English Language Teaching Research Awards 2019

The British Council is pleased to announce its 2019 call for research proposals under the ELT Research Awards scheme.  Through this successful and popular scheme, we aim to facilitate the production of innovative research to benefit the learning and teaching of English throughout the world by co-funding a number of partnership awards. Resulting articles will be published as part of the British Council Research Papers series online (click here). The deadline to submit your research proposal is Monday, 4 March 2019. For more detailed information and FAQs, see the attached ELTRA 2019 announcement.

What is the purpose of the ELTRA scheme?

  • To facilitate the production of high quality research from the UK relevant to ELT practitioners.
  • To improve access of ELT policy makers and professionals worldwide to high quality and relevant research from the UK.
  • To facilitate and encourage the establishment and maintenance of active research links between ELT professionals and policy makers in the UK and overseas.

Who may apply?

Any person resident in the UK with an affiliation to a UK educational institution. The award agreement will normally be only with the institution and not with an individual.

Note: Although the applicant must be resident in the UK, the research may, in whole or in part, take place outside the UK or by persons not resident in the UK. 

What type of activity can be considered?

The British Council is particularly interested in research within the following areas:

  • Learning & teaching of English at younger ages
  • ICT and new technologies in ELT
  • Teacher education and training
  • English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI)
  • English language testing and assessment and applications of the CEFR
  • English language programme evaluation
  • English for development: Social, economic, political aspects of English, education, and language teaching
  • Role of English language in promoting peace, security and resilience
  • The role of English in migration
  • Multilingualism and English

However, proposals for any research activity relating directly to the learning, teaching, or assessment of English as a foreign, second, or additional language will be considered.

There must be a clear research output which the British Council will disseminate and which must be in a format that can be shared publicly and without cost throughout the world.  Successful applicants must produce a final article on the project. This would normally include the rationale, methodology, findings, discussion and implications, and references. See the attached guidelines to authors for more information.  In addition to this output, researchers are encouraged to publish further outputs elsewhere, for example in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences.

Action Required

How can I apply?

All applications for a research award proposal must be submitted within the ELTRA application form (attached). Send the completed form to: eltra@britishcouncil.org by 4 March 2019.