In it Together: Teachers, Researchers, and Classroom SLA

Spada, Nina; Lightbown, Patsy M.

doi:10.1111/modl.12792

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…295–296). Spada and Lightbown (2022, this issue) stress the importance of acknowledging the common goal as well. Based on their decades of research experiences with classroom teachers, Spada and Lightbown argue that to reach the common goal, researchers should (a) build trust and long‐term relationships with teachers, (b) build and share knowledge, and (c) follow up and provide feedback to the teachers.…”

Section: Ways Of Removing the Obstaclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Research–Practice Dialogue in Second Language Learning and Teaching: Past, Present, and Future

Sato

Loewen

2022

The Modern Language Journal

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This article explores ways in which a dialogue between researchers and practitioners can be bidirectional, effective, and beneficial for the two professional communities. We suggest concrete directions for second language (L2) research: (a) a collaborative mindset, (b) the nature of research, (c) venues for dialogue, and (d) institutional support. First, we argue that we, researchers and teachers alike, can develop a collaborative mindset and understand that the dialogue is established by equal contributions and benefits. Second, we discuss that if a researcher's intention is to impact practice, they need to consider the practice relevance of their studies. We propose practice-based research, in which practitioners and researchers work together for development and implementation of research. Third, we explore venues where reciprocal contributions may be explored, including teacher-training programs, professional development workshops, and university-school collaborations. Finally, we share our hopes that institutions (universities and schools) will provide support for researchers and practitioners that would help create and facilitate reciprocal relationships, such as time release and promotive incentives. Overall, we argue that researchers shoulder the lion's share of responsibility in paving a path for a productive research-practice dialogue in the future.

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Section: Ways Of Removing the Obstaclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Research–Practice Dialogue in Second Language Learning and Teaching: Past, Present, and Future

Sato

Loewen

2022

The Modern Language Journal

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“…A gap between research and practice is well-recognized in the field of applied linguistics; a gap which is attributable to differences in researchers' and teachers' orientations-practical vs theoretical compounded by a lack of dialogue and collaboration between the two communities (Spada & Lightbown, 2022). Even though knowledge gleaned from research increases our understanding of the world and is crucial for constructing theories and solving real-world problems, the relevance and value of empirical research for language teachers has been questioned and the argument that teachers would be "better off" relying on intuition and professional experience and disregarding input from researchers (Medgyes, 2017) contributes to the research-practice gap.…”

Section: Dialogue Between Tesol Practitioners and Researchersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the potential of X/Twitter for bridging the research-practice gap in L2 education (Sato & Loewen, 2022;Spada & Lightbown, 2022), the purpose of this study was to compare the professional uses of X/Twitter by TESOL researchers and practitioners (i.e., teachers and those in related "professions and roles, such as policy makers, program directors, textbook writers, educational bloggers, and media content producers" [Sato & Loewen, 2022, p. 511]) in order to better understand the role of X/Twitter in connecting and supporting TESOL PLD and research. The following research questions (RQ) were addressed: This exploration allowed us to determine if X/Twitter was being used to connect these two groups and support the members' PLD.…”

Section: Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Uses of X/Twitter by Members of the TESOL Community

Lee,

Abbott,

Wang

et al. 2024

CJLT

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A lack of dialogue and collaboration between researchers and practitioners has been recognized in the field of second language education. Social media platforms such as X/Twitter have potential for connecting professionals in the teaching of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) community and supporting professional learning and research; however, studies of TESOL professionals’ uses of X/Twitter have only examined posts/tweets from a limited number of communities marked by hashtags/ keywords. This study identifies 23 hashtags relevant to TESOL instruction for adults in the Canadian context and used them as search parameters to extract a data set of 4,833 posts/tweets. Eighty-two North American university professors who had published in the field of TESOL, were selected and searched for on X/Twitter. Upon locating 15 X/Twitter professor accounts, all 272 posts/tweets posted over the one-year period, were extracted. Two content analyses were conducted to infer the purpose of the posts/ tweets and identify the hashtags used by the professors. Results reveal considerable variation in the professors’ and other TESOL community members’ uses of X/Twitter and suggest that the two groups participate in rather separate X/Twitter communities. Recommendations for maximizing X/Twitter as a tool for professional learning and research and fostering the research-practice link are provided.

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“…With a call for the pedagogical applicability of (instructed) SLA research findings to classrooms (Sato & Loewen, 2019a), there has been growing scholarly interest in improving the relationship between research and L2 pedagogy (Borg, 2010; Byrnes, 2019; Ellis, 2010; Erlam, 2008; Larsen–Freeman, 2015; Levis, 2016; McDonough, 2006; Mitchell, 2000; Paran, 2017; Sato & Loewen, 2022; Spada & Lightbown, 2022). Although the calls for a constructive research–practice dialogue presuppose L2 teachers’ engagement with research, previous studies have provided little evidence for teachers’ active participation in research‐related activities.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is evidence‐based L2 pedagogy achievable? The research–practice dialogue in grammar instruction

Hwang

2023

The Modern Language Journal

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This study investigated the influence of teachers’ experience with research‐related activities on their current grammar teaching practice and research engagement for second language (L2) grammar instruction. Survey responses were collected from 701 Korean L2 English teachers and were analyzed with exploratory factor analyses and logistic regressions. This study found four major findings, irrespective of the level of teachers’ prior experience with research‐related activities. First, there was a marked discrepancy between teachers’ grammar instruction and pedagogical recommendations of form‐focused instruction studies. Second, in‐class environment was the most influential element in shaping their grammar instruction. Third, more research‐related activities in the past did not lead to noticeable research engagement in the present. Fourth, lack of external support was the biggest hindrance to teachers’ research engagement to implement evidence‐based grammar instruction. However, prior research‐related experience appeared to nudge teachers into acknowledging the value of research while also causing them to be more cognizant of the limited relevance of research to their grammar teaching practice. I argue that the irrelevance of research can be a more serious obstacle to teachers’ research engagement in the long term and L2 pedagogy literacy of researchers is a prerequisite for research‐informed pedagogy to be achievable.

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In it Together: Teachers, Researchers, and Classroom SLA

Cited by 11 publications

References 80 publications

The Research–Practice Dialogue in Second Language Learning and Teaching: Past, Present, and Future

The Research–Practice Dialogue in Second Language Learning and Teaching: Past, Present, and Future

The Uses of X/Twitter by Members of the TESOL Community

Is evidence‐based L2 pedagogy achievable? The research–practice dialogue in grammar instruction

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