A Systematic Review of Research Engagement in TESOL Teacher Preparation: Pathways for Research-based Teacher Education

Abstract

This systematic review provided an overview of the characteristics of empirical studies on research-based practices, nature of these practices, and their reported outcomes in the context of pre-service English language teacher education. Based on a comprehensive literature search in three databases, 19 studies were selected as eligible in line with the a priori defined criteria. Findings indicated a growing interest and increase in research on the topic from 2016 onwards. The most-common research-based practice offered to pre-service teachers was action research (13 studies in total). The results of the reviewed studies were synthesized with thematic synthesis. The synthesis of the findings revealed that research engagement influenced pre-service teachers’ professional learning in three interacting dimensions: developing a professional teacher identity, cultivating criticality, and merging theory with practice. The findings and their implications were further discussed for positioning pre-service English language teachers as researchers and research-based teacher education in all fields. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.