Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction: Second Language Teacher Education
- Section 1 The Landscapes of Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 1 The Scope of Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 2 Trends in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 3 Critical Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 4 Social and Cultural Perspectives
- Section 2 Professionalism and The Language Teaching Profession
- Chapter 5 Second Language Teacher Professionalism
- Chapter 6 Certification and Professional Qualifications
- Chapter 7 Standards and Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 8 Assessment in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 9 Teacher Preparation and Nonnative English-Speaking Educators
- Chapter 10 “Trainer Development”: Professional Development for Language Teacher Educators
- Section 3 Pedagogical Knowledge in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 11 The Curriculum of Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 12 Knowledge About Language
- Chapter 13 SLA and Teacher Education
- Chapter 14 Acquiring Knowledge of Discourse Conventions in Teacher Education
- Section 4 Identity, Cognition, and Experience in Teacher Learning
- Chapter 15 Personal Practical Knowledge in L2 Teacher Education
- Chapter 16 Language Teacher Cognition
- Chapter 17 Teacher Identity
- Chapter 18 The Novice Teacher Experience
- Chapter 19 Teaching Expertise: Approaches, Perspectives, and Characterizations
- Section 5 Contexts for Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 20 Teaching and Learning in the Course Room
- Chapter 21 School-Based Experience
- Chapter 22 Language Teacher Education by Distance
- Chapter 23 Technology and Second Language Teacher Education
- Section 6 Second Language Teacher Education Through Collaboration
- Chapter 24 Collaborative Teacher Development
- Chapter 25 The Practicum
- Chapter 26 Mentoring
- Chapter 27 Language Teacher Supervision
- Section 7 Second Language Teacher Development Through Research and Practice
- Chapter 28 Second Language Classroom Research
- Chapter 29 Action Research in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 30 Reflective Practice
- Author Index
- Subject Index
- Acknowledgments
Chapter 28 - Second Language Classroom Research
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 February 2023
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction: Second Language Teacher Education
- Section 1 The Landscapes of Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 1 The Scope of Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 2 Trends in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 3 Critical Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 4 Social and Cultural Perspectives
- Section 2 Professionalism and The Language Teaching Profession
- Chapter 5 Second Language Teacher Professionalism
- Chapter 6 Certification and Professional Qualifications
- Chapter 7 Standards and Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 8 Assessment in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 9 Teacher Preparation and Nonnative English-Speaking Educators
- Chapter 10 “Trainer Development”: Professional Development for Language Teacher Educators
- Section 3 Pedagogical Knowledge in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 11 The Curriculum of Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 12 Knowledge About Language
- Chapter 13 SLA and Teacher Education
- Chapter 14 Acquiring Knowledge of Discourse Conventions in Teacher Education
- Section 4 Identity, Cognition, and Experience in Teacher Learning
- Chapter 15 Personal Practical Knowledge in L2 Teacher Education
- Chapter 16 Language Teacher Cognition
- Chapter 17 Teacher Identity
- Chapter 18 The Novice Teacher Experience
- Chapter 19 Teaching Expertise: Approaches, Perspectives, and Characterizations
- Section 5 Contexts for Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 20 Teaching and Learning in the Course Room
- Chapter 21 School-Based Experience
- Chapter 22 Language Teacher Education by Distance
- Chapter 23 Technology and Second Language Teacher Education
- Section 6 Second Language Teacher Education Through Collaboration
- Chapter 24 Collaborative Teacher Development
- Chapter 25 The Practicum
- Chapter 26 Mentoring
- Chapter 27 Language Teacher Supervision
- Section 7 Second Language Teacher Development Through Research and Practice
- Chapter 28 Second Language Classroom Research
- Chapter 29 Action Research in Second Language Teacher Education
- Chapter 30 Reflective Practice
- Author Index
- Subject Index
- Acknowledgments
Summary
INTRODUCTION
Classroom research is all about gathering evidence to answer questions that concern educators, whether they be about teaching methodology, learners’ strategies, teachers’ beliefs, or classroom materials. For teachers, a primary reason for doing research as part of teacher education is to become more effective teachers. As Johnson (1992: 5) puts it:
The importance of research is not so much that it supplies definitive answers to questions such as “What is the best way to learn a language?” or “Which is the most effective method of L2 teaching?” It does not. Rather, research can help us gain a richer understanding of the many interrelated factors involved in learning. It can help us see how the ways we organise learning environments can promote or inhibit growth.
Becoming involved in classroom research can also help teachers evaluate existing research. Once teachers become aware of the challenges that exist in doing classroom research – from formulating focused research questions to gathering and analysing relevant data – they will become more critical readers of existing research. In light of these benefits of classroom research, it is essential that novice teachers be introduced to the basics of classroom research methods and assumptions.
This chapter explores the following questions:
• What is classroom research, and how does it differ from reflective teaching?
• What are someways in which teacher educators can introduce novice teachers to the important distinction between qualitative and quantitative research?
• What topics are investigated, what methods are typically employed in L2 classroom research, and how can novice teachers be introduced to these methods?
• What challenges do L2 language educators face in promoting classroom research?
SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS
To begin, it is necessary to clarify how classroom research will be defined in this chapter. Allwright and Bailey (1991: 2) maintain that classroom research is a cover term for “a whole range of research studies on classroom language learning and teaching. The obvious unifying factor is that the emphasis is solidly on trying to understand what goes on in the classroom setting.” This definition highlights the great diversity of studies that can be included in classroom research.
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- Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education , pp. 281 - 288Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009
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