of twelve English teachers enrolled in the M.A. programme ,E-LINGO – Teaching English to Young Learners'. The aim is to explore if, how and under what circumstances classroom action research, a core component of the pro gramme, can foster teacher learning. Since the participants have different educational and cultu ral back-grounds and various levels of professional experience in the ?eld of language teaching, they offer different perspectives on the object of research. Data from multiple sources are triangulated and interpreted to elicit indicators for learning and development in the form of critical learning incidents. The results suggest that not only cogni tive, but also social and affective factors constitute the complex process of teacher learning.
Born of the author's own experience working with teachers and principals, "Action Research, Fourth Edition, "provides a research-based step-by-step outline of how to do action research. The author guides teachers and administrators through the action research process via numerous concrete illustrations; positioning it as a fundamental component of teaching. "Action Research "helps to develop teachers and administrators with professional attitudes, who embrace action, progress, and reform. Features Balanced coverage of quantitative data collection and analysis techniques Chapter 4, Data Collection Techniques, covers collection techniques for the most frequently used qualitative and quantitative data, including observations, interviews, teacher-made tests, and standardized test data. Chapter 6, Data Analysis and Interpretation, guides students through data analysis and provides techniques, coding guidelines, and examples for analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data. Additional coverage of mixed methods research has been added throughout the book. A focus on producing critical consumers of action research A new chapter, Evaluating Action Research (Chapter 9), helps students become critical consumers of research. Included in Chapter 9 is an article from an action research journal that is analyzed using the new criteria for evaluating action research. Appendix A, Action Research in Action, contains an extended example and evaluation of an action research case study. An expanded coverage of ethics Chapter 2, Ethics, provides an expanded discussion of ethical guidelines and provides guidance for seeking and obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Integration to the MyEducationLab for Action Research website The fourth edition of "Action Research" includes margin note integration with MyEducationLab for Action Research, a dynamic online learning environment that provides students with the opportunity to build a better understanding of action research through engagement with real products from the research process. A user-friendly format Chapter objectives give students targets to shoot for as they read and study Key Concept boxes provide students with an efficient review of important vocabulary and theory Research in Action checklists provide students with guidelines to use in each stage of the action research process
The current thrust in the field of education is to improve teachers’ understanding of how research on best practices can improve student learning. The field of world language education introduces a double, perhaps a triple, bind: teachers must be able to design and deliver instruction that aligns with national expectations for developing students’ language and intercultural abilities for success in the global workplace, yet in schools across America, all K-12 students do not have the opportunity to study languages, even though research supports their astonishing facility for acquisition. Schools and teachers without resources, including time to investigate and implement evidence-based best practices, are ultimately held accountable for student performance. If world language teachers are to advocate for languages, they must use their expertise and share evidence of their students’ progress. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) recently began development of a national research priorities agenda for grades preK-16. Action research, which is classroom-centered and inquiry-based, can contribute to our profession’s efforts, as it helps us to increase awareness of the critical need for language study in grades preK-16. World language teachers can become teacher-researchers in their own classrooms, gathering deeply meaningful insights into their students’ progress that they can share with others. Teacher-researchers investigate innovative approaches in response to their questions about teaching and learning, which are rooted in daily experience. They engage their students in fresh learning activities, and student feedback helps them to make better decisions about instructional and assessment strategies. Results can be shared with stakeholders, including parents, administrators, school board members, and guidance counselors, as evidence of what all kinds of students can do in languages. At a time in our history when we are striving to prepare teachers for 21st-century schools that prioritize global competence, Action Research in the World Language Classroom is a timely resource for the profession. It describes a natural, engaging, motivating way to contribute, particularly for preservice teachers who are shaping their views and understanding about world language instruction and the connections between research and best practices. The book includes four studies conducted by preservice teachers during their student teaching internships in North Carolina public schools. The editor hopes that their work and observations will inspire and assist world language educators at all stages of their careers.
This two volume handbook provides a comprehensive examination of policy, practice, research and theory related to English Language Teaching in international contexts. More than 70 chapters highlight the research foundation for best practices, frameworks for policy decisions, and areas of consensus and controversy in second language acquisition and pedagogy. The Handbook provides a unique resource for policy makers, educational administrators, and researchers concerned with meeting the increasing demand for effective English language teaching. It offers a strongly socio-cultural view of language learning and teaching. It is comprehensive and global in perspective with a range of fresh new voices in English language teaching research.
This edited collection explores the use of Exploratory Practice (EP) by language teachers in classrooms. Written by practitioners, the chapters showcase unique examples of each principle of EP, with topics ranging from mentoring practitioner researchers, to teaching and learning in EAP, and investigating curriculum development in language teaching programs. The book provides example EP studies and gives voice to practitioners’ experiences of the challenges they experienced as well as the benefits. Examples include tackling intercultural communication in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms; pedagogy and curriculum design in language teaching; explorations of continuing professional development in language education. In doing so, it offers tools that can be transferred to other classroom contexts and used to aid teacher development. The concluding chapter highlights critical aspects of Exploratory Practice which emerge in the studies and examines how practitioners advanced their understandings. This book will appeal to those working in Applied Linguistics, TESOL research, as well as language teachers and teacher educators.
