TIRF

10/06/2026

🎉 Please join TIRF in congratulating the 2026 TIRF-British Council Research Mentoring Award (RMA) recipients!
🏅Ahmed Mekete Ali, Ph.D. Candidate, Wollo University, Ethiopia
🏅Danica Hanna Pastor-Bagayas, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
🏅Gizachew Kindie, Ph.D. candidate, Hawassa University, Ethiopia
🏅Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh, Ph.D. Candidate, Hue University, Vietnam
🏅Veronica Nkeiru Oboh, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Nigeria, Nigeria
🏅Winnifred John, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Jos, Nigeria
Learn more about this year’s awardees and information about their research here 🔗 : https://www.tirfonline.org/announcing-the-2026-tirf-british-council-research-mentoring-awards-recipients/

09/11/2026

🎉Spotlighting the 2026 TIRF Kathleen M. Bailey Teacher-Research Award Recipients!

Recently, TIRF was pleased to announce the 2026 awardees of the TIRF Bailey Award, which honors the legacy of Dr. Kathleen M. (Kathi) Bailey — TIRF’s former President and Board Chair (2009–2022). We are delighted to highlight their work and celebrate the important contributions they are making to teacher-led research around the world.

The TIRF Bailey Award recognizes research conducted by teachers, supporting the development of new knowledge in language teaching and learning. The award remains intentionally inclusive, welcoming educators globally regardless of experience level, academic background, or research history. Learn more about the TIRF Bailey Award and this year’s recipients below!

https://www.tirfonline.org/announcing-tirfs-2026-bailey-awardees/

Our 2026 TIRF Bailey Award Recipients:

🏅Recipient: Atem Arabella Etagha Takang — Listening Beyond Sight: AI Smart Glasses and English Communication Skills among Visually Impaired Learners in Cameroon

🏅Recipients: Phuong Le Hoang Ngo and Thao Thi Thanh Tran — Promoting Students’ Willingness to Communicate in English via Digital Storytelling Group Projects in Vietnamese EFL Speaking Classes

🏅Recipient: Taghreed El Masry — Supporting English Language Learning among Primary Learners in Emergency Educational Settings in Gaza

🏅Recipient: Worasiri Boonsue — Developing SDG-Based English Reading Modules to Enhance Reading Comprehension and Environmental Awareness among Thai EFL University Students

Their projects explore key TIRF Research Topics and showcase the power of teacher-driven inquiry. We are thrilled to continue recognizing and supporting their achievements!

09/09/2026

📢 TIRF is happy to share an announcement from ETS about the 2027 Jacqueline Ross TOEFL® Dissertation Award!

⏰ Application Deadline: September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (U.S. Eastern/New York Time)

Jacqueline Ross TOEFL® Dissertation Award

Purpose: To recognize doctoral dissertation research that makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge about second or foreign-language tests and testing and/or the use and development of such tests and testing.

Award Value: $2,500 (U.S. dollars), round-trip economy airfare, expenses, and hotel accommodations for three nights at the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), where the award is presented.

Eligibility: To be considered for the award, the following requirements must be met:

* The candidate’s institution must have accepted the dissertation within 3 years before the date of the award application deadline.
* The research must have been completed as part of the requirements for a doctoral degree, or its equivalent, at an accredited university.
* Although the dissertation under consideration must be written in English, the research may be related to second- or foreign-language testing of any language.

For more details and application information, please visit the award website:
https://www.ets.org/toefl/grants/jacqueline-ross-dissertation-award.html

View information about the Jacqueline Ross TOEFL Dissertation Award.

09/08/2026

📢 TIRF's partner, the British Council, is seeking proposals for two grant/award opportunities.

British Council English Language Learning and Assessment Research Grants and Awards 2026

📅 Deadline: October 2, 2026

The British Council would like to share its call for proposals for the British Council English Language Learning and Assessment Research Grant (ELLAs) and its Language Assessment Awards. The British Council welcomes applications until October 2, 2026.

The British Council currently has two funding opportunities:

🔹 English Language Learning and Assessment Research Grants
• Aimed at researchers around the world conducting research in language learning and assessment
• Research focus: Longitudinal studies into the impact of using AI in language assessment / language classrooms
• One project, up to £70,000

🔹 Assessment Research Awards
• Aimed at Ph.D./Ed.D. students of language assessment and testing
• Up to £2,500 per award

For more information and application details, please visit:
https://www.britishcouncil.org/exam/english/aptis/research/grants-and-awards

For any queries, please contact: [email protected]

The British Council looks forward to receiving your submissions.

