Integrating research and pedagogy: an Exploratory Practice approach

This article considers the notion of integrating research and pedagogy through the principled framework of Exploratory Practice (EP) in an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) context. Taking a case study of a 10-week pre-sessional programme in the UK, I critically examine the challenges and the opportunities encountered by participants (learners and teachers) who were engaging in EP for the first time. These stories from novice practitioner researchers provide evidence for the argument that, due to its principles, EP is rooted in practice, and thus entirely relevant to the lives of those involved in EAP. I conclude that EP offers a potent new form for EAP, one which positions practitioners as legitimate researchers, and which questions long-held beliefs about research and pedagogy. EP, then, becomes a springboard for fully inclusive practitioner research.