Towards Optimal English Language Teaching and Learning: Dependence on or Independence from Research-based Practices

Abstract

Despite the universal urgent appeal to close the gap between researchers and language practitioners in attempts to better enable effective language instruction and professional pedagogical assistance, proposing discernible solutions remains one of the most difficult conundrums, even for experts. Therefore, the present study aimed to methodically investigate and explore the perspectives and decision-making skills of forty U.S. English language educators, who have different teaching experiences at different types of institutions and grade levels, with respect to either implementing instructional and educational research findings in their teaching methodology or not. The research data were anonymously collected through a causal- comparative survey and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by inspecting the participants' answers to pre-structured closed and open-ended questions. The findings indicated that, regardless of teaching backgrounds, the majority (80%) of U.S. English language educators (group A) implement research-based findings as well as abide by state, board of education, and school standards at the same time; whereas (20%) of teachers (group B) follow a research-free teaching approach. Moreover, participants of both groups (A&B) reported similar learning outcomes (in terms of meeting learning objectives, students' grades/engagement/participation). Eventually, the criterion of 'experience' was mostly affecting the successful application of and satisfaction with research practices, where 21.8% of Group A teachers (71.4% of them are novice) admitted not attaining similar results to those reported in the research findings; while 78.2% of the same group (90% are experienced/expert) gave a detailed and extensive description and reported attaining pretty similar results after critically 'adapting', not merely 'adopting', research data to meet their lessons objectives, unique classrooms settings, state requirements and students' interests. The study concludes with a provisional call to start a regional/state-wide/national/or even international database platform, where existing research papers are updated by comparing and contrasting researchers' findings with practitioners' feedback, test results, and/or suggestions after clinically following the same research methodology in their classrooms to deduce the reasons behind reaching similar/different outcomes.