Looking forward: ideas for future action
1.6.3.1
Self-directed professional development
1.6.3.2 Classroom research
1.6.3.3 From experimentation to research
1.6.3.4 Small is beautiful
1.6.3.5 Ten tips for doing classroom research
1.6.3.6 Exploratory practice
1.6.3.7 Micro-research
1.6.3.8 Action research
1.6.3.9 An example of an action research project
1.6.3.10 Future belief monitoring
1.6.3.11 Suggested sources for further information and professional
development activities
1.6.3.1
Self-directed professional development
The very fact that you are following these DELPHI modules suggests that
you are already a self-directed teacher committed to ongoing professional
development. Following programmes such as DELPHI, or more conventional
in-service training courses and workshops, reading books and journals,
and attending conferences are all ways of achieving professional development.
In addition, there are a number of approaches embedded much more deeply in your teaching: classroom observation and research, including action research. It is beyond the scope of this module to give anything but an introductory account of these, but they are well documented in published sources, a number of which are mentioned throughout the remainder of this activity cycle.
Undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) activity is desirable not only for the obvious reason of becoming a better teacher, but also because it is now necessary to demonstrate regular engagement in such activity to gain membership of professional organisations such as the ILT (Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, soon to be integrated into the Higher Education Academy, or HEA). Do make sure you keep a comprehensive record of all your CPD activities as you may be asked to describe these if you apply for such membership of the HEA or promotion, or even for a new job, in the future.
1.6.3.2
Classroom research
Classroom research does not entail a specific approach or set of techniques.
As Nunan (1992: 91) says, it is 'a research context ... rather than ...
a particular method'. Indeed, methods described by Nunan (ibid)
range from formal experiments to stimulated recall techniques, to observation
schemes, with the only common element being that they are conducted in
or about classrooms.
The range of issues that can be investigated is very broad, encompassing areas such as specific teaching techniques, learner attitudes and behaviour, teacher beliefs and the nature of classroom interaction, to name just a few. A browse through the contents page of any book on second language classroom research will show just how wide a range of topics we have to choose from as the focus for research.
To qualify as research, we would normally expect a project to comprise something involving data (eg recordings made in classrooms) that can be analysed to allow us to observe and understand how something behaves under certain conditions, to discover something new to us, to provide answers to questions, or possibly a structured plan of action to solve a problem. If the research happens be on our own classroom*, then classroom research can also provide excellent opportunities for us to critically reflect on our practice and belief systems in a structured way.
(*Of course, much can be learned from observing and conducting research into other teachers' classrooms, but this 'third party' research generally has more traditional aims, such as increasing knowledge and understanding of learning and teaching in a more general sense.)
1.6.3.3
From experimentation to research
In a recent small-scale survey of twenty teacher-researchers (Edwards,
forthcoming), I asked the teachers whether they thought that the sort
of classroom experimenting that they regularly do, eg trying out
a new activity, technique or set of materials, could count as research.
Several thought that experimenting was more spur-of-the-moment, less planned
than research 'proper', but one of the teachers who took part made a useful
point:
I view these as two distinct elements along an informal / formal continuum with experimenting at the informal end, research at the other, and action research somewhere in the middle. In other words, experimenting is what I do every day in the classroom, while research is a well-thought out and time-consuming process containing reportable results.
1.6.3.4
Small is beautiful
Classroom research does not have to be done on a grand scale, nor does
it always have to involve formal experiments or statistical analysis of
large amounts of data. In fact, the advice of several of the teachers
in my survey was to keep it small and simple, especially if you are relatively
new to doing classroom research. One teacher suggested: 'Have a go. Start
small. Tape a class and see what comes out of this that is useful.', and
another said, 'Just do it!' Section 1.6.3.7 on 'micro-research'
suggests a very simple way that would be ideal for getting started.
1.6.3.5
Ten tips for doing classroom research
Based on what the teachers in my survey said they had learned themselves
while doing research, and the advice they would give to colleagues new
to research, I've come up with the following list of tips for getting
started on classroom research:
- Keep it small and simple.
- Keep it relevant, to both you and your learners.
- Have a clear aim (a specific question you want to answer, a clearly identified problem you want to solve, or a hypothesis that you want to test).
- Talk: discuss what you are doing with colleagues, sound out ideas with someone who has already done some classroom research
- Read, especially reports of previous research into your topic.
