Kaken 5
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In April 2020 the Kaken JSPS research project has been granted! This is the 5th Kaken project C in a row since 2012 involving the SIG itself (FLP SIG, CEFR & LP SIG), officers and members of the SIG. For the members of CEFR & LP SIG this is very good news indeed. Why? - Because they have been explicitly included in the proposal with the title
「アクションリサーチの手法を用いた言語教育改善: CEFRの教育理念を参考にして」
Foreign Language Education Reform through Action Research - Putting CEFR educational principles into practice
It is a JSPS Kaken C project and the research number is 20K00759. The timeline for the New Kaken 5 research project is
2020: Work with CEFR & LP SIG members to identify research foci and to plan AR projects.
2021: Carry out action research / Collect and analyze data.
2022: Reflect on AR projects and write research up for publication.
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A research team with collaborator was build in academic year 2020. The following activities had been conducted in the academic year 2020 (April 2020 to March 2021) to achieve this goal for the first year:
(1) Regular meetings of the research group between April and October 2020. (2) A Call for Collaborators was launched in fall, (3) the project was introduced at the CEFR & LP SIG Forum at JALT 2020 and (4) on December 19th, 2020 an Online Workshop was held, the CARM model was introduced and research members were asked to fill in a workbook to prepare for stage 1, (5) on March 2nd and 9th, 2021 workshops were held and invited members introduced their AR small scale research projects as model cases. So far, the goal of the first year had been achieved. Thanks to everyone dedication and cooperation.
The second year:
In the academic year 2021 (year 2 of the project) which starts in April 2021, some of us will start their AR intervention. We will meet in small groups. The next meeting is scheduled for May 8th, 2021 (Saturday afternoon). The aim for year 2 is to prepare for stage 2 of the project. We will present some small-scale action research projects at the CEFR & LP SIG Forum at PanSIG 2021 and report on the research project.
Anyone who is interested in this project is still welcome to join.
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Reports of progress and events during the Second year of the Research project (April 2021 - March 2022)
On May 8th, 2021: 3 - 5 pm, Meeting of research team and collaborators of the Kaken research project. Presentation of three ongoing small-scale AR projects. If you are interested, please contact the research team leader.
On May 15th, 2021: 2:30 - 4 pm CEFR & LP SIG Forum at PanSIG 2021 (see more details on Events)
On August 8th, 2021 全国英語教育学会 - JASELE 2021 conference 第46回長野研究大会: Link to the JASELE 2021 conference JASELE conference schedule
Members of CEFR & LP SIG will have a presentation related to the Kaken Research project at JASELE 2021 on Sunday, August 8th, 2021: 10:55 - 11:20
On August 20th, 2021 AR and CEFR Workshop with Anne Burns on August 20th, 2021
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A big thank you very much to Anne Burns, the presenters and to all who attended the Workshop with Anne Burns on August 20th, 2021 (Friday) 14:00 - 17:15 and made it a very good example of collaboration and research, a mutual exchange in a very supportive mood.
The event went very well, we had a splendid lecture by Anne, an intensive and deep going discussion with everybody involved.
The information will be available, please contact the SIG coordinator or the research team if you are interested in the topic.
8月20日 (金） 午後 2:00 - 5:15
Schedule スケジュール
14:00 - 14:10: Opening and Welcome 開始挨拶
14:10 - 15:25: Lecture on Action Research and Q & A 講演
15:25 - 15:40: Break 休憩
15:40 - 17:10: Workshop ワークショップ
17:10 - 17:15: Closing 閉会挨拶
Workshop on Action Research with Anne Burns
CEFR-focused アクションリサーチワークショップ：
言語教育におけるアクションリサーチのスペシャリストとして国際的に著名な
Anne Burns教授による招待講演及びアクションリサーチ取り組みへのアドバイス
Held online
14:00 開始 Opening, Welcome and Introduction (Maria Gabriela Schmidt)
Session 1: Lecture on Action Research アクション・リサーチの講演 (14:10 - 15:25)
Anne Burns Action research:
A powerful way to engage yourself in professional development
アン バーンス先生の講演： アクション・リサーチの要点（コンセプト、アプローチ、プロセス）についての講演
Anne Burns will give an hands-on introduction to Action Research and how to apply it to your language teaching environment.
The workshop aims at helping busy teaching professionals conduct research putting CEFR educational principles into practice using an action research approach, which ensures organized, systematic, and rigorous conduct of research. The workshop consists of three parts.
このワークショップは、多忙な教育者・研究者が、アクション・リサーチ・アプローチを用いて、CEFR教育理念を実践するための研究を支援することを目的としています。アクション・リサーチ・アプローチは、組織的、体系的、かつ厳密な研究の実施を保証するものです。ワークショップは3部構成になっています。
In Part I, Dr. Anne Burns will talk about the essentials of Action Research: concepts, approaches, and processes, which will be followed by questions and answers.
