The History, Nature and Future of Faith-Informed Research in English Language Teaching

Authors

Mary Shepard Wong, Azusa Pacific University

Keywords

ELT, CELT, CELEA, Christianity, faith, research

Abstract

Although scholarship on Christian faith and education is well established (see Bleistein, Wong, & Smith, 2013), research of Christian faith and English language teaching (ELT) is just starting to emerge. As the recent volume edited by Wong, Kristjánsson, and Dörnyei (2013) demonstrated, what started as a debate on the dilemmas of imperialism in Christian missions (Wong & Canagarajah, 2009a), “has enlarged to include empirical studies that demonstrate the importance of faith to the motivation of language learners, the impact of faith on ELT pedagogical approaches, and the significance of faith for teachers’ professional identity formations” (Bleistein, Wong, & Smith 2013, p. 236). This article traces some of the roots of scholarship on Christian faith and ELT, reflects on the nature of faith-informed research, discusses how this area of inquiry has been developed, and identifies areas ripe for further research in faith and ELT. It concludes by noting the benefits and obstacles encountered in research on faith and ELT and offers suggestions regarding its future.

Recommended Citation

Wong, Mary Shepard (2014) "The History, Nature and Future of Faith-Informed Research in English Language Teaching," International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching: Vol. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/ijc-elt/vol1/iss1/3