In a recent blog post authored by Dr. Christine Coombe, a TIRF Trustee and long-time leader in the TESOL community, TESOL International Association and TIRF offer a forward-looking view of how research will shape the future of English language teaching. The post explores commonalities between TESOL’s established Research Directions — broad priority areas informed by educators and researchers globally — and TIRF’s Research Topics, which guide the Foundation’s grantmaking, publications, and mentoring services.

In her piece, Christine highlights how these two frameworks work in synergy to ensure that research is not merely theoretical but deeply responsive to classroom realities, policy needs, and global shifts — including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in English language education. Together, TESOL and TIRF aim to center teacher voice, equitable access, and evidence-based decision making, while creating stronger bridges between inquiry and impact. This collaboration signals a renewed commitment to ensuring research directly supports educators, learners, and institutions worldwide.

Read Christine’s full write-up here: https://www.tesol.org/blog/posts/mapping-the-future-of-tesol-through-research-tesol-s-research-directions-and-tirf-s-research-topics/.