第1部では、アン・バーンズ博士によるアクション・リサーチの要点（コンセプト、アプローチ、プロセス）についての講演があり、その後、質疑応答が行われます。
Abstract of the talk
There is growing evidence that research conducted by teachers is seen by them as one of the most important and lasting means for professional development. This evidence is supported by the idea that, where teachers can carry out PD in their own contexts of work and investigate teaching and learning issues that are of central importance to them and their learners, this has a strong and positive impact on what can be achieved in the classroom, and more generally the school. In this session, I will provide an introduction to the key concepts and ongoing processes of action research (AR). I'll discuss where AR fits into the wide range of approaches that can be taken in research, and describe the main steps and cycles, and the kinds of outcomes teachers can consider. I'll also provide some illustrations of AR conducted by teachers I've worked with to give participants a sense of the kind of research that can be achieved. Participants in the session who are already involved in AR will have a chance to discuss their research, but the session will also be relevant to participants who may be thinking about AR (or even puzzled by it!) and want to know more.
Professor Anne Burns is an internationally renowned TESOL educator and scholar. She is Professor of TESOL at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, a Professor Emerita at Aston University, Birmingham (UK), an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney and an Honorary Professor of The Education University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include language teacher education, language teacher cognition, applications of genre theory to language teaching, curriculum development and change, literacy, and written and spoken discourse analysis. She is best known for her work in the theory and practice of action research, and particularly for her book Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners (Routledge, 2010) which is a foundational text on action research in second and foreign language education. The English Australia-Cambridge English Action Research Program she has conducted since 2010 with the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector in Australia won an award in 2013 for Innovation-Best Practice. She is an academic adviser, with Diane Larsen-Freeman, for OUP’s Applied Linguistics Series and is series editor, with Jill Hadfield, of Research and Resources in Language Teaching (published by Routledge). Several books in this series have been shortlisted for The British Council ELTons Awards. Her book in this series, Sustainability in Action Research (with Emily Edwards and Neville Ellis) will be published in 2022. アン・バーンズ博士 国際的に著名なTESOL教育者・研究者の一人。アン・バーンズ博士は、オーストラリアのシドニーにあるニューサウスウェールズ大学のTESOL教授、イギリスバーミンガムにあるアストン大学の名誉教授、香港の教育大学の名誉教授、シドニー大学の名誉教授です。バーンズ教授は、言語教育におけるアクション・リサーチについて幅広く執筆しており、オーストラリアや海外で大規模なアクション・リサーチ・プロジェクトを主導してきました。教授の著書Doing Action Research in the Language Classroom: A Guide for Practitionersは、第二言語・外国語教育におけるアクション・リサーチの基礎的なテキストです。
Session 2: Workshop on CEFR and Action Research with Anne Burns (15:40 - 17:15)
In Part II, Dr. Burns will provide specific input and suggestions on four pre-recorded presentations which demonstrate topic/theme, reviewed literature, research questions, intervention plan, data collection and some preliminary findings.
第2部では、 アン・バーンズ博士が、テーマ、リサーチ・クエスチョン、介入計画、レビューされた文献、データ収集、いくつかの予備的な調査結果を示す4つの事前に録画されたプレゼンテーションについて、具体的な意見や提案を提供します。4つのプレゼンテーションは以下の通りです。
The four presentations are:
- Diffusing Program-wide Use of CEFR Illustrative Descriptors by Colin Rundle
- Using CEFR/CV Mediation Illustrators to navigate meaning in a CLIL classroom: First steps of action and reflection by Rebecca Schmidt
- Using an online European Language Portfolio (e-ELP) to promote learner autonomy by Gregory Birch
- CEFR-informed Textbook Selection by Nicole Sonobe
* Workshop participants are asked to watch the pre-recorded video of these presentations before the actual workshop. A link to the videos will be provided upon registration.
* ワークショップ参加者の皆様は、これらのプレゼンテーションを録画したビデオを事前ご覧いただき、質問、コメントをお寄せいただけます。ビデオ、質問やコメント投稿へのリンクはお申し込み時にお知らせします。
In Part III, the group discussion we kindly ask all workshop participants to get involved in the mutual exchange among peer-colleagues, to share and learn from each other. All workshop* participants will be divided into smaller groups to discuss:
(1) what research you are interested in
(2) what kind of action you want to take
(3) what you plan to do
(4) what you learned at the event
(5) what is your take-away from the workshop
*One of the small group discussions will be conducted in Japanese.
第3部では、 グループディスカッションを行います。ワークショップ参加者全員が、小グループに分かれて以下の点などを議論します。
(1)どんな研究に興味があるのか
(2)どのようなアクションを起こしたいのか
(3) 何をしようとしているのか
(4) どのような障害に直面したか、直面する可能性があるか
(5) どのような支援が必要か
*スモールグループディスカッションのうち1つは日本語で行われます。
The pre-recorded videos (about 10 min. each) are available, please contact the research team.
We say thank you to all who attended the workshop. If you are interested, you have any questions, please contact the coordinator of the CEFR & LP SIG.
