English Language Teachers' Conceptions of Research

Autor/in	Borg, Simon
Titel	English Language Teachers' Conceptions of Research
Quelle	In: Applied Linguistics, 30 (2009) 3, S.358-388 (31 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0142-6001
DOI	10.1093/applin/amp007
Schlagwörter	English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Language Teachers; Questionnaires; Teacher Attitudes; Interviews; Educational Research; Action Research; Teacher Researchers; Institutional Environment; Applied Linguistics + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Language teacher; Sprachunterricht; Fragebogen; Lehrerverhalten; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Bildungsforschung; Pädagogische Forschung; Projektforschung; Lehrerforschung; Linguistics; Linguistik; Angewandte Linguistik
Abstract	This article examines the conceptions of research held by 505 teachers of English from 13 countries around the world. Questionnaire responses supplemented by follow-up written and interview data were analyzed to understand teachers' views on what research is and how often they read and do it (and why or why not in each case). An understanding of these issues is central to the development of informed policies for promoting teacher research engagement, but relevant systematic evidence is lacking in the field of English language teaching (ELT). The study shows that the teachers held conceptions of research aligned with conventional scientific notions of inquiry. The teachers also reported moderate to low levels of reading and doing research, with a lack of time, knowledge, and access to material emerging as key factors which teachers felt limited their ability to be research-engaged. Teachers engaged in research reported being driven largely by practical and professional concerns rather than external drivers such as employers or promotion. Overall, the findings of this study point to a number of attitudinal, conceptual, procedural, and institutional barriers to teacher research engagement. Understanding these, it is argued here, is an essential part of the broader process of trying to address them and hence to make teacher research engagement a more feasible activity in ELT. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10