چکیده:
Despite the existence of a vast growing literature on second language acquisition (SLA) research and a heated debate among second language (L2) researchers about the applicability of research to practice, there is scanty empirical evidence in this area (Nassaji, 2012). Accordingly, this paper reports on a study investigating in-service teachers' perspectives on the interface between SLA research and L2 teaching. A total number of 119 English language teachers responded to a questionnaire which collected both qualitative and quantitative data. The results revealed teachers' familiarity with SLA research. Although they held positive views towards the relevance of SLA research to language teaching practice, a low percentage of them indicated that they seek insights from research articles. Lack of time and ability were the most frequently reported reasons for not conducting SLA research. Similarly, teachers' lack of time and the difficulty associated with SLA research articles were the most frequently reported reasons for not reading these articles. Majority of the teachers appeared to conceive of teachers' and researchers' works as related and connected. However, in almost all cases a considerably higher percentage of MA teachers than their BA counterparts viewed SLA research as more relevant and useful for teaching purposes. Teachers also expressed their expectations from SLA research to address practical issues. Further, they highlighted practical aspects of SLA research as more relevant to their practice.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Although they held positive views towards the relevance of SLA research to language teaching practice, a low percentage of them indicated that they seek insights from research articles.
Therefore, this study was launched to investigate teachers' familiarity with SLA research, their easy access to it, their reading of SLA research articles and the reasons for reading/not reading them, their evaluations of the applicability and usefulness of SLA research for teaching purposes, their views of the relationship between teachers and researchers, their expectations of SLA research, and their perceptions of the aspects of SLA which are more relevant to their practice.
The findings showed that most teachers found SLA research courses as useful in improving second language teaching.
3. The Purpose of the Study This study aims at extending the previous literature in three ways: first, it attempts to find out to what extent teachers' academic degrees would cause a difference in their perspectives and views towards the relevance and usefulness of SLA research; second, it seeks teachers' perspectives on the aspects of SLA research which they think is more relevant to their practice; third, the results of this study provide data from an EFL context which would allow for cross-contextual comparisons and may explain why reading and doing (SLA) research is not a widespread endeavor in Iran (Borg, 2007, Karimi and Nejadghanbar 2009).
Karimi and Nejadghanbar Table 5 Reasons for Not Conducting SLA Research Lack of Lack of Not Research Not Total time ability interested is not useful needed for teaching BA 44(62.