SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This paper will introduce Action Research Communities for Language Teachers (ARC), a project funded by the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe. ARC aims to contribute to the enhancement of language teaching through action research and to support and empower university and school teachers in using action research as an essential tool for the development of reflective practice in European language classrooms. The paper will show how the project is making techniques for action research widely available by establishing a community of practice and fostering dialogue between teachers in different sectors. It will also demonstrate how language teachers participating in the project have had opportunities to innovate in their own classrooms while working collaboratively. School and university language teachers and teacher educators have formulated collaborative group proposals and have conducted a set of pilot classroom projects which cross international borders and which cover topics such as critical thinking skills, social media in language teaching, student-centred learning and teachers as co-constructors of knowledge. The paper will present key results so far and will highlight challenges encountered in the collaborations between university and school teachers. It will conclude by emphasising the capacity for collaborative action research to empower language teachers to develop and improve practice in their own classrooms. The project team is also designing action research tools and creating European models for peer learning.