2025 TESOL-TIRF Research Symposium, Virtual

Research Engagements in the TESOL Classroom: Putting Curiosity into Action

TESOL professionals are no stranger to research in their everyday practices - A school teacher might notice an activity didn’t work as planned, try something new, and share their reflections with colleagues. A university-based teacher might use a questionnaire to explore a topic of interest through statistical analysis. Whether it is these examples or anything in between, TESOL professionals have curiosity and desire to better understand their practices represents interest in research in our field. Simply put: Teachers having questions and acting towards those questions reflect their research engagement in the TESOL classroom.

In line with the growing awareness to diversity, equity, and inclusion, all TESOL professionals are entitled to become knowledge generators in the current understanding of educational research. That said, engaging with and/or in research in a systematic manner has been challenging for TESOL professionals due to many reasons, including the lack of resources, administrative support, mentorship, or time. However, there are strategies and techniques that can easily be incorporated to overcome those challenges and to center research-informed approach in the frontline teachers’ everyday practices.

In this strand of the TESOL-TIRF Research Symposium, we will explore basic concepts regarding what constitutes research, as well as familiarize ourselves with evidence-backed frameworks. Such frameworks, including action research, exploratory practices, and lesson study, will help prepare TESOL professionals to put their curiosity into action in the context of their classrooms. We will also explore strategies to support your research engagements and find accessible venues to share results of such research engagements.

Özgehan Uştuk is a research assistant professor in the Department of English and Communication at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has worked as a language and drama teacher, teacher educator, and researcher in different contexts. He has extensive experience in conducting his own practitioner research as well as mentoring practitioners who engage in research. He is the chair of TESOL’s Research Professional Council (2024) and he is one of the TESOL professionals who co-authored the TESOL Research Directions 2023-2027. He has recently received the Outstanding Advocate Award from the TESOL International Association.

Arts Rich Translanguaging Pedagogy

Current approaches to the teaching of literacy in English-dominant countries are not fit for purpose for a growing group of students. These approaches are often monolingual, monomodal, and assume high levels of linguistic competence in English. They fail to value the ‘funds of knowledge’ and ‘funds of identity’ of minoritized students, taking a narrow view of language and meaning making. Arts-Rich Translanguaging Pedagogy (ARTP) seeks to disrupt these approaches, igniting the power of community knowledge and arts experiences to create an inclusive, culturally responsive pedagogy for literacy and school engagement.

ARTP aims to bring all students into a culture of reading and writing that relies on and nurtures their individual ways of knowing while providing access to school literacies. For example, students might use visual art to communicate their ideas and aspirations in small chunks of text using their full meaning making repertoires that lead to more complex written texts. Our recent work with elementary, secondary, and university students has shown promising results, with increased engagement, confidence, and enhanced sense of identity as multilingual authors.

Research has shown the importance of harnessing students' funds of knowledge and identity for language and literacy learning. The practice of translanguaging effectively taps into these funds by drawing on students' whole meaning-making repertoires. The arts provide a powerful way of opening up the translanguaging space in which students are free to draw on multiple modes for creative expression and fluid translanguaging. In this space, students can engage in aesthetic experiences where their senses, emotions, and imaginations support language and literacy learning.

The generation of principles for ARTP design has significant implications for pre-service teacher education, educational policy, and practice. It calls for a shift towards more inclusive, multilingual, and multimodal approaches in teacher training programs. In terms of policy, ARTP advocates for recognizing and valuing linguistic diversity in educational standards and assessments. For classroom practice, it encourages teachers to embrace interdisciplinary connections, integrating arts, linguistics, and cultural studies into literacy instruction.

Associate Professor Julie Choi leads the Master of TESOL and Modern Languages Education courses in the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne. She is co-editor and author of multiple books on language, culture, identity, autoethnography, plurilingualism, and academic writing. Rafaela Cleeve Gerkens (BA/LLB (Hons), DML, MTeach, GC-EDRES, PhD) is a lecturer in Language and Literacy and Arts Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Her research areas include drama-rich pedagogy for learning across the curriculum and the use of arts-rich translanguaging pedagogies to support language and literacy learning.

