Action Research

professional-developmentaction researchARpractitioner researchteacher research

A cyclical, systematic form of practitioner inquiry in which teachers investigate their own classrooms, implement changes, observe the effects, and reflect on the outcomes — then repeat. Unlike traditional academic research conducted on teachers, action research is conducted by teachers for the purpose of improving their own practice.

Definition

Burns (2010, p. 2) defines action research as "a self-reflective, systematic and critical approach to enquiry by participants who are at the same time members of the research community." Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) describe it as "a form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices."

The defining features are:

Practitioner-led: The teacher is both researcher and participant
Situated: Research happens in the teacher's own classroom with their own students
Cyclical: Not a one-shot study but an iterative process of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting
Action-oriented: The goal is change and improvement, not just understanding
Reflective: Connects directly to reflective practice but adds systematic data collection

The Action Research Cycle

Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) — Classic Model

PLAN → ACT → OBSERVE → REFLECT → (revised) PLAN → ACT → ...

Plan: Identify a problem or question; design an intervention
Act: Implement the plan in the classroom
Observe: Collect data on what happens (observations, recordings, student work, surveys)
Reflect: Analyse the data; draw conclusions; decide what to change

The cycle then repeats with a revised plan based on the findings. Multiple cycles deepen understanding and refine the intervention.

Burns (1999, 2010) — ELT-Specific Model

Burns adapts the cycle for language teachers:

Explore: Identify a teaching issue or puzzle — something that is not working or could be better
Identify: Narrow the focus to a specific, researchable question
Plan: Design an intervention and decide what data to collect
Collect data: Use multiple methods (see below)
Analyse/reflect: Look for patterns, compare before and after, seek explanations
Hypothesise/speculate: What does the data suggest? What might work better?
Intervene: Try the revised approach
Observe: Collect more data
Report: Share findings with colleagues (optional but valuable)
Write/present: Document the process and outcomes

Data Collection Methods

Action research uses everyday classroom tools as data sources:

Method	What It Captures
Teaching journal/diary	Teacher reflections, observations, feelings
Student work samples	Evidence of learning or persistent problems
Observation notes	Peer or self-observation of specific behaviours
Recordings (audio/video)	Actual classroom interaction for analysis
Student surveys/interviews	Learner perspectives on the issue
Test/assessment results	Before-and-after performance data
Attendance/participation records	Engagement patterns

Burns (2010) emphasises triangulation — using at least two different data sources to cross-check findings and increase credibility.

Examples of Action Research Questions in ELT

"How can I increase student talking time in my intermediate class?"
"Does pre-teaching vocabulary before reading improve my students' comprehension?"
"What happens when I use peer correction instead of teacher correction during writing tasks?"
"How do my students respond to a flipped classroom approach for grammar presentation?"
"Does explicit strategy training improve my B1 learners' listening test scores?"

Action Research vs Other Research

Feature	Action Research	Academic Research
Researcher	Teacher/practitioner	External researcher
Setting	Own classroom	Selected/randomised sites
Purpose	Improve practice	Generate theory/knowledge
Generalisability	Low (context-specific)	Aims for generalisability
Rigour	Systematic but flexible	Controlled and standardised
Cycles	Multiple, iterative	Usually single study
Audience	Self, colleagues, institution	Academic community

Why It Matters for ELT

Bridges research and practice: Teachers engage with research methods and literature while addressing their own classroom realities
Professional development: Action research is one of the most powerful forms of TPD — it develops analytical, reflective, and research skills simultaneously
Teacher agency: Positions teachers as knowledge creators, not just consumers of others' research
Contextual relevance: Solutions generated are specific to the teacher's context, learners, and constraints
Institutional improvement: When shared with colleagues, action research findings improve whole-school practice
Cambridge framework: At Proficient and Expert stages, the Cambridge English Teaching Framework expects teachers to engage in systematic inquiry and share findings
Qualification pathway: Action research is central to DELTA Module 3, MA TESOL dissertations, and British Council continuing development programmes

Critiques and Limitations

Time-consuming: Teachers already have full schedules; AR adds significant work
Rigour concerns: Without training, teacher-research may lack systematic data collection or analysis
Ethical considerations: Researching one's own students raises consent and power issues
Limited generalisability: Findings from one class may not apply elsewhere
Publication bias: Most AR remains unpublished and therefore does not contribute to the wider knowledge base

Key References

Burns, A. (1999). Collaborative Action Research for English Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.
Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners. Routledge.
Kemmis, S. & McTaggart, R. (1988). The Action Research Planner (3rd ed.). Deakin University Press.
Wallace, M.J. (1998). Action Research for Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.
Edge, J. (2001). Action Research. TESOL Inc.
Borg, S. (2013). Teacher Research in Language Teaching: A Critical Analysis. Cambridge University Press.