This event is supported by JSPS Grant-in-Aid project (C) no. 20K00759
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JACET 2021 will hold its 60th International Convention on August 28th and 29th, 2021 online. 大学英語教育学会 国際大会 Click here to the link to the JACET 2021 convention
Members of CEFR & LP SIG will have a presentation related to the Kaken Research project at JACET 2021, Sunday, August 29th, 2021: 10:40 - 11:05 (room 6)
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Reports of progress and events during the First year of the Research project (April 2020 - March 2021)
On March 2nd and 9th, 2021 two workshops were held by and for members of the research group. The workshops aimed to present the outline of projects to be conducted starting in April 2021.
The result of these workshops will be presented at PanSIG 2021 (May 15 and 16, 2021) at the CEFR & LP SIG Forum.
On December 19, 2020 2 - 4 pm an Online Meeting of the Kaken project working group was held:
CEFR & Action Research - A fresh new look at your teaching
This meeting was a follow-up event to the CEFR & LP SIG Forum held online at the JALT 2020 International Conference. The purpose was to give an introduction to our current KAKEN research project, which was granted in April 2020 (no. 20K00759) and entitled
Foreign Language Education Reform through Action Research -
Putting CEFR educational principles into practice
アクションリサーチの手法を用いた言語教育改善: CEFRの教育理念を参考にして.
We are looking for collaborators (see below of this page), and this meeting will be an opportunity for those who have shown an interest to share their thoughts on getting involved in the project and form working groups.
This meeting will bring together facilitators and collaborators, and we will start by giving a short introduction to the CEFR and our CEFR-informed AR Model.
This will help researchers to decide their research focus, form groups, and receive guidance to start Stage 1 of the Action Research cycle - Putting together your research plan.
Each Action Research team will be provided with support and guidance to ensure that their research is conducted in a systematic way in relation to the AR literature and reflective of CEFR principles. The teams will be grouped thematically around six central themes:
- (1) Designing a curriculum and / or course,
- (2) Materials Development,
- (3) Assessment,
- (4) Learner autonomy and the European Language Portfolio,
- (5) Classroom Implementation and
- (6) other CEFR-related fields.
Please feel free to join us. No special skills are needed and whether you are a novice to the CEFR or Action Research, we will provide step-by-step support. This would be a perfect start to know more about your own teaching!
If you are interested in this project please contact the research team.
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New research project - Call for Collaboration Click here for Download
In April 2020, we were granted the third JSPS Grant-in-Aid research project (no. 20K00759) directly involving the SIG, and the fifth involving SIG members, on
Foreign Language Education Reform through Action Research
Putting CEFR educational principles into practice
The JALT CEFR & LP SIG is looking for researchers to participate in our latest KAKEN JSPS research project!
The aim of this project is to support numerous small-scale action research (AR) projects related to foreign language teaching in Japan and beyond, in which practitioners reflect on and find ways to improve their teaching practice using the CEFR as a reference tool.
Each AR team will be provided with support and guidance to ensure that their research is conducted in a systematic way in relation to the AR literature and reflective of CEFR principles.
The teams will be grouped thematically around five central themes:
- Designing a curriculum and / or course
- Materials Development
- Assessment
- Learner autonomy and the European Language Portfolio
- Classroom Implementation.
These categories roughly follow the chapters of the CEFR & LP SIG’s latest publication, CEFR-informed Learning, Teaching and Assessment: A Practical Guide (Nagai et al. 2020). The book authors and SIG officers will offer support and guidance in their respective areas of expertise while undertaking their own research projects. Each team will also be provided with a succinct review of the AR literature, and an action research framework to guide their research efforts. Ultimately, we plan to publish these case studies in either an edited volume or our in-house journal: CEFR JOURNAL - Research and Practice.
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This project is related to the JSPS Kaken project no. 20K00759 「アクションリサーチの手法を用いた言語教育改善: CEFRの教育理念を参考にして」. Taking part in it, presenting and/ or publishing will be acknowledged by including your name in the yearly reports and in the final report of the Kaken as research collaborators (研究協力者) during the research period (2020 - 2022). The names of research collaborators will appear in the final report of the ongoing Kaken project, as shown in the previous Kaken project report (see Kaken database link to the reserach project special site).
JALT and the CEFR & LP SIG are included explicitly in the research proposal. Being a SIG member is favorable but not mandatory for taking part in the project. As this is a JSPS Kaken project, the aim is to contribute substantially to foreign language education (English or other languages) in Japan. Yet, the language for presentations and publications should be either in English or in Japanese. If you are interested in participating, please contact the research team.
For more details, see the special project homepage: Kaken 5
Contact: jalt.cefrlp.sig {admark} gmail.com
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Overview of the Kaken research projects
Kaken 1 - JSPS research project C no. 24520611 on developing a CEFR-informed textbook
Kaken 2 - JSPS research project C no. 26370624 on Critical, constructive assessment on CEFR-informed teaching
Kaken 3 - JSPS research project C no. 16K02835 on developing a CEFR toolkit for teachers using the CEFR efficiently
Kaken 4 - JSPS research project C no. 19K00808 on academic writing (composition) considering world Englishes
Kaken 5 - JSPS research project C no. 20K00759 using action research putting CEFR educational principles into practice
Kaken 6 - JSPS research project C April 2021 granted for a SIG member on CEFR-informed placement test
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(Updated: October 12th, 2024 MGS)
