EMPOWERING LANGUAGE TEACHERS THROUGH ACTION RESEARCH: TWO CASE STUDIES FROM MALAYSIA

Kuang Ching Hei, Maya Khemlani David

Abstract


Given the easy availability of information due to social media, it is generally recognized that language teachers need to transform themselves from being mere disseminators of information to that of innovators. Literature suggests that to do so, language teachers should make action research an indispensable part of their language teaching armory. This paper aims to encourage language teachers to take charge of their own profession by conducting action research in their respective classrooms. The paper illustrates two case studies which stress on the process which can be duplicated by teachers as well as the outcome which can be used for improvement and for sharing with peers through publication. By engaging in action research, language teachers can move beyond their conventional teaching roles to become researchers cum practitioners who are able to rise to the occasion by overcoming current language issues first hand instead of taking advice from educational researchers.  

Keywords: action research, language teaching, reflection

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abraham, A. (2015). Action researching power in an ESL and academic writing classroom. Qualitative Research Journal, 15(2), 155-165.

Adelman, C. (1993). Kurt Lewin and the origins of action research. Educational Action Research, 1(1), 7-24.

Atay, D. (2006). Teachers' professional development: Partnerships in research. Tesl-Ej, 10(2), 1-15.

Borg, S. (2009). English language teachers’ conceptions of research. Applied Linguistics, 30(3), 358-388.

Brew, A., & Boud, D. (1995). Teaching and research: Establishing the vital link with learning. Higher Education, 29(3), 261-273.

Brown, B. L. (2002). Improving Teaching Practices through Action Research (Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University). Retrieved from https://theses.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd04152002182022/unrestricted/BethBrownDissertation.pdf.

Burns, A. (2009). Doing action research in English language teaching: A guide for practitioners. New York: Routledge.

Burton, J. (2009). Reflective practice. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 298-307). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Carpenter, L. (2003, September). Teaching versus research: Does it have to be that way?. The Academic Exchange: Great Expectations. Retrieved from

http://www.emory.edu/ACAD_EXCHANGE/2003/sept/carpenter.html

Curry, L. A., Nembhard, I. M., & Bradley, E. H. (2009). Qualitative and mixed methods provide unique contributions to outcomes research. Circulation, 119(10), 1442-1452.

Denscombe, M. (2009). Ground rules for social research: Guidelines for good practice. Glasgow: McGraw-Hill Education.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think–A restatement of the relation of reflective learning to the educative process. New York: Boston.

Dzakiria, H., Mohamed, A. H., Hisham, B., Malek, Z. A., & Said, S. N. (2007). ‘It is empowering…’Teachers’ voices on action research using Flanders' Interactional Analysis Categories (FIAC) for peer observation to improve teaching and learning of English language.

Education Planning and Research Division, Ministry of Education (Malaysia). (2008). Buku manual kajian tindakan (3rd ed). Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

Ferrance, E. (2000). Action research. Providence, RI: LAB at Brown University.

Guskey, T. R. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Hattied, J., & Marsh, H. W. (1996). The relationship between research and teaching: A meta-analysis. Review of educational research, 66(4), 507-542.

Hogarth, S. (2005). The inter-relationship between teaching and research at the University of York 2004. Survey for the Forum for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching. Retrieved from http://www.york.ac.uk/felt/gpresource/research&teaching.html

Hollingsworth, S., & Sockett, H. (1994). Teacher research and educational reform. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Johnson, A. P. (2012). A short guide to action research (4th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Koleksi Kajian Tindakan (2011-2012). Sekolah Kajang, Selangor.

Kuang, C. H. (2016). Enhancing student learning in higher education through student input. Practice and Evidence of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 11(1), 100-122.

Kuang, C. H. & David, M. K. (2015). Basic and advanced skills they don't have: Postgraduates and literature review writing. Malaysian Journal of Learning & Instruction. 12, 131-150.

Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of Social Issues, 2(4), 34-46. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1946.tb02295.x

Luchini, P., & Rosello, A. (2007). Developing learners’ oral communicative language abilities: A collaborative action research project in Argentina. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 4(4), 245-271.

O’Brien, R. (1998). An overview of the methodological approach of action research. Retrieved from: http://www.web.net/robrien/papers/arfinal.html

Meerah, T. S. M., & Osman, K. (2013). What is 'action' in action research: A Malaysian exposure. Asian Social Science, 9(16), 148.

Meerah, T. S. M., Johar A. R., & Ahmad, J. (2001). What motivates teachers to conduct research? Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in S.E. Asia, 25(1), 1-24.

Middlewood, D. (1999). Some effects of multiple research projects on the host school staff and their relationships. Practitioner research in education: Making a difference. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Norasmah, O., & Chia, S. Y. (2016). The challenges of action research implementation in Malaysian schools. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 24(1).

Oja, S., & Pine, G. (1989). Collaborative action research: Teachers’ stages of development and school contexts. Peabody Journal of Education, 64 (2), 96-115.

Omar, H. M., & Umehara, M. (2010). Using a ‘Shadowing’ technique to improve English pronunciation deficient adult Japanese learners: An action research on expatriate Japanese adult learners. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 7(2), 199-230.

Ramsden, P., & Moses, I. (1992). Associations between research and teaching in Australian higher education. Higher Education, 23(3), 273-295.

Richards, J. C. (1998). Teaching in action: Case studies from second language classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Richards, J. C., & Lockhart, C. (1994). Reflective teaching in second language classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic books.

Susman, G. (1983). Action research: A sociotechnical systems perspective. London: Sage publications.

Teo, A. K., Voon, B. H., & Voon, G. E. (2011). Expectation-based teaching: An action research in english report writing.

Winter, R. (1989). Learning from experience: Principles and practice in action-research. Philadelphia: The Falmer Press.

Zeichner, K. M. (1983). Alternative paradigms of teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 34(3), 3-9.

Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. P. (2013). Reflective teaching: An introduction. New York: Routledge.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v5i2.532

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2017 English Review: Journal of English Education