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In:Child-centered Approaches to Applied Linguistic Research
Edited by Yuko Goto Butler and Annamaria Pinter
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 13] 2025
► pp. 15–31

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Chapter 2
Conceptualizing child-centered research within large-scale experimental projects

What are the limits of child-centredness?

 | University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
 | University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Published online: 5 September 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.13.02gar
Abstract
In the field of second language acquisition (SLA) there is an increasing interest in research concerning children’s language learning process, which has been triggered not only by the introduction of foreign languages earlier in life but also by the fact that most children grow up in bilingual/multilingual contexts. Throughout the 20th century, the concept of childhood has evolved considerably and children’s right to participate in all matters affecting them, including their education, has been recognized. The present chapter will reflect on different conceptions of child-centered research and assess which ones would be appropriate in the context of our experience in competitive, funded large-scale experimental projects. Issues such as the role of the outsider researcher, the actual role of child participants and how it might be improved, the efforts to strive for authenticity and creativity when designing tasks that are age-appropriate, attractive for children and conforming to the official curriculum requirements, and the power dynamics in schools will be considered. Possibilities and challenges for conducting child-centered research in our context such as accessing schools, coordinating with teachers and informing parents/caretakers will also be explored. Finally, we offer suggestions for the future related to teachers’ awareness of children as partners in their education.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Giving children a voice in the Spanish EFL context
  • Introducing foreign languages in Spanish schools
  • An overview of our research with children
  • Steps to conduct research that is child-centered in our context
  • Challenges for conducting child-centered research in our context
    and ways to move forward
    • Coordinating with schools and teachers
    • Getting parents to care about research benefitting their children
    • Adapting to the new multicultural reality in schools
  • Conclusion
  • References
References (56)
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