Disaffection or disruptive engagement? a collaborative inquiry into pupils' behaviour and their perceptions of their learning in modern language lessons

Abstract

The action research project described in this article was prompted by the unmanageable behaviour of a group of Year 10 pupils. It seemed that the disaffection of these pupils was directly linked to their experiences in modern foreign language (MFL) lessons. Through the process of the inquiry, the use of ‘disaffection’ as a blanket term was questioned and new understanding emerged of pupils' perceptions of themselves as learners and of their behaviour. Although the starting point was that there was a curricular dimension to the disaffection of these pupils, the article suggests that their difficulties may not be specific to one curriculum area but lie more within their perceptions of themselves as ‘bottom set pupils'. The notion of ‘disruptive engagement’ is suggested as a description of the behaviour of these pupils and as an indication of the potential they have to engage with their teachers. The experience of conducting a school-based action research project and the collaboration between a practising teacher and his former university tutor raise important methodological questions which are explored here. Concepts of validity and reliability are discussed and the staged model of action research gives way to a more fluid process of action and reflection and discussion.