Action Research Communities for Language Teachers by Gallagher-Brett, Angela; Lechner, Christine;

Short description:

An inspiring collection of case studies giving clear and practical advice on action research to classroom language teachers and teacher educators.

Long description:

How can teachers and teacher educators enact positive change in their working environments? How can they develop professional learning communities? How can they support educational policies on intercultural competence, multilingualism and plurilingualism while improving students' language skills? This inspiring collection gives clar and practical advice on how action research can help achieve all of those goals, from primary through secondary, higher and adult education settings.

Action Research Communities for Language Teachers collects practical first-hand accounts of action research projects, with a shared focus on practical, replicable advice and achievable results. Readers can use these examples to develop small, evidence-based interventions that address their own common challenges and concerns. Spanning fourteen European countries and a similar range of taught languages, these real-life examples of shared problem-solving and collaboration are a crucial contribution to the theory and practice of language teaching and teacher education.

Table of Contents:

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Preface
Foreword, John Elliott (University of East Anglia, UK)
Introduction
Part One: Setting the scene for action research communities for language teachers in practice and theory
1. Introducing action research communities for language teachers, Angela Gallagher-Brett (University for the Creative Arts, UK) and Christine Lechner (European Centre for Modern Languages)
2. Sustainable teacher development through conducting action research, Anna Lundstr-m (Linnaeus University, Sweden)
Part Two: Action research case studies from language teachers in Southern Europe
3. Reflective pedagogies and action research in English language teacher education: Examples from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Larisa Kasumagic-Kafedzic (University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
4. Action research communities in Montenegro - from the organizer's perspective, Natasa Peric (Bureau for Education Services, Montenegro)
5. An action research study in four EFL primary schools in Montenegro: Enhancing students' speaking skills, Nikolina Becanovic (Ivan Vusovic Vidrovan Elementary School, Niksic, Montenegro)
6. Action research on integrated lessons: Student and teacher perspectives on integrated teaching and its impact on learning, Zorka Radonjic, English teacher, Elementary school ""Kekec"" Sutomore
7. Enhancing novice English language teachers' speaking skill instruction: An action research study in EFL primary school classrooms in Montenegro, Marija Mijuskovic (University of Montenegro)
8. Action research on the observation of linguistic input quality in scenario based German as a Second Language teaching, Marjan Asgari & Renata Zanin (Free University of Bolzano, Italy)
9. Establishing an action research community to develop language teaching: A case study from Armenia, Sona Hakobyan & Louisa Marabyan (European University of Armenia)
Part Three: Action research case studies from language teachers in Northern Europe
10. A series of action research communities workshops for Swedish language teachers - a report from the organizers' perspective, Corina L-we, (Linnaeus University, Sweden) and Brita Bodin (Karlstad Municipality, Sweden)
11. Intercultural learning in language teaching - - a teacher's perspective, Corina L-we, (Linnaeus University, Sweden) and Brita Bodin (Karlstad Municipality, Sweden)
12. Enhancing multilingual approaches to language learning and teachers' professional development through action research projects in Norway, Eli-Marie Danbolt Drange & Anette Haugen (Department of Foreign Languages and Translation, Agder University)
13. 'I think action research is feasible, but not enough teachers know the methods' - Experiences with action research training in Denmark, Ana Kanareva-Dimitrovska (Aarhus University, Denmark)
14. Action research as professional development for teachers working with adult learners in Luxembourg's trilingual context in the language classroom, Jean-Marc Putz & Nicolas Maraite, (Institut national des langues Luxembourg)
15. Action research as part of teachers' professional development: Challenges in the Icelandic context, Brynhildur Anna Ragnarsd-ttir & H-lmfr--ur Gar-arsd-ttir (University of Iceland)
16. Developing whole-school Professional Learning Communities in action research - language teachers take the initiative at Kursenai Laurynas Ivinskis Gymnasium, Lithuania, Valdone Verseckiene (Kursenai Laurynas Ivinskis Gymnasium, Lithuania)
17. Engaging learners of the Irish language at primary level in Ireland: Exploring Action Research as an approach to support language educators and learners (in endangered or minority language settings), Jane O'Toole (Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland)
Conclusion