Seeking research support? Our grants for language assessment offer funding, recognising innovation. Elevate global educational practices with us.

09/03/2026

Sponsor a TIRF Reference List
260+ Topics • $8.33/Month • Global Impact
📚 Choose a Topic
🌍 Support Free Research Resources
⭐ Be Recognized as the Sponsor

Our Reference Lists don't just organize research—they help scholars begin dissertations, support educators exploring new ideas, and guide policymakers seeking trusted evidence.

That's why TIRF is working toward an ambitious goal: every one of our 260+ Reference Lists sponsored by our community.
A recurring gift of just $8.33 per month (approximately $100 annually) allows you to sponsor the topic that matters most to you while helping keep these resources freely available.

Explore available topics: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gMsU4WtVNbb3ux3t3rfkdE0DI5-PEEnO/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104401412436056395517&rtpof=true&sd=true

Please use this link to sponsor a TIRF Reference List: https://give-usa.keela.co/creating-impact-through-tirf-reference-list-sponsorship

Every sponsor brings us one step closer.

08/22/2026

📚 Free Resource for English Language Educators: Teaching English to Young Multilingual Learners

Are you looking for research-informed insights to support young multilingual learners?

TIRF, in partnership with Routledge, is pleased to offer the FREE downloadable FreeBook, Teaching English to Young Multilingual Learners, from the TIRF-Routledge Global Research on Teaching and Learning English series.

This collection brings together five research reports highlighting research and practice across diverse contexts, including China, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Uganda, the United States, and Uruguay.

💡 Featured Chapter #2

“Digital Storytelling and Young Multilingual Learners” by Rui Li explores how digital storytelling creates multimodal spaces where young learners can design and share meaning through images, sound, video, and text. The chapter offers valuable insights into how digital tools can support language learning while giving learners opportunities to express themselves through multiple modes of communication.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, teacher educator, researcher, or graduate student, this FreeBook provides practical, research-based perspectives to inform and inspire your work with young multilingual learners.

🔗 Download the FREE FreeBook and read Chapter 2 and the other featured chapters here:
https://www.tirfonline.org/resource/2026-june-tirf-routledge-freebook/

🌍 If you find this resource valuable, please consider sharing it with colleagues and educators who work with young multilingual learners.

08/21/2026

📢 Call for Chapters: Share Your Research on AI and English Language Education

Are you exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming English language education? Scholars and practitioners from around the world are invited to submit a chapter proposal for the forthcoming edited volume:

📚 Future-Ready English Language Education: Teaching, Learning, and Researching in an AI World

Edited by TIRF Trustee Dr. Christine Coombe and Dr. Lana Hiasat, the volume welcomes empirical, theoretical, and practice-oriented contributions exploring how English language teaching, learning, assessment, teacher education, and research are evolving in an AI-driven world.

The volume is planned for publication in the TIRF-Routledge Global Research on Teaching and Learning English series.

📅 Proposal deadline: September 15, 2026

📖 Read the full Call for Chapters:
https://www.tirfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TIRF_FutureReadyEnglishLanguageEducationInAnAI-World_CFP.pdf

ℹ️ For submission details, please see the attached CFP or contact: [email protected]

Join us in shaping the future of English language education. We look forward to receiving your proposals!

08/14/2026

🎉 Thank You for Joining TIRF’s AI Show & Tell (Part II)!

Thank you to everyone who joined TIRF’s AI Show & Tell (Part II) webinar! We greatly appreciate your participation, thoughtful engagement, and enthusiasm throughout the session.

We hope the discussion, demonstrations, and shared reflections offered practical ideas you can explore and apply in your own educational contexts.

🎥 Missed the webinar or want to revisit the session?
The recording is now available here:
https://www.tirfonline.org/resource/tirf-ai-show-tell-webinar-part-ii-august-2026/

📝 Share your feedback with us!
Please take a few minutes to complete our brief post-webinar survey. Your feedback will help us improve future TIRF webinars and AI-related programming.

