Research aims

What are the aims of ENRICH as regards research?

Along with establishing an effective, efficient and sustainable Continuous Professional Development (CPD) infrastructure which can help English language teachers develop the necessary competences for integrating English as a lingua franca (ELF) in multilingual classrooms, ENRICH aims at contributing to the enhancement of research in the fields of English as an international language and as a lingua franca, multilingualism, teacher education and language pedagogy. This includes making available research-based information as regards:

• The perspectives of English language teachers concerning their teaching practices in multilingual classrooms, as well as their views and attitudes regarding the role and function of ELF in multilingual contexts;
• The perspectives of English language learners, including learners with migrant backgrounds, concerning the ways they currently employ ELF in multilingual contexts, as well as their own views and attitudes about teaching and learning practices in multilingual classrooms;
• The integration of ELF in multilingual classrooms, as well as the processes involved in developing teacher competences that are necessary to this end.

Where exactly does the innovation of ENRICH research lie?

Drawing on current thinking about multilingualism and ELF, ENRICH defies the traditional approach to English as a monolithic entity which is devoid of any relevance to other languages and cultures. Instead, it promotes the innovative, research-based, view of the English classroom as an inherently multilingual environment. The ENRICH Course and the ENRICH research in general break new ground in this respect by focusing, at a transnational level, on teachers competences that are necessary in helping the learners achieve their potential as effective users of ELF in today’s highly demanding globalised world.

Where can the findings of ENRICH research be found?

In the framework of ENRICH, a range of research materials are and will be available for all interested parties. These include ENRICH executive reports as regards the English language teachers’ and learners’ needs analysis studies and the development and implementation of the ENRICH Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Course, as well as other publications, including articles in printed and/or online media of educational content and research papers in scientific peer-reviewed scientific journals. These will be freely accessible at the Library of the ENRICH website.