Action Research

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Session 1

What is action research?

Carried out by teacher(s).

In his/her own class.

With his/her own students.

To improve some aspect of learning/teaching.

Action Research

What is Action Research?

‘It is done by systematically collecting data on your everyday practice and analysing it in order to come to some decisions about what your future practice should be.’

(Wallace, 1998:4)

Features of Action Research

Contextualised, small-scale and local Evaluative and reflective Aims to bring about change Changes are based on the collection of data

which provides impetus for change Cyclical.

(Adapted from Burns, 1999:30)

How to do Action Research

Develop a plan of critically informed action to improve what is already happening

Act to implement the plan Observe the effects of critically informed action on

the context in which it occurs and Reflect on the effects as the basis for future

planning.

(Kemmis and McTaggart, 1988:10, cited in Burns, 1999:32)

Processes of Doing Action Research

1. Exploring2. Identifying3. Planning4. Collecting data5. Analysing/reflecting6. Hypothesising/speculating7. Intervening8. Observing9. Reporting 10. Writing 11. Presenting

Action Research

PAIR WORK

1. What do you understand by the term ‘Action Research’?

2. What stages can be involved in an Action Research project?

3. Why is Action Research often represented as cyclical?

An Action Research Project

1. ‘The students aren’t using enough English in class’.2. Recording and observing several lessons.3. Reading about TL use in books and journals.4. I think I, the teacher, use too much L1 and this

encourages students to use L1 too.5. Decide to use TL at start of class, to organise

activities and at the end of class for a week.6. Record and observe the lessons.7. Analyse the data.8. Write up findings in an assignment.

Another issue

My students don’t seem to understand what I ask them to do in class.

How can I improve this aspect of my practice?

Group Task

What steps would you need to take in an Action Research project to address this issue?

Problems with doing Action Research

‘What disadvantages are there in being involved in an action research project? Time, time, time, time, time, time, time…What are the major problems in doing research and teaching? Time, time, time…’

(Burns A. 1999:47)

How can I manage my time?

‘The early advice of other project members was invaluable – namely, to narrow my area of inquiry’.

(Anne Fowler, cited in Burns (1999:45).

Action Research Projects by MA students

Improving elicitation moves. Developing multimedia in the classroom. Turning feedback into talking opportunities. Investigating the effect of different reading

activities on the engagement of learners.

Reference List

Johnston, R.. 2002. “Addressing the age factor: some implications for language policy”. Council of Europe. Available at http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/JohnstoneEN.pdf

Robinson, P..1997. “State of the Art: SLA Research and Second Language Teaching”. The Language Teacher Online 21/7. Available at http://jalt-publications.org/tlt/files/97/jul/robinson.html