🎓 Get your Certificate of Participation
After completing the survey, participants will be able to access and download a personalized Certificate of Participation, including their name and affiliation:
https://forms.gle/fo3pLfv7HzMNJUvE7

🤖 Explore more from TIRF’s AI Show & Tell initiative
Discover our AI video series and accompanying scorecards here:
https://www.tirfonline.org/ai/

📢 Stay connected with TIRF!
Stay up to date on future AI webinars, grant and award opportunities, free resources, and more:

📩 Subscribe to our newsletter:
https://tirfonline.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=cf79d0e7850633394ec4b1855&id=767dc83b92

👍 Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tirfonline/

💼 Follow us on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/tirf---the-international-research-foundation-for-english-language-education/posts/?feedView=all&viewAsMember=true

Thank you again for being part of TIRF’s AI Show & Tell and for supporting our efforts to promote research-informed dialogue and practical innovation in English language education. 🌍🤖

08/11/2026

🚨🚀 TOMORROW! TIRF AI Show & Tell Is Happening on August 12!

📣 August 11 is here—and our next AI Show & Tell webinar is happening TOMORROW! Have you registered yet?

🤖 How can artificial intelligence support the future of English language education?

Following the enthusiastic response to our inaugural session, TIRF is excited to continue the AI Show & Tell webinar series—an interactive professional learning opportunity designed to help educators, researchers, and professionals explore practical ways to use AI in their work.

🎯 Join us TOMORROW, Wednesday, August 12, 2026, for a live discussion featuring the TIRF AI Show & Tell Astronauts—the presenters and reviewers behind our growing collection of AI tool exploration videos.

🚀 Meet the TIRF AI Show & Tell Astronauts joining us for presentations and discussions:

🚀 Ana Petersen — Seminole State College of Florida (USA)
🚀 Dao Xuan Phuong Trang — HCM University of Education (Vietnam)
🚀 Onur Ural Burns, Ph.D. — University of California, Riverside (USA)
🚀 Raquel Ribeiro — Brazilian Paralympic Committee - CPB (Brazil)
🚀 Yiviri Rasifatu — University of Birmingham (UK)

Whether you joined our first webinar or are discovering AI Show & Tell for the first time, this session will offer fresh ideas, real-world examples, and opportunities to engage with educators and researchers who are exploring the possibilities of AI in language education.

📅 TOMORROW: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM (Eastern Time, US & Canada)
💻 Online via Zoom

🌟 Don’t miss this opportunity—register today for this free webinar:
👉 https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C-KqWrhZS96bk4ZUYnZlqQ #/registration

🎥 Can’t attend live? A recording will be made available to all registered participants after the session.

✨ And there’s more!

TIRF continues to expand its collection of freely available AI resources, including:
🚀 AI Show & Tell videos
🎥 Webinar recordings
🔎 AI tool explorations

📘 TIRF’s AI Ethics: Policy Guidance for Language Education, authored by TIRF Trustee Michael Carrier, which provides valuable guidance for navigating the ethical considerations surrounding AI use in language education.

🌐 Explore TIRF’s AI resources:
https://www.tirfonline.org/ai/

🚀 The countdown is almost over!
Join us TOMORROW and discover how AI can support innovation, creativity, and meaningful practice in English language education!

08/10/2026

🗺️ TIRF AI Show & Tell: Litmaps – Reviewed by Yiviri Rasifatu Tombir

Research is about more than finding individual articles—it's about understanding how ideas connect. Litmaps offers a powerful way to visualize relationships among research studies, making it easier to discover influential publications, identify emerging trends, and build a more comprehensive understanding of the literature.

In this latest TIRF AI Show & Tell episode, TIRF AI Show & Tell Astronaut Yiviri Rasifatu Tombir shares practical insights into how Litmaps can support literature discovery and help researchers navigate scholarly conversations with greater confidence and efficiency.

🎥 Watch the video: https://www.tirfonline.org/resource/tirf-ai-show-tell-litmaps-reviewed-by-yiviri-rasifatu-tombir/

As part of the TIRF AI Show & Tell series, this episode highlights AI tools that can empower language educators, researchers, students, administrators, policymakers, and other professionals to work more effectively in teaching, learning, and research.

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💬 Take the next step—join our live webinar!

On August 12, 2026, all of the TIRF AI Show & Tell Astronauts will come together for an engaging discussion about the evolving role of AI in English language education. They'll share their experiences exploring these innovative tools, discuss AI's impact on teaching, research, learning, leadership, and professional practice, and answer questions from participants during a live Q&A.

Whether you're new to AI or already integrating it into your work, this webinar offers an opportunity to learn from educators and researchers who have explored these tools firsthand.

📅 Date: August 12, 2026
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM (Eastern Time, US & Canada)

🔗 Register here today: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C-KqWrhZS96bk4ZUYnZlqQ #/registration

We hope you'll join us as we explore how AI is shaping the future of English language education and research.