Looking from the outside in: Action research in initial language teacher education
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Date
2024
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Taylor and Francis
Abstract
© 2025 selection and editorial matter, Anne Burns and Kenan Dikilitas. All rights reserved.In this chapter, we critically explore the potential of action research (AR) for initial language teacher education programmes. In considering the foundations of AR, we assess how these relate to the challenges faced by pre-service teachers as they seek to navigate the language classroom. One of the key challenges we identify is the pre-service teacher as the 'outsider' and the dynamic this creates in building trust and change, often under the already difficult pressures of practicum teaching experiences. Further, using a case study from Latin America, we argue that the democratic-collaborative foundations of AR are also not necessarily suited to all teaching environments, particularly those where more vertical, directive forms of education practice prevail, and teaching conditions are highly challenging. We conclude the chapter by offering some critical questions for teacher educators to consider in designing pre-service teacher research and encourage a more nuanced understanding of the value of situated research for initial language teacher education.