(Re)Examining the research-practice interface:International perspectives, multiple methods, persistent challenges, and novel directions

In applied linguistics, the interface between research and practice (broadly construed to include but not be limited to additional language teachers, teacher educators, policymakers, materials designers, test developers, etc.) has gained increasing attention in recent years (e.g., Sato & Loewen, 2022a). Recent calls (e.g., Sato, 2023) have urged applied linguists to both prioritize research which can INFORM and BE INFORMED BY practice as well as to focus research efforts on theorizing and empirically investigating the research-practice link ITSELF. In response to these calls, this colloquium brought together an international team of fourteen applied linguists to offer a state-of-the-art perspective on the research-practice relationship in applied linguistics. Collectively, this team presented findings and outcomes of recent empirical and practitioner initiatives in a wide range of educational contexts. The six presentations in the colloquium highlighted nuanced interfaces between research and practice via diverse collaborations, research methods, and empirical findings. Furthermore, collectively, they offered a more comprehensive portrayal of the current state of the research-pedagogy relationship in our field as well as clear indications for important next steps for applied linguists of all disciplinary traditions and contexts to further improve this relationship going forward.