Professional Learning and Professional Development from “Soup to Nuts”

Sustained professional growth through professional learning and/or professional development is not only a requirement for today’s educators, but also essential for adapting to the dynamic landscape of language education. Presenter and workshop leader Katherine Lobo will provide an overview of the professional learning and development landscape from the perspective of a classroom teacher to a university professor and beyond.

Annually, for example, many classroom teachers must draft student learning goals and professional practice goals. These can be met individually or as a group within a school or district. Taking a course, attending a workshop or conference can extend the learning beyond the classroom, school, or district. University professors and adjunct professors need to regularly publish articles and books, attend and present at professional conferences. Organizations such as TIRF and TESOL International can provide professional learning and professional development opportunities that involve research, networking and mentoring specifically tailored to the needs of language educators.

Within each context there are a wide range of opportunities to receive as well as to provide needed and relevant professional learning and professional development. The July live, participant-centered interactive presentation will give us the opportunity to share ideas, broaden our knowledge base and to do a deeper dive into this dynamic topic. Get ready to be inspired, to grow and to learn together.

Katherine Lobo is an ESL Teacher in the Newton Public Schools, Massachusetts.  She has taught at both private and public schools in the United States as well as in Australia and Japan. She is an adjunct professor of education in various colleges and universities in and around Boston, Massachusetts.

Innovating Learning Technologies: AI-Driven Tools for the Classroom of Tomorrow

The classrooms of tomorrow are being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging educational technologies, reshaping the way educators engage students, facilitate critical thinking, and personalize instruction. This session will provide practical insights and hands-on strategies for integrating AI-driven tools to enhance assessment, creativity, gamification, lesson planning, and interactive learning.

Participants will explore how AI-powered assessment tools can streamline question generation, provide real-time feedback, and support formative assessments, allowing teachers to better track student progress and adapt instruction. Additionally, attendees will gain practical experience with AI-enhanced lesson planning and activity generators, discovering how to design dynamic, interactive, and student-centered learning experiences.

A key focus will be on adaptive learning and personalized instruction, demonstrating how AI-driven platforms can tailor content to student needs, bridge learning gaps, and optimize engagement. Participants will also discover AI-powered tools for creative expression, digital storytelling, and writing enhancement, empowering students to develop communication skills, refine their writing, and express ideas in innovative ways.

The session will also introduce AI and the Socratic Method, showcasing how AI can facilitate critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, and structured discussions. Educators will learn how to use AI-generated prompts to develop students' analytical and reasoning skills, encouraging them to question, evaluate, and explore multiple perspectives.

Additionally, this session will address responsible AI use and academic integrity, providing best practices for AI-powered content analysis, plagiarism detection, and ethical digital literacy. Participants will also see how AI-assisted classroom management tools, exit ticket generators, and syllabus gamification techniques can optimize teaching efficiency and enhance student engagement.

By the end of the session, educators will be equipped with:

• Practical strategies for integrating AI into assessment, lesson planning, and interactive learning.
• Hands-on experience with AI-powered tools for creativity, engagement, and gamification.
• Techniques for fostering critical thinking through AI-driven inquiry and the Socratic Method.
• Best practices for ethical AI use and ensuring academic integrity in student work.

Join this session to discover how AI is revolutionizing education and how you can leverage its power to create a future-ready classroom that is adaptive, student-driven, and engaging.

Lana Hiasat is a senior lecturer at Higher Colleges of Technology Dubai and has a doctoral degree in educational leadership with specialization in educational technology. She has published in the areas of educational technology, AI, emotional intelligence, future foresight, and cultural studies. She won the HCT Teaching Excellence Award 2024-2025.