Co-Constructing a Framework for the Research Literacy of Language Education Teachers
- Sofia Tsioli
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
On February 24th, I (Sofia Tsioli) led a workshop, also on behalf of Achilleas Kostoulas, at the 6th International Conference “Literacies and Contemporary Society: From Skills to Practices” (6th LitConCY), which was held in Nicosia and organised by the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute in the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. Our workshop focused on teachers’ research literacy, with particular emphasis on the critical reading of academic texts and the development of a critical approach to research.
What we presented
In the conference, we presented resources that were developed within the ReaLiTea Project, and also went a step further by making a targeted extension, in which we addressed issues that emerge in contexts of linguistic and cultural diversity in educational settings.
The presentation took the form of a one-hour workshop, designed to foster experiential and active participation. Attendees were encouraged to draw on their own professional experiences and practices as a basis for reflection and discussion.
Aims of the workshop
The overarching aims of the workshop were:
to strengthen awareness of the teacher’s identity as a researcher;
to cultivate the necessary critical distance when enacting this identity in the classroom, as a prerequisite for an educational approach oriented toward social and linguistic justice.
Overview of the workshop
More specifically, the session opened with a concise introduction to the theoretical and methodological framework of the project and its main strands. The discussion then focused on the concepts of the teacher-researcher and research literacy.
Subsequently, key principles of a critical approach to reading academic texts were presented. Particular attention was given to non-linear and alternative forms of academic discourse, which often function as more open and accessible modes of research dissemination to broader audiences — including research participants themselves, who are frequently our students.
Reference was also made to linguistically and culturally responsive tools that teachers-researchers can employ in multilingual and multicultural classrooms, especially in the context of conducting needs analysis for their students.
Through an experiential activity, participants were invited to critically engage with issues such as the Western-centric organization of knowledge; the dominance of bibliographic sources originating from the Western academic sphere; the normalization of specific structures of academic discourse; the positionality of the researcher; and the hegemony of particular languages in the writing and circulation of academic articles.
The workshop concluded with the introduction of the concept of unlearning as a necessary process for deconstructing entrenched cognitive and epistemological frameworks, if we are to pursue a genuinely critical approach to research and educational practice.
Interacting with participants
The audience of the workshop brought diverse expectations and varying degrees of familiarity with the concept of research literacy. Some participants had already drawn on definitions and descriptions available on the project’s website; others were implementing related professional development initiatives for teachers; while others were primarily seeking good practices that could be adapted for classroom use. A common point of convergence, however, was the recognition of the relevance and practical value of research literacy for educational practice.
Concluding remarks
Research literacy is not yet a widely established concept or embedded practice within the Greek educational context. Nevertheless, it emerges as a crucial precondition if we aim to promote schools grounded in equality, inclusion, and social and linguistic justice.
To what extent is teacher research literacy embedded in your educational contexts? Share your thoughts in the comment section below or in our Virtual Community of Practice!
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