Collaborative Action Research on Oral Reading Instruction for College-Level Developmental Learners

Abstract

　　This action research reports the collaborative approach adopted to improve classroom teaching techniques by a research community. Past studies on English education have focused on professional researchers as subjects for the action research. However, there is little research on teachers collaborating with researchers in planning teaching methods, collecting and analyzing data, and reflecting and making decisions about problems specific to their classrooms. In this study, Japanese university students participated in oral reading activities to develop phonological decoding skills by improving speech comprehensibility for accuracy in word reading, chunking, prosody, and phonetic change. The research community cooperatively evaluated the extent to which the teaching objectives were achieved and gained several practical insights through collaborative discussion. Reflections within the research community revealed that (a) practitioners expect researchers to provide different perspectives of their practice to determine the teaching procedures that need modification; (b) systematic and thorough reporting of teaching practice enables both practitioners and researchers to obtain practical insights for improving their practice; and (c) partnerships between practitioners and researchers are essential for collaborative reflection on the practical significance and problems of teaching.