Volume 13 – Issue 1: The Language Learning in Education Issue
Submissions open: Monday January 13, 2025
Submissions close: Tuesday February 25 (9am JST), 2025
Target publication date: Monday June 2, 2025
Editor: Melinda Cowart, Texas Woman's University (TWU)
We are pleased to announce the opening of the submissions period for authors interested in submitting manuscripts to the IAFOR Journal of Education: Language Learning in Education issue. As the Call for Manuscripts for the next Language Learning in Education issue becomes available, the world continues to be in varying degrees of disturbance and tumult, depending on location, political and civil unrest, and conflict within and between borders. A world in turmoil is on the move, frequently leaving language and cultural identities in confusion and stress.
As of October 8, 2024 The United Nations reported that globally there were 122.6 million forcibly displaced individuals. Of those numbers, 37.8 million of the uprooted were refugees compared with 26.1 million in 2018. An additional 68.3 million internally displaced persons were identified by October 2024 while there were 41.3 million in 2018. In 2024 another 8 million individuals were counted as asylum seekers in contrast to 3.5 million in 2018.
Rare is the nation in modern times that is untouched by ongoing upheaval in multiple countries. Deracinated by war, persecution, and other destabilizing factors, children and adults are compelled to engage in the language learning process in order to survive and flourish in a new home country or region. Learning to thrive in a new society and culture generally includes learning an additional language regardless of the precipitating cause. A persistent mandate exists for improving the understanding of language and languages as well as the teaching and learning of language for children and adults. Additionally, research that involves exploring and understanding affective facets of the language learning process for different persons is necessary.
Certainly, there are manifold reasons for embarking on the language learning journey. School-aged students often encounter requirements to study an additional language for a prescribed amount of time before completing graduation obligations. Some people simply enjoy the challenge and adventure of adding an additional language to their linguistic repertoire. Immigrants who elect to move to another country for education or economic reasons are among the large numbers of individuals who must learn an additional language in order to accomplish goals and achieve success.
Multiple questions remain regarding the academic, affective, cultural, and linguistic wellbeing of students who are language learners by necessity. Factors that may inhibit second language acquisition and acculturation and stem from school disruption due to war, escape, resettlement, and adjustment point to the following inquiries:
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- What may be expected of children who have already missed significant aspects of their education because of school disruption in the heritage nations?
- When newcomer language learners lack adequate availability of and access to technology, what alternative methods of teaching may be employed?
- What research-proven strategies can be utilized to alleviate culture and language shock and loss?
- When learning an additional language is not one’s choice, how may the emotional and psychological health of newcomer children and adults temporarily stifle second language acquisition?
- What are the academic/cognitive, linguistic, and affective effects of a lengthy exposure to a prolonged period of war and loss?
Unquestionably, the experiences and needs of language learners from harsh environments require thoughtful consideration concerning best practice and how to facilitate an impactful language learning environment. However, other themes may also be considered in a manuscript for submission. The journal is open to a variety of topics. Some topics of interest may include:
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- Diverse attributes of adult language learners
- Characteristics of the most effective professional development for both preservice and inservice teachers and administrators
- Cross-cultural aspects of language learning
- Cross-cultural communication
- Curriculum and/or programme development for language learning
- Differentiated instruction for those engaged in language learning
- Research proven effective models for language instruction
- Innovation in educating diverse populations
- Language and cultural identities
- Language learning and assessment
- Reflective language teaching and learning
- Social issues in language learning
- Strategies for supporting the native language
- Language learning as an additive rather than subtractive endeavor
- The negative aspects of language replacement
- How to reverse language replacement
- The role of the heritage language and culture in second language acquisition
- Music and art as enhancers of language growth and academic achievement
The Language Learning in Education Issue will continue to accept submissions with specific focus on language learning among newcomers from harsh places, including refugees. In addition to the themes stated above, research that delves more deeply into new methodologies for effectively promoting language learning is invited. Such an exploration requires a closer look at both the mechanics of language learning and the affective domain and affective factors that influence the language learning process.
We are looking forward to your extraordinary, stimulating submissions!
Melinda Cowart, EdD
Professor Emerita, Bilingual/ESL Teacher Education, Department of Teacher Education
College of Professional Education, Texas Woman’s University
Source: United Nations Refugee Agency. (n.d.). UNHCR Refugee Data Finder. UNHCR Global Website. www.unhcr.org/refugeestatistics