- Write: keep notes; write down all your ideas and observations; keep a diary.
- Listen to your learners; ask for their views and include these as part of your data.
- Be honest. It is rare for research to go exactly to plan: methods may not work and results are often not what you expected, but don't be afraid to say so! You and others can learn from your mistakes and surprises. Even the unexpected is valuable.
- Remember there is no 'right answer': research involves interpretation of facts, so two people with the same information could arrive at two different conclusions.
- Share your findings with others: publish, give talks, tell colleagues.
1.6.3.6
Exploratory practice
As I compiled the list in 1.6.3.5 I noticed that it had remarkable overlaps
with a list of seven aims that Dick Allwright devised for an approach
to teacher-research, or 'exploration of puzzles', that he calls 'exploratory
practice' (Allwright, 2000). If you are in the mood for doing a matching
task, you can compare the list in 1.6.3.5 with Allwright's to spot the
similarities and differences.
See Appendix 2 for Allwright's ten criteria for exploratory practice.
Allwright (2000) describes exploratory practice as 'a way for classroom language teachers and learners to develop their understanding of what happens in their lessons, while getting on with their teaching and learning. 'Exploratory Practice' fits in between Reflective Practice and Action Research, being more action-oriented than the former, and more understanding-oriented than the latter.' You can read more about exploratory practice in the online article that this quote came from (http://www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/groups/crile/EPCentre/readings/IALS PAPER DRAFT.htm. I recommend sections 4.1-4.8 if you want to go straight to a description of the seven stages involved in exploratory practice.)
1.6.3.7
Micro-research
An approach that I like to use regularly in my classes, that evolved from
a simple technique for gathering regular feedback from my students, is
one that I have called 'micro-research'.
| Procedure | Example |
| Establish a question to ask your students about something that puzzles or concerns you. | I was recently puzzled by a rather quiet class who seemed unusually shy when asked to speak in front of each other. |
| Data collection: give out those very small (4cm x 5cm) sticky notes ('Post-its') in my classes and ask the students to write their response to a single question on one of these. | In the quiet class, I distributed the 'post-its', then asked the students how they felt when I made an open invitation to ask questions or comment on something. I gave them a couple of minutes to write an anonymous response on their paper, then gathered the notes in by getting students to stick them to a sheet of blank paper that I circulated. |
| Compiling the results consists of sorting the slips into sets and either photocopying the originals, stuck to sheets of blank paper, or typing them up. As responses tend to be very short, this is not terribly time-consuming. The idea is to present the sorted data, with comments / responses from you added at appropriate points (preparing these is when most of the critical reflection occurs), to give back to the students. |
The fifteen anonymous
responses I received from the quiet class were enough for me to
write a two page report * for the students. In the process
of doing this I became much more aware of the way I was managing
the group, and I was forced to question my belief that it was desirable
to ask open questions addressed to the whole class and expect spontaneous
answers. |
| Return the results to the students, observe their reactions, and repeat the cycle, with new questions, if appropriate. | A surprising outcome in this case was that the exercise resulted in much more interactive classes. I had been prepared to revise my approach, for example by giving students time in groups to consider a response to a question before being asked to speak out. Instead, the class started to discuss the results sheet during the break, and it seemed that simply by becoming aware that most of them had similar inhibitions helped them to overcome these inhibitions! |
NOTE: in an advanced level language class you could ask students to write notes in the target language, and for all but the lowest level class, I recommend that you write your comments and responses in the target language: the result will be a text that is truly authentic, in all senses of the term, and students are usually highly motivated to read it.
- Go back to the 'ten tips' presented in 1.6.3.5 and decide how many of them my 'micro-research' with the quiet class followed.
1.6.3.8
Action research
An action research approach sets out to investigate, and solve a particular
challenge or problem, by following a series of stages, which can be described
simply as:
- develop an action plan to improve a situation;
- act to implement the plan;
- observe the effects of action;
- reflect on these effects;
- repeat the cycle.
(See Wallace (1998) or Burns (1999) for a fuller account of action research.)
Action research is intended to be cyclical in nature, and normally an action research project comprises a series of cycles, with each building on the results, and understanding gained, from the previous cycle.
