Research Priorities & Grants

Call for 2023-2024 Research Project Proposals

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Potential Research Topics for 2023

The purpose of the ACTFL Research Priorities Project is to support empirical research on six priority areas that are currently critical to improving World Language education. Proposals can initiate a new research study, support/expand a study under way, or explore an emerging research area that is connected to one or more Research Priority areas. The research priorities are listed in alphabetical order and are of equal importance. The research grants are funded by ACTFL. Below each priority area is a list of sample research topics; research studies need not be limited to these topics.

Topics may include but are not limited to:
- Articulation and learning outcomes within and across K-16 programmatic and curricular sequences
- Assessment of learning outcomes in relation to an instructional practice
- Study of learning processes and interactions
- Learner voices and experiences
- Influences of class size and course offerings
Topics may include but are not limited to:
- Heritage language learners
- Language preservation
- Disability and access in language education
- Underrepresented/historically underserved populations in language learning
- Multiculturalism, multilingualism and translanguaging
- Social justice, anti-racism, critical and culturally sustaining pedagogies in the world language classroom
Topics may include but are not limited to:
- Access, recruitment and retention of teachers
- Mentoring
- Underrepresented/historically underserved populations in language teaching
- Preparing language teachers for diverse settings (e.g., online, urban, mixed level classrooms) and populations
- Barriers to the language teaching profession
Topics may include but are not limited to:
- Content-based instruction
- Sustaining student enrollment
- Articulation to secondary and post-secondary
- Bi/Multilingualism and bi/multiliteracy
- Building and sustaining administrator capacity
Topics may include but are not limited to:
- Content and pedagogies
- Development of intercultural and global competence
- Learning contexts (service learning/study abroad)
- Intercultural Can-do Statements
Topics may include but are not limited to:
- Teacher education and certification programs
- Post-secondary language faculty development
- Professional development and continuing education (e.g., target language use in the classroom, pedagogical content knowledge, core practices)
- Mentoring
- Practitioner research (e.g., action research, exploratory practice)

Submissions will open again in Spring 2024

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Research Priorities & Grants

Potential Research Topics for 2023