This study investigates the transition of pre-service English teachers from university to high-school teaching, focusing on the challenges of applying theoretical knowledge in practical classroom settings. The research highlights how the integration of experiential learning and mentorship can effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice.…

The 'multilingual turn' has opened up a variety of creative, participatory methods for researchers and educators to explore language learners' linguistic repertoires, language practices and resources, and linguistic experiences. In this article, we draw on data from the English as an additional language (EAL) secondary school classroom context…

Ofsted's 2021 Curriculum Research Review outlines a language pedagogy predicated on an exclusively cognitivist approach to language learning, which relies on three 'pillars of progression': phonics, vocabulary and grammar. The review makes a brief acknowledgement of the importance of motivational factors, including 'pupils' positive views of…

This article highlights research collected during a year-long critical participatory ethnographic study at a primary school in Trinidad and Tobago. The study presents the experiences of two teacher collaborators who engage in the processes of problem identification, design and implementation of a language-friendly plan, reflective practice and…

The present action-research study explored the experience of a co-educational class in a context where it was a total educational novelty. Generating data from a number of sources before, during, and after the course, the study portrays how the participants experienced initial challenges followed by mutual adaptability toward the end of the…

We argue for a transformation in the current learning and literacy education of marginalized and nondominant groups of English-as-a-Foreign Language (EFL) refugee learners in Lebanon. This paper describes the process of combining Third Space (TS) and Literature Circles (LC) to develop an instructional model of a transformative pedagogy for…

This article, based on a research project with learners in a township school in South Africa, seeks to discuss whether WhatsApp was able to transform the space of the poetry classroom in positive and productive ways. The project was designed in response to research in EFAL (English First Additional Language) classrooms that revealed the…

Little is known about character education and social skills within a transformative curriculum framework in the L2 classroom. This action research study stems from identifying peer rejection in 7th grade English language classrooms as a social issue hampering English language practices for some students. Four L2 storytelling workshops were…

Refugee education has been an important challenge for the Greek educational system and for the teaching community. New supporting structures (i.e., Reception Facilities for Refugee Education [RFRE]), operating after the end of the regular school day, have been created to enable newcomers living in Refugee Accommodation Centers to learn (mainly)…

With globalization, intercultural education has become an integral component of English language education. Nonetheless, to ensure the relevance to the local setting, intercultural education may need to be more contextualized. With the aim of better understanding the contextualization of intercultural education, our study examined the discourse of…

This book examines the beliefs and attitudes of teacher educators, teachers and student-teachers about the impact of language teaching and learning. It draws on three research-based studies carried out by the author in collaboration with colleagues at the National University of Ireland, Galway, King's College London and the Lynch School of…

This paper examines, ''transformative pedagogy'' in post-primary, language teacher education in Ireland from philosophical, psychological and social perspectives. Links are made, where appropriate, to findings from a study at the National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. The construct supports teacher and pupils in developing their identity…

A 21st century teacher must communicate in the language and style of their students to ensure that their learning is meaningful. However, this is challenging, especially for teachers who are less familiar with using technology in teaching. To inspire a group of ESL 'digital immigrant' teachers, a professional learning community (PLC) was set up.…

Languages sit firmly in the skill-set of the 21st-century graduate. In an increasingly multicultural and multilingual job market, monolingual graduates are at a disadvantage: as the recent Born Global report (2016) notes, "multilingualism has now become the new normal". The contributions in this collection are imbued with this idea and…

This study shows the transformative potential of action research and information and communications technology (ICT) in the second language (L2) classroom. Two enquiries from teacher-researchers are detailed in the article. Their engagement in a collaborative professional development Masters programme was pivotal in designing and implementing ICT…