BECOMING ART-BASED ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS: AN AUTO/ETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY

Abstract

Despite various opinions and studies about the significance of Art Based Language Teaching in the existing literature, any documented research about the same, particularly, in the ELT classrooms of Nepal seems missing. Hereof, with the objective of showing art forms as effective tools in ELT, this research work aims to unravel the journey of becoming ABLT teachers by exploring the creative ABLT methods in their practices. In efforts to this, first of all, I reflect upon my own experiences through the study of ‘self’ and then delve into my participants’ teaching contexts through an ethnographic study. The multi-paradigmatic approach of its theoretical reference to ‘Transformative Learning Theory’ propounded by Jack Mezirow helped me unfold the process of ‘Becoming.’ I have double roles played in my research: the researcher and the researched. Besides, there are other two primary ELT teachers of Kathmandu selected purposively who represent the community of practice. I collected the information through methods like observation, interview and field notes. Some significant themes are taken out, analysed and discussed. This study of self and others makes me reflective to my own transformative learning explained with the metaphorical transformation from an egg to a butterfly. I sense that I am in a process of becoming and that is continuous. In this process, I discover that various professional development platforms, teachers’ passion for selfdevelopment, the application of their knowledge and critical view of their own practices are the essence of knowing and growing towards the process of ‘becoming.’ Similarly, the journey of practice to becoming ABLT teachers witness and discover the common ABLT methods with the use of various art form like music, storytelling, drawing, thinking marks and images/pictures/videos used as tools by me and my participants as creative tools to facilitate our teaching-learning process. These discoveries are the key essence of adult learning of Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, where in the process of adult learning, we raise questions, engage in premise reflection and transform. Consequently, I can sense the implications of my research on myself: personally, academically and professionally. Currently, I feel being in the stage of Aristotle’s Phronesis: gaining wisdom from my practical actions and sense the rise of a Pedagogical Activist inside me, who advocates for the use of Art in ELT. Similarly, the early grade English teachers can find my research resourceful of ABLT methods to make their classroom engaging and the urge for continuous professional development can be motivated too. Finally, the future researchers who would like to pursue research in the similar areas can find the information of my research referential and fill in the gap left by my study through their research.