1.6.3.9
An example of an action research project
Christine Kuramoto, an English teacher working in a High School in Japan,
was exasperated by the lack of motivation her pupils displayed. She undertook
an action research project that lasted for the whole of the second term
of the school year and comprised many small cycles in order to understand
and address this issue (Kuramoto, 2001).
Her first step was to measure her students' language learning attitudes and motivation using a questionnaire, to be administered at the beginning and end of the term, to provide a means of measuring any change in motivation and attitudes, and pinpointing specific areas for action. She started by changing the way she used the textbook (rated on the initial questionnaire as being boring); her second action was to take positive steps to help her learn the names of the 100 plus students she taught (digital photographs of each student supported by a few lines written by each to create personal 'computer logs' proved helpful here); she went on to make further decisions to retain, modify or drop specific activity types she had tried in the first term, and to introduce new activities that she hoped would inject new enthusiasm into her classes, including a team points system for all members of a group arriving on time with notebooks and pencils! As she introduced each change, she elicited feedback from the students by asking them to rate the activity on a five-point rating scale, ranging from 1 (very boring) to 5 (very interesting). Chosen ratings were written on post-it notes for collection at the end of class. In this way she could monitor the response to each incremental change on an ongoing basis, as well as globally via administration of the end-of-term questionnaire.
The end results of this sustained series of action research cycles were dramatic, with significant shifts in motivation levels reported on the final set of questionnaires for the study group.
This example illustrates well how action research includes clear research characteristics, such as fairly formal data collection and analysis, with an ongoing experimental approach to solve a problem identified by this teacher. It is not especially concerned with issues of validity, reliability or generalizability, since it sets out to solve a specific problem in a specific context, not to make general findings about the nature of student motivation. However, I think you will agree that it could be very useful for other teachers to hear about Christine's strategies for tackling the situation, since these provide a valuable source of ideas for others experiencing similar challenges. For this reason, teachers are encouraged to disseminate their research findings, at least to immediate colleagues.
1.6.3.10
Future belief monitoring
As you work through other DELPHI modules, engage in exploratory practice,
or carry out micro- or action-research projects, try to revisit your beliefs
log from time to time to see if, and how, your beliefs and principles
develop over time.
By occasionally reminding yourself of your beliefs and principles, you will be in a much better position to teach in accordance with them.
1.6.3.11
Suggested sources for further information and professional development
activities
Note: Although some of the titles below were written specifically with
EFL teachers in mind, they have been chosen for their relevance to all
language teachers working with adult learners.
Bailey, K, Curtis, A and
Nunan, D (2001) Pursuing Professional Development: The self as source,
Heinle and Heinle, Boston
Focuses on self-development, and provides a comprehensive overview of
approaches, including journal-keeping, team teaching, mentoring, teaching
portfolios and a chapter on action research.
Bowen, T and Marks, J (1994)
Inside Teaching, Heinemann, Oxford
Challenges teachers to take a 'constructively … critical view of (their)
own teaching, the teaching of others and of methodological recommendations'
through practical and interesting tasks.
Brown, H D (2001) Teaching
by Principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (2nd
edn) Prentice Hall Regents
A user-friendly teaching methodology text that encourages reflection through
discussion, action and research topics at the end of each chapter.
Burns,
A (1999) Collaborative Action Research for Language Teachers, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge
Just about everything you need to know about action research, including
first-hand accounts from teachers.
Gebhard, J and Oprandy,
R (1999) Language Teaching Awareness: A guide to exploring beliefs
and practices, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Practical techniques that teachers of all levels of experience can use
to develop their professional practice, both in formal training programmes
and through continuous self-development.
Lewis, M and Hill, J (1992)
Practical Techniques for Language Teaching, 2nd
edn, Language Teaching Publications, Hove
A really basic and practical introduction, obviously written by real teachers!
Includes simple belief statement questionnaires at the beginning of each
chapter.
Richards, J C and Lockhart,
C (1994) Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge
An excellent source of ideas for classroom investigations, including a
whole chapter on investigating beliefs.
Scrivener, J (1994) Learning
Teaching, Heinemann, Oxford
A practical and down-to-earth guide to language teaching methodology for
beginning teachers that constantly encourages critical reflection and
informed choice. Includes lots of good activities.
Wallace,
M (1998) Action Research for Language Teachers, Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge
A practical guide to getting started with action research.
