In this webinar, teacher-researchers JD Brown and Christine Coombe explore how teachers can become more research literate.
JD and Christine began by considering the many varied definitions of research in language teaching, and how methodologies have changed over the past few decades. In the 1970s and 80s, they noted, we relied much more on linguistic analysis and case studies; today, teachers have access to a much wider range of methods, such as conversational analysis, corpus analysis, and discourse analysis.
Teacher research has developed by adopting and adapting these methodologies, often combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. In the book they edited, The Cambridge Guide to Research in Language Teaching and Learning, JD and Christine have taken care not to push readers towards a particular method, but have offered an overview of the different methods available, in order to provide people with the knowledge required to make their own choices.
For a teacher to be truly research-literate, they require the following skills:
- Understand what data-gathering strategies can be used to collect dependable and valid information for research
- Recognize well-formulated research questions and how they differ for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research
- Know how data can be analyzed in various research traditions in order to address such research questions adequately
- Recognize sound research interpretations that are justified by research results
- Understand the general differences between sound and unsound research, and read critically
- Communicate effectively with others about research results that they have read
- Use research and research results to maximize the effectiveness of language teaching and learning
JD and Christine finished their talk with a question-and-answer session, answering the audience’s questions on whether all teachers should undertake research, and the best way to communicate research findings. To watch the whole webinar, just click on the play icon below. And to find out more about The Cambridge Guide to Research in Language Teaching and Learning, click here.