research-agenda
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- PaperTESOL Quarterly19 Jul 2026
Collaborative Development of a Research Agenda to Claim Language Teaching as a Site of Knowledge Production
Yoshiyuki Nakata, Xuesong (Andy) Gao
This paper argues for a collaborative approach to developing research agendas in TESOL, involving both researchers and practitioners. It outlines a six-step process for creating inclusive research agendas that strengthen the link between research and practice. The authors advocate for the agentic involvement of teachers and practitioners as knowledge producers.
Original abstract
The development of research agendas is a crucial component of the process of reclaiming teaching as a site of knowledge production in language education research. However, in the TESOL field, the research agenda (RA) has traditionally been defined in relation to a gap between research and practice. Researchers often justify their work by highlighting significant disciplinary knowledge gaps. Therefore, when developing an RA, we must ask ourselves: (1) Whose interests does the RA serve? (2) Who should be involved in setting the RA? And (3) how can the RA be created and promoted? Engaging proactively with these questions encourages collaboration with practitioners and strengthens the link between research and practice. This approach helps us establish inclusive research agendas that benefit knowledge producers, including teachers, students, policymakers, and researchers. An RA should emerge from a collaborative and consultative process involving both researchers and teachers as practice researchers. Collaborative RA development involves several steps: (1) understanding the needs of the educational context; (2) formulating a preliminary research design and questions that incorporate practitioners' perspectives; (3) conducting a literature review to help researchers and teachers as knowledge producers understand the research's significance; (4) selecting methods aligning with the research design and questions, ensuring consistency with the RA; (5) providing readers with detailed information about the RA to offer context; and (6) publishing in a medium and forum aligned with the RA. This article discusses these steps in detail, outlines strategies for their implementation, illustrating the collaborative process for developing research agendas in TESOL. From a practical perspective, this paper argues for the agentic involvement of both researchers and practitioners in developing RAs, highlighting the connections between their roles in the research process and raising researchers' awareness of research practices that foster a virtuous circle between research and practice.
- PaperLanguage Teaching29 Jun 2026
Generative artificial intelligence and L2 writing: A research agenda
Matt Kessler
Proposes six future research tasks on generative AI for second language writing, organized into three themes: learning processes and outcomes, student use and interactions, and teaching. Aims to foster research-pedagogy connections by outlining needed studies and methodological approaches.
Original abstract
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is a powerful technology that has vast potential to support various aspects of second language acquisition (SLA). Given GenAI’s capabilities, it is particularly relevant for the teaching and learning of second language (L2) writing. Despite its potential, there are also clear hazards and a range of potentially negative side effects, many of which have yet to be explored. Building on existing research, in this piece, I propose a series of six future research tasks that may prove useful for further understanding the affordances and limitations of GenAI for L2 writing. These six research tasks are organized into three interrelated themes, which cover 1) learning processes and outcomes, 2) student use and interactions, and 3) teaching. For each theme, two research tasks are proposed. Each task includes a discussion of what research is needed, why it is needed, along with how scholars might investigate that research task by adopting quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. The goal of this piece is to provide potential research ideas for graduate students and faculty and, ultimately, to foster research–pedagogy connections involving GenAI, L2 writing, and SLA.