Reflexivity and Collaboration in TESOL Research: A Qualitative Review of Participatory Practices in Global Contexts

Authors

Elih Sutisna Yanto, Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang, Indonesia | Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

This review critically examines with Building a Culture of Research in TESOL: Collaborations and Communities, edited by Jessie Hutchison Curtis and Özgehan Uştuk, through the lens of qualitative research practice. The volume contributes to the ongoing dialogue on the democratization of TESOL research by introducing collaborative research, autoethnography and reflective narratives. Drawing on a number of global case studies, the book highlights participatory approaches which blur the boundaries between researcher and practitioner, especially in contexts where the language is underpresented. This review explores how the book conceptualizes the partnerships between teachers and researchers as reflexive, context-sensitive production of knowledge . Particular attention is paid to the methodological implications of chapters, including the use of qualitative tools such as service-learning, narrative inquiry, and co-constructed meaning-making. While the volume makes a strong case for inclusiveness and mutual learning, the review also criticizes its limited engagement with ethical issues and data analysis frameworks in cross-cultural qualitative research. This article contributes to the qualitative research discourse by showing how practitioner-driven methodologycan inform TESOL scholarship in a socially responsive way. As such, it is generative resource for qualitative researchers, educators and scholars interested in the intersections of identity, collaboration, and context in language education.

Keywords

case study, cross-cultural qualitative research, narrative inquiry, teacher-researcher partnership

Author Bio(s)

Elih Sutisna Yanto (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0701-6454; corresponding author) is a lecturer at the English Language Education Department, Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang, Indonesia. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. (by semi research) in Language Education at the Faculty of Language, Arts and Cultures, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia. His research interests include professional development of language teachers, Systemic Functional Linguistics in language teaching, and qualitative research in ELT. Please direct correspondence to elih.sutisna@fkip.unsika.ac.id.

Publication Date

12-31-2025

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2025.8461

Recommended APA Citation

Yanto, E. S. (2025). Reflexivity and collaboration in TESOL research: A qualitative review of participatory practices in global contexts. The Qualitative Report, 30(12), 4891-4898. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2025.8461

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0701-6454