Joining The Club: Teachers Collaborate to Develop a Research Mindset and Unlock the Benefits of Teacher Research

Abstract

While the benefits of teacher research for teacher development and classroom practice are well documented, it is our belief that many second language teachers lack the confidence, skills and resources to ‘join the research club’, and therefore fail to develop as teacher researchers. Using a classroom-based project in which experienced second language teachers reversed roles and became language learners as project stimulus, four aspiring teacher-researchers worked together to overcome a fixed mindset to engagement in research. This experience revealed that collaboration is key, enabling the growth of a research mindset for group members, and progress in teacher-researcher development.