Action Research: A way to become professionals in ELT

Margarita Mara Lpez P.University of CaldasManizales

July 30, 31, 2010Cali

ABLA ELT CONFERENCETEACHERS AS LEARNERS

Action Research: A way to become professionals in ELT

What do English teachers need to do in order to become professionals? Know about the languagePromote real world changesManage the classroomInnovateBecome lecturersBegin to writeRESEARCHPublish

What is our reality?TEACHERS USUALLY

adopt what others believe is the best for their classrooms. do not usually reflect about their teaching practice. do not integrate theory and practice in the classroom

Why is it important for English teachers to do research? To reflect about their own practice.

To take a new role as researchers

To change something.

To innovate in the classroom.

For professional development.

What are some other reasons ?To be involved in activities developing ways of exploring their own classrooms.

To understand what is going on in the classroom

To develop skills like collection, analysis and interpretation of classroom data

To assess their behavior, as teachers, or the situation in the classroom.

To reflect about what they need or want to improve.

.

What can teachers research about?

What can teachers research about?

What are some approaches to classroom research?

What are some others?

What is Action Research in ELT?

Action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully,using the techniques of research. (Watts, 1985:118)

Action Research is a systematic attempt to gain a better understanding of the educational process, generally with view to improvement. (Stern 1983:59)

Action Research is trying out ideas in practice as a means of improvement and as a means of increasing knowledge about the curriculum, teaching, and learning. (Kemmis and McTaggart 1985)What are the different stages when doing action research?Lewins model (1946)

How can English teachers begin doing action research?Observe.Develop a plan to improve or change something.Act to implement the planObserve the effects of action in the context in which it occursReflect on these effects as a basis for further planningImplement changes

First Stage: Design an action plan and implement itObserveRecordDetect what can be improved or changed.Collect some preliminary data

Second Stage: ActionRevise the plan

Check resources or equipment needed

Implement techniques and strategies

Act

Third Stage: Observation

Fourth stage: ReflectionUnderstand the process, issues and constrains found in the implementation.

Think about what you recorded from the observation.

Discuss the situation with colleagues.

Triangulate information

Revise the plan

What techniques can teachers use to collect the data?ELICITATION TECHNIQUESOBSERVATION TECHNIQUESSurveysInterviewsQuestionnairesInformal talksField notesJournalAudio RecordingVideo RecordingClassroom Observation

How can teachers analyze and Interpret the data? Data analysis refers to sifting, organizing, summarizing and synthesizing the data so as to arrive at the results and conclusions of the research (Selinger ans Shohamy 1989:201)

What can we conclude?All English teachers should be doing research in their classrooms.It is not difficult.Action Research is a necessity if teachers want to improve their classes.Education in general benefits when teachers do research.Action Research is vital if teachers are looking for Professional Development.Teacher do not need to be involved in a Masters program for doing research.When teachers do research they become professionals in their field.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?THANK YOU VERY MUCH