Towards understanding EFL Research: Developing a well-designed teaching material
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v8i3.15511Keywords:
EFL Research, Qualitative Research, Teaching Material, Teaching ResearchAbstract
This study investigates how English as Foreign Language (EFL) research can be better understood by developing well-designed teaching materials that support students’ research literacy. Grounded in the need to enhance novice EFL researchers’ capacity to conceptualize, plan, and conduct research, this study explores the essential components of effective instructional materials and how these materials can scaffold students’ engagement with EFL research processes. Data were generated through focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted across three universities, involving a total of 15 participants comprising lecturers teaching research methodology in ELT. The FGDs examined participants’ experiences, challenges, and expectations regarding current research-related teaching materials. Thematic analysis revealed that students often struggle with identifying research problems, understanding methodological choices, and connecting theories to research practices, largely due to fragmented or overly theoretical materials. Participants emphasized the importance of structured, practice-oriented, and contextually relevant teaching materials that guide learners step-by-step through research tasks. Based on these insights, this study proposes a framework for designing pedagogically robust EFL research materials that integrate clear explanations, worked examples, reflective tasks, and opportunities for guided practice. The findings contribute to improving research pedagogy in EFL contexts and highlight the value of collaboratively informed material development to enhance students’ research competence.
References
Abduraimova, Y. (2022). Designing Teaching Materials. International Journal on Integrated Education, 5(2), 103-106.
Al-Mousawi, S. A. (2020). English Language Materials Development: Text-Driven Framework as an Approach. English Language Teaching, 13(11), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v13n11p40
Anderson, J & Poole M. (2002). Assignment and thesis writing (4th Ed). Brisbane, New York, Chichester, Weinheim: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Bao, D. (2016). Improvements in today’s ELT materials development. In Issues in materials development (pp. 193-205). Rotterdam: SensePublishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-432-9_16
Benyo, A. (2020). Call in English language teaching. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 29(3), 1390-1395.
Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, J. Bizup, and W. T. FitzGerald. The craft of research (Chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing). University of Chicago press, 2003.
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th Ed).. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cassell, C., Cunliffe, A. L., & Grandy, G., (2018). The SAGE handbook of qualitative business and management research methods. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526430236
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education (8th Ed.). Abington: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publication Inc. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n5p40
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approach (4th Ed). Los Angeles: SAGE
Cropley, A. J. (2002). Qualitative research methods: A practice oriented introduction for students of psychology and education. Riga, Latvia: Zinātne.
Darici, A., & Tomlinson, B. (2016). A case study of principled materials in action. In Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). SLA research and materials development for language learning (pp. 3-22). New York: Routledge.
Flick, U. (2018) The sage handbook of qualitative data collection. Los Angeles, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526416070
Garton, S., & Graves, K. (2014). Materials in ELT: Current issues. In International perspectives on materials in ELT (pp. 1-15). London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137023315_1
Glesne C. (2014). Becoming qualitative researchers: an introduction (5th Ed.). Boston: Pearson
Gonzalez-DeHass, A. R., Willems, P. P., & Vásquez-Colina, M. D. (2021). Case study instruction experiences in educational psychology and pre-service teachers’ achievement goals for learning. Teaching of Psychology, 48(3), 228-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320977267
Griffee, T. D. (2012). An introduction to second language research methods: Design and data. Berkeley: TESL-EJ Publications
Harwood, N. (2022). Research in Materials Development. What, How, and Why. The Routledge handbook of materials development for language teaching, 139-154. https://doi.org/10.4324/b22783-13
Hesse, A., Glenna, L., Hinrichs, C., Chiles, R., & Sachs, C. (2019). Qualitative research ethics in the big data era. American Behavioral Scientist, 63(5), 560-583. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764218805806
Hsiung, W. Y. (2018). Designing an Interactive and Engaging Module Sites Using the RASA Model. In Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers for 21st Century Education (pp. 65-88). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-4080-9.ch005
Kendal, S. (2015). How to Write a Research Paper (1st Ed.). Bookboon.com. https://doi.org/10.1145/2792434.2792439
Kilickaya, F. (2007). The Effect of Computer Assisted Language Learning on Turkish Learners' Achievement on the TOEFL Exam. Online Submission.
Lapan, S. D., Quartaroli, M. T., & Riemer, F. J. (Eds.). (2012). Qualitative research: An introduction to methods and designs. Jossey- Bass/Wiley.
Leavy, P. (2014). The Oxford handbook of qualitative research (edited). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199811755.013.033
Li, L. Y., & Vandermensbrugghe, J. (2011). Supporting the thesis writing process of international research students through an ongoing writing group. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 48(2), 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2011.564014
Lipson, C. (2005). How to write a ba thesis: a practical guide from your first idea to your finished paper. Chicago & London: Chicago University Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226481272.001.0001
Lodico, M. G., Spaulding, D. T., & Voegtle, K. H. (2006). Methods in educational research: From theory to practice. Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint: San Francisco.
Lune, H., & Berg, B. L. (2017). Qualitative research methods for the social science (9th Ed.). Global Edition. Social Sciences. Pearson Education Limited: Harlow.
Mackey, A & Gass M S 2005. Second language research methodology and design. Mahwah and New Jersey: LEA Publishers.
