The Teacher-Researcher Paradigm: Elevating English Language Learning of Kerala’s Tribal Learners Through Action Research

There are different aspects of teacher development, including training, education, orientation, learning, and acquiring; however, the most important aspect of teacher development is research. Such research that follows scientific methods of analysis to approach and solve a problem related to different aspects of education is called educational research. Furthermore, education is a basic human right that should be available to everyone, regardless of their class, rank, or background. The current paper focuses on the discourse of educational research in English language teaching and learning, the role of an English teacher as a researcher, the competencies related to the role, and its implications for the classroom. It also aims at discussing the concept of action research in the context of tribal schools, where the lower primary students are from selected districts of Kerala, India. The paper is an attempt to discuss the importance of action research in English classes of tribal students, the impact of collaborative action research in the contexts, its purpose, the difference of such action research from other fields of academic research, the procedures involved in the action research, and the need for action research to enhance English language learning of the tribal learners.