Action Research in Education: Enhancing English Skills in Kindergarten

This assignment delves into the realm of action research within an educational context, specifically addressing the enhancement of spoken English among non-English speaking children in kindergarten. The research employs a pragmatic approach, promoting collaborative and participatory practices among teachers, and emphasizes the importance of ethical validity in research design. The assignment outlines a research plan involving surveys, the distribution of educational materials, and organized language sessions to improve communication skills. The study aligns with the mixed methods paradigm, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The assignment further explores the advantages of action research, including its cyclical nature, emphasis on problem-solving, and potential to generate new knowledge. Ethical considerations, such as participant privacy and fair representation, are also addressed. The research question aims to provide valuable insights for educators and scholars interested in improving language acquisition strategies for non-native speakers, thereby promoting effective teaching methodologies.

Running head: ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Action Research in Education
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author name:

1ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Module 3
Topic 1
a) On the basis of my reading on Pine’s Chapter 1 “The Disconnection between Educational
Research and practice, the teacher-action research is a pragmatic approach as it promotes an
egalitarian, democratic, participatory and non-hierarchical leadership to be displayed by the
teachers. In this type of research, there is encouragement to enquire about the school and its
various policies that includes questioning the learning, teaching, leadership as well as the
university partnerships along with the participation of the parents (Coghlan & Brannick,
2014). This approach emboldens the teachers to engage in consciousness raising and
collaborative research. There is also emphasis on application of knowledge that is marked by
democratic and inclusive policy.
b.) The aim of my research is to seek and suggest ways for the enhancement of spoken
English among non-English speaking children in kindergarten. For the objective of the
research, I engaged in the drafting of a rigorous plan in consultation with my colleagues and
experts in this field. This was followed by a review of literature to outline the challenges
faced by non-native children in communicating in English and document the efforts made by
the researchers in this field. Literature on teaching and learning was useful for this purpose.
The existing literature helped me to formulate an effective strategy. The first step is to
identify a group of students in kindergarten and conduct a survey regarding their English
communication abilities. Secondly, I decided to distribute DVDs of nursery rhymes in
English but vernacular subtitles and encourage parents of the non-native children to expose
their children to this content. The third strategy to organize extempore and nursery rhyme
sessions thrice a week for one hour and encourage the non-native students to participate in it.
These strategies would be implemented for a period of six months followed by an evaluation

2ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
on the effectiveness of the strategies. My reaserch design is in consonance with the elements
and values of Example 3- Julian who is a year 4 teacher (Koshy, 2005).Julian’s research was
concerned with assessment of effectiveness of children’s level of understanding, rectification
of the misconceptions and suggestions to improve the lesson. Similar to my research her
study also had a systematic strategy succeeding the review of literature. Similar to her
research that aims to enhance the participation, my research aims to enhance the English
speaking among non-native kindergarten children.
c). In the text on ‘A Paradigm of Teacher Action Research’, there is the mention of eclectic-
mixed methods paradigm is befitting for the future action research. The feature of this
paradigm is to deploy different methods to study a phenomenon or an issue. There is
openness inherent to the eclectic mixed paradigmatic paradigm (Pines, 2008). In the
modernist era, mixed methods and methodological pluralism is perceived a neutralization of
the war of the paradigms. The mixed method promotes triangulation that underlines the
implementation of more than one research methodology. The second aspect of this paradigm
is that it promotes complimentarity by encouraging the research to view the research
problems from a variety of perspectives. The development aspect of the paradigm is
characterized by the information of one method on another. The feature of this paradigm as
envisaged by different scholars is that the possibility of ultimate control might be narrow but
there is scope for improvement. The paradigm of my research is in consonance with the
mixed method paradigm as I have used the survey (quantitative methodology) followed by an
engagement with the kindergarten children in the sessions (qualitative). The first stage of
survey guided me to devise strategies for the improvement of English of non-native children.

3ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Topic 2
a.) The aim of my research is to propose strategies that would enhance the English speaking
skills of the non-native speakers. Keeping my research question at the backdrop, ethical
validity by Pine (mentioned in Chapter 4) is appropriate. It is because ethical validity
examines whether the children involved in the research process whether the proposed
recommendations have been made to take that their English learning abilities are
enhanced. Another aspect of ethical validity is that it looks into the different stakeholders
involved in the research have en consulted. In the light of my research, the teachers,
parents and the principal have been consulted to make the research more holistic. The
research also took care that all the participants of the research had an equal opportunity to
participate and that the needs of the children have been taken care.
Module 4
Topic 1
a.) Action research is befitting for the context of my research as it fosters enquiry to be
undertaken with rigour with the aim to refine the associated practises with the research.
The evidence-based orientation of action research enables the researcher to continuously
work on the research and promotes the professional development of the researcher
(Brydon-Miller, Greenwood & Maguire, 2003). Another feature of action research is the
generation and spawning of new knowledge. It entails learning through action that further

4ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
catalyzes the scholarly or personal development of the researcher. Action research
underscore on problem solving rather pure research. There is an emphasis on practical
outcomes and understand the importance of research as a mode of transforming the
society (Lewin, 1946). It is viewed as constructive enquiry that allows the researcher an
opportunity to engage in constructing her/his knowledge through the process of action,
evaluation, planning and encouraging learning through experience. The planning and
performing stage of action research includes the implementation of practical
achievements that would lead to the improvement of efficiency, greater effectiveness and
enhanced communication (Reason & Bradbury, 2001). The research aspect is concerned
with the theoretical achievements, learning the processes of problem solving and acting
according to the circumstances. Finally, confirming or adjusting or rejection of the
prevalent theories and establishing on the new ones (Koshy, 2005) A team of practitioners
usually carries out action research who choose a new endeavour, examine its implications
and find out ways of implementing it and finally evaluate the implications to make
decisions (Bradbury-Huang, 2010). Action research is purposeful research that is done
with an intention of fostering praxis. This research enables the teacher to engage with
evidence and research regarding the achievements of the pupil. There are certain
advantages in the adoption of action research. The first advantage is that action research
consistently entails evaluation. As a result, of which, modifications can be made by the
researcher. Secondly, action research has the potential to be located in a situation or
context. Theory can emerge from action research rather than the traditional approach of
following an established theory for the accomplishment of research ()There is an
opportunity for the study to produce results that are open-ended in nature. Another
interesting aspect of action research is that researchers can be participants rather than
maintain a professional distance from the participants. This is a welcome departure from

5ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
the positivist epistemology that informs the quantitative research methodology. Action
research becomes an opportunity for the researcher to narrate a story on real issues.
b.) The first step of action research is to address the practical problem-this involves the
recognition of the everyday practical problems pertaining to a particular context and
implement solutions in the context (Ritchie et al., 2013). The second step is to generate
knowledge- this involves the production of knowledge to drive change and working on
the knowledge produced. The third step is the enacting change-This involves keeping a
track of whether changes are implemented for the target and ensure that it is not
implemented when the project gets over. The fourth step is the participatory phase- this
stage involves the collaboration of the researchers, practitioners and multiple
stakeholders. Therefore, action research is a cyclical process and progresses with the
emergent knowledge. The notion of cycles is that it moves toward an astute understanding
and implementation of enhanced action plan. It is couched in evaluative practice that
simultaneously follows critical reflection and action.
Topic 2
a. ) The research question does justice to the scholarship of Pine and incorporates
passion and energy, a key feature of action design research framework.
b. ) Dana and Yendol-Hoppy’s eight passions include the child, the curriculum, the
content knowledge, the teaching strategies, the relationship between beliefs and
professional practice, the intersection that exists between the professional and the
personal identities, advocating social justice and equity and finally content matters.
The proposed research question is in consonance with the eight passions as
propounded by Dana and Yendol-Hoppy.
c.) The research question is that the research aims to address is very important for the
learners and fellow researchers in the context, as it would facilitate an understanding

6ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
of English language among non0native speakers and also propose strategies to
enhance English among the non-native speakers. The research question will enable
scholars in the field of education and language to understand the challenges faced by
non-native English language speakers and also find corresponding solutions.
The research question has been formulated keeping in mind the purpose of the
research. The study is concerned with exploration of challenges and corresponding
solution for non-native English language speakers and enhance their English language
skills.
Topic 3
a.) The aim of action research is to ensure that the privacy or the confidentiality of
the participants are taken care during the course of research. Fair representation is
an important issue that largely remains unaddressed as part of the ethical
guidelines (Smith, 2015). The articulations of the participants in the research need
to be maintained with full integrity. There is a need to ensure that they are
represented with honesty at the same time keeping in mind the fusion of power in
the dynamics between the different stakeholders as well as the researcher and the
participants. The consent and cooperative participation of the participants is
desirable for the research and therefore, the participants should be made
comfortable. There should be an attempt to bridge the hierarchy between the
researcher and the participant.

7ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Reference
Annells, M. (1996). Grounded theory method: Philosophical perspectives, paradigm of
inquiry, and postmodernism.Qualitative health research, 6(3), 379-393.
Bradbury-Huang, H. (2010). What is good action research? Why the resurgent
interest?. Action Research, 8(1), 93-109.
Brydon-Miller, M., Greenwood, D., & Maguire, P. (2003). Why action research?.
Carr, W., & Kemmis, S. (2003). Becoming critical: education knowledge and action
research. Routledge.
Coghlan, D., & Brannick, T. (2014). Doing action research in your own organization. Sage.
Drost, E. A. (2011). Validity and reliability in social science research. Education Research
and perspectives, 38(1), 105.
Hine, G. S. (2013). The importance of action research in teacher education programs. Issues in
Educational Research, 23(2), 151-163.
Koshy, V. (2005). Action research for improving practice: A practical guide. Sage.
Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems.Journal of social issues, 2(4), 34-
46.
Peräkylä, A. (2011). Validity in research on naturally occurring social interaction. Qualitative
research, 365-382.
Pine, G. J. (2008). Teacher action research: Building knowledge democracies. Sage.
Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of action research: Participative
inquiry and practice. Sage.

8ACTION RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., & Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2013). Qualitative research
practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage.
Smith, J. A. (Ed.). (2015). Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods.
Sage.