Bridging the research-practice gap in task‑based language teaching

Abstract The gap between research and practice has been a long-standing concern in the second language acquisition field and in task-based language teaching (TBLT) specifically. We begin this article with a brief overview of the trajectory of TBLT-related research, highlighting the increased focus on studies grounded in practice and the essential role that teachers play in the implementation of the approach. We then make the case that teacher education is uniquely positioned to strengthen the connection between research and practice as it can facilitate teachers’ access to research as well as increase awareness of teachers’ concerns so that research and practice inform one another. After outlining key features of effective teacher education initiatives, we present the articles that constitute the special issue on TBLT-oriented teacher education.