Madill, M. T. (2014). The path to English literacy: Analyzing elementary sight word procurement using computer assisted language learning (CALL) in contrast to traditional. Teaching English with Technology, 14(3), 30-57.
Maley, A., Masuhara, H., & Mishan, F. (Eds.). (2017). Practice and theory for materials development in L2 learning. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Mbato, C. L., & Cendra, A. N. (2019). Efl undergraduate students’ self-regulation in thesis writing: help-seeking and motivation-regulation. Efl undergraduate students’ self-regulation in thesis writing: help-seeking and motivation-regulation, 5(1), 66-82. https://doi.org/10.26486/jele.v5i1.949
Mckay S. L. (2006). Researching second language classroom. Mahwah, New. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410617378
Minto, T. L. (2024). Material development in ELT: Principles and procedures. Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL), 6(1), 316-323.
Mirrhosseini, S. A. (2020). Doing Qualitative Research in Language Education (1st Ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
Mohseni, M., & Rahmanpanah, H. (2020). Language Learning Materials Development for Teachers’ Professional Development. Journal of Language and Translation, 10(1), 49-64.
Murray, R. (2011). How to write a thesis. 3rd edition. New York: Open University Press Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Paltridge B & Starfield S. (2007). Thesis and dissertation writing in a second language: a handbook for supervisor. London & New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203960813
Paltridge, B. (1997). Thesis and dissertation writing: preparing ESL students for research. English for Specific Purposes,16, 1, 61-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0889-4906(96)00028-2
Parsaiyan, S. F., & Gholami, H. (2023). Practicing to sing in chorus: Challenges and opportunities of collaborative inquiry-based learning in an Iranian EFL secondary school context. Language Teaching Research, 13621688231152037. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688231152037
Partington, G. (2001). Qualitative research interviews: identifying problems in technique. Issues in educational research, 11(2), 32-44.
Rachmawati, U. (2016). Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as EFL teaching and learning media in Indonesia: Opportunity and challenges. Edulingua: Jurnal Linguistiks Terapan Dan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.34001/edulingua.v3i2.508
Randolph, J. (2009). A guide to writing the dissertation literature review. Practical assessment, research, and evaluation, 14(1), 13.
Reinders, H. & White, C. (2010). “The theory and practice of technology in materials development and task design” In N. Harwood (Ed.) English Language Teaching Materials: Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 58- 80.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of business research, 104, 333- 339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R., & DeVault, M. L. (2015). Introduction to qualitative research methods. A guidebook and resource (4th Ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394260485
Teitelbaum, H. (1994). How to write a thesis. Lawrenceville: Thomson. Terrel, S. (2016). Writing a proposal for your dissertation: Guidelines and examples. New York: The Guilford Press, a Division of Guilford Publications, Inc.
Terrell, S. R. (2015). Writing a proposal for your dissertation: Guidelines and examples. Guilford Publications.
Timmis, I., Norton, J., & Buchanan, H. (2022). Theory and practice in materials development. The Routledge handbook of materials development for language teaching, 30-46. https://doi.org/10.4324/b22783-4
Tomlinson, B. (2012a). Materials development for language learning and teaching. Language teaching, 45(2), 143-179. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444811000528
Tomlinson, B. (2012b). Materials development. In Richards, J. C., & Burns, A. (Eds.). The Cambridge guide to pedagogy and practice in second language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Tomlinson, B. (2014). Teacher growth through materials development. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL, 3(2), 89-107.
Tomlinson, B. (2015). Key issues in EFL coursebooks. ELIA: Estudios De Lingüística Inglesa Aplicada, (15), 171-180. https://doi.org/10.12795/elia.2015.i15.09
Tomlinson, B. (2016). The importance of materials development for language learning. In Issues in materials development (pp. 1-9). Rotterdam: SensePublishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-432-9_1
Tomlinson, B. (2016b). Current issues in the development of materials for learners of English as an international language (EIL). In English language teaching today: Linking theory and practice (pp. 53-66). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38834-2_5
Tomlinson, B. (2020). Is Materials Development Progressing?. Language Teaching Research Quarterly, 15, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2020.15.01
Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (2013). Applied linguistics and materials development. A&C Black. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal0749
Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (2016a). SLA research and materials development for language learning (pp. 3-22). New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315749082
Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (2023). Developing materials for language teaching. Bloomsbury Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12203
Tomlinson, B., & Masuhara, H. (2010). Published research on materials development for language learning. Research for materials development in language learning, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781474211949.ch-001
Tomlinson, B., & Masuhara, H. (2017). The complete guide to the theory and practice of materials development for language learning. John Wiley & Sons.
Wu, D., & Buripakdi, A. (2022). Narratives of EFL postgraduate thesis writing at a university in Thailand. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(1), 495-523.
Zulfikar, T. (2014). Researching our own backyard: inquiries into an Ethnography study: Ethnography and Education, 9(33), 373-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/17457823.2014.919869
Zulfikar, T. (2019). ESL research: Designs and thesis writing. Banda Aceh, the Padebook.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Teuku Zulfikar, Emawati Emawati, Mujiburrahman, Cut Fadhilah Alfa Karim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in ELTEJ agree to the following terms: Authors retain copyright and grant the ELTEJ right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) the work for any purpose, even commercially with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in ELTEJ. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in ELTEJ. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
