The British Council Nepal seeks proposals from writers for a volume of papers provisionally entitledNepal English Language Teaching Research Papers.

Objectives

The overall aims of the publication are threefold:

  1. to provide international perspectives on research into English language teaching (ELT) in three key areas which will inform the future development of policy and practice in ELT in Nepal;
  2. to sponsor and report on research into areas of current importance to the development of ELT in Nepal;
  3. to provide a review of current research into selected aspects of ELT in Nepal which will document current practice as well as inform policy-making.

Content

The volume will have three sections aligned with these overall aims.

  1. International perspectives on topics of importance to ELT in Nepal

Topic areas are given below.

1.1       Action research for school improvement

1.2       English as a medium of instruction

1.3       Examination reform

 

2. Sponsored research studies

The British Council will provide grant funding for 4 research studies in the following general areas:

2.1       Action research in Continuous Professional Development in Nepal

2.2       Current projects and developments in EMI in Nepal

2.3       Why some low resource schools perform well and some well-resourced schools perform poorly in Nepal

2.4       The impact of the School Leaving Certificate on pedagogy in the classrooms of Nepal

3. Case studies of current research into ELT in Nepal

Chapters may cover research in the following areas (note these are very broad areas and writers will need to limit the scope of their chapters; writers may also submit proposals on other topic areas if they wish):

  • Teaching methods in use in schools
  • Teaching English to young learners         
  • Teaching English in under-resourced environments
  • Teaching English in multigrade classes
  • Characteristics of Nepali teachers and students
  • English as a medium of instruction
  • The place of Nepali in the English language classroom
  • Developing learner autonomy in the ELT classroom
  • Pre-service English teacher training & development  
  • Continuing professional development (CPD) of English teachers

Format

  • The volume will contain 3 chapters in Section 1, 4 chapters in Section 2 and 5-8 chapters in Section 3 by different writers.
  • Each chapter in Section 1 will be between 7,500 – 8,000 words in length
  • Each chapter in Section 2 will be between 4,500 – 5,000 words in length
  • Each chapter in Section 3 will be between 2,500 – 3,000 words in length

The chapters

Section 1: International perspectives on ELT

Chapters in this section should be thought provoking, provide a wide-ranging overview of international experience in the topic area, identify key issues internationally, and be able to relate the experience and issues to ELT in Nepal. The tone of the chapters will be authoritative, though not overly academic, and will be characterised by a clear and succinct style. Reference to or use of theory is welcomed but should be related to practice in particular contexts. A fee of £400 will be paid for each chapter on publication.

Section 2: Sponsored research studies

Chapters in this section should provide a detailed account of the sponsored research project, its aims, methods, data collection and analysis, findings and implications for ELT in Nepal. A grant of £500 will be provided to assist in the conduct of the research and a fee of £300 will be paid for each paper on publication. Grant funds for the research will be fully accountable.

Section 3: Case studies of current research into ELT in Nepal

Chapters in this section should provide an account of research into a particular aspect of ELT in Nepal. The chapters should describe the research project, its participants and methods of enquiry. The chapters should clearly explain the project findings and their significance, and also draw out practical implications for the development of ELT in Nepal. A fee of £100 will be paid for each paper on publication.

Proposal submission

Writers who wish to submit a proposal for Section 1 (International perspectives on ELT) should have substantial international experience in their topic area and some knowledge of ELT in Nepal. Writers should submit brief bio-data (max 100 words) and a chapter proposal of not more than 500 words outlining how they will approach the topic area and how they will relate it to current ELT policy and practice in Nepal.

Writers who wish to submit a research proposal for Section 2 (Sponsored research studies) must be able to complete their research in Nepal within the next 6 months, and also be able to write up their research in a format agreed with the editor no later than 3 months following the conclusion of the research. Writers should submit a brief bio-data (max 100 words) and a research proposal of not more than 500 words clearly identifying the topic area, outlining their research and explaining how the research will contribute to the development of ELT in Nepal. They must also submit a budget for the proposed research with detailed costings up to a maximum of £500.

Writers who wish to submit a proposal for Section 3 (Case studies of current research into ELT in Nepal) must either be currently based in Nepal or have substantial recent experience of ELT in Nepal. Writers should submit a brief bio-data (max 100 words) and a chapter proposal of not more than 300 words clearly identifying the topic area, outlining their research and relating their findings to the development of ELT in Nepal.

All proposals should be in Microsoft Word and submitted by email to the editor, Dr David Hayes, by 20 January 2016.  E-mail: dhayes@brocku.ca

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