Language teachers’ use of research in a textbook writing community of practice

The need for the use of research in practice to bridge the research-practice divide in language teacher education has long been debated by researchers. This case study explored how six language teachers, who collaborated with researchers in writing a tertiary English textbook series in China, used research in this textbook writing community of practice (CoP). Data from interviews, documents and artifacts showed that the textbook writing CoP provided a venue to facilitate the teachers' instrumental use of research that directly informed their material selection and task design. Moreover, through increased research exposure, the teachers demonstrated enriched understandings and knowledge about English as a Foreign Language (EFL) materials and language teaching, which is indicative of their conceptual research use. Further analysis revealed that the key dimensions of the textbook writing CoP, including mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire, contributed to the teachers' effective engagement with research. The social significance of the joint textbook writing enterprise provided a fresh impetus for their research engagement; Collaborative negotiation within the CoP promoted their research uptake; The shared repertoire offered tangible and conceptual resources that enabled their research use. This study suggests that a textbook writing CoP may serve as an effective mechanism to enhance practitioners’ use of research.