Call for Papers

Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages in Educational Digital Settings

Call for papers

New Trends in English Language Teaching, Learning and Education

Edited by Giuseppe Balirano (University of Naples L’Orientale), Gašper Ilc (University of Ljubljana), Tania Zulli (G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara)

Over the past decade, the field of English Language Teaching has witnessed a significant reconfiguration shaped by intersecting pedagogical, technological, and sociolinguistic developments. These transformations have prompted a re‑examination of the theoretical foundations, methodological orientations, and educational priorities that inform contemporary language pedagogy. Emerging digital infrastructures, increasingly multilingual learning environments, and the growing presence of data‑driven and AI‑enhanced tools are not merely expanding the range of available practices; they are redefining the epistemological assumptions underpinning teacher education, learner engagement, assessment, and curriculum design. At the same time, global shifts in educational delivery – accelerated by recent crises – have foregrounded the need for adaptive models capable of addressing issues of access, learner diversity, and pedagogical sustainability. Within this complex and evolving scenario, the edited volume New Trends in English Language Teaching, Learning and Education seeks to offer a critical and research‑informed space for investigating how these dynamics are reshaping ELT and for exploring innovative trajectories that may guide its future development.

We invite scholars, researchers, teachers, and practitioners to submit contributions that explore emerging themes and innovative perspectives in ELT, including but not limited to:

the dynamics, challenges, and attitudes surrounding digital learning environments;
relationships between language theories and classroom practices;
the use of audio description as a pedagogical tool in specialised language instruction;
issues in third language learning, multilingual competence, and learner corpus analysis;
integration of web‑mediated content into writing pedagogy and its implications for learner performance;
innovations in receptive skills instruction within ELT curricula;
applications of sentiment analysis to ELT/ELF contexts;
potentials and limitations of mobile apps and digital tools for EFL learning;
experiences with learning management systems for online teaching and assessment, including practices developed during emergency remote instruction;
the use and impact of videoconference-based examination in complex educational settings;
pedagogical and ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence in ELT;
the role of corpora and interactive platforms in translation training and post-editing activities;
fostering critical thinking skills in post-pandemic language education.

The volume aims to offer a multifaceted and up-to-date overview of current developments, encouraging international dialogue on sustainable, inclusive, and research-informed approaches to language education.

Submission of articles

Authors wishing to contribute are invited to send their article by May 15, 2026 to Giuseppe Balirano (gbalirano@unior.it), Gašper Ilc (gasper.ilc@ff.uni-lj.si), Tania Zulli (tania.zulli@unich.it), and to claor@unior.it (the latter preferably in Cc).

Contributions should be in English and should be between 7,000 and 8,000 words (references excluded from the word count). We ask authors to send an editable Microsoft Word document (.docx or .doc). Please do not use any desktop publishing software.

Authors should submit two Word files:

One file labelled “ALLiED_short title of article_date” (e.g., ALLiED_New Trends in ELT_19012020) containing an anonymous digital copy of the article (no headers, footers or running heads);

One file including author’s name, postal and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers), word count of article, a short summary (150-200 words) and a list of up to six keywords, together with the title of the article and brief biographical notes (academic affiliations and principal publications; the bionote should not exceed 100 words).

References

Anderson, J. (2024). Translanguaging: a paradigm shift for ELT theory and practice, ELT Journal, 78 (1), 72–81.

Barrot, J. S. (2023). Using ChatGPT for second language writing: Pitfalls and potentials, Assessing Writing, 57, 100745.

Balirano, G., Rasulo, M. (eds), (2023) Advances, Trends and Approaches in Language Teaching, Learning and Education in the Post-pandemic Era: Theory and Practice. RILA – Rassegna Italiana di Linguistica Applicata 55/2-3 [Special Issue], 31–55.

Chen, X. et al. (2022). Two decades of artificial intelligence in education: Contributors, collaborations, research topics, challenges, and future directions. Educational Technology and Society, 25(1), 28–47.

Cheung S. K. S. et al., 2021, “Shaping the future learning environments with smart elements: challenges and opportunities”, International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 18, 16.

Curry, N. and McEnery, T. (2025). Corpus linguistics for language teaching and learning: A research agenda, Language Teaching, 58(2), 232–251.

Gamage, S.H.P.W. et al. (2022). A systematic review on trends in using Moodle for teaching and learning. International Journal of STEM Education, 9, 9.

Guo, K., Wang, D. (2023). To resist it or to embrace it? Examining ChatGPT’s potential to support teacher feedback in EFL writing. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 8435–8463.

Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., and Zou, D. (2023). ChatGPT for language teaching and learning. RELC Journal, 54(2), 537–550.

Stockwell, G. (2022). Mobile Assisted Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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Special issue: AI and foreign language learning: bridging classroom practice and research

Edited by: Adriano Ferraresi (University of Bologna), Anna Mongibello (University of Napoli “L’Orientale”), Francesca Raffi (University of Macerata) and Serge Bibauw (University of Louvain)

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping how we teach, learn, and research languages, redefining traditional boundaries between theory and classroom practice (Chen et al., 2020). Within the field of language learning and teaching, the adoption of AI tools such as ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) has sparked growing interest among researchers, educators, and practitioners. These technologies have been explored for a wide range of pedagogical purposes, including writing assistance, automated feedback, task design, and personalized tutoring (Khonke et al., 2023).

Existing studies have demonstrated promising cognitive and behavioural effects, such as improvements in learners’ linguistic competence (Bibauw et al., 2022) and motivation (Fryer et al., 2020). Parallel lines of inquiry, often based on classroom surveys or action research, have investigated the pedagogical affordances of these tools and their integration into teaching practices (Slamet, 2024). Despite these advances, the gap between AI research and classroom implementation remains substantial.

There is still a need to develop empirically grounded frameworks that connect AI innovations with language teaching practices, and to understand their broader implications for learners, teachers, and educational contexts (Hockly, 2023).

This special issue invites contributions that critically and creatively bridge research and practice in the use of AI for foreign language learning. We welcome both theoretical reflections and empirical studies that investigate how AI can reshape pedagogical models, learner interaction, and teacher development. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Integrating AI into the classroom: practical applications of AI for language teaching and learning, including (creative) writing, tutoring and assessment;

• The human factor: students’ and teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and digital literacies in AI-enhanced learning environments; applications of AI for inclusive language education;

• AI and linguistic data: analyses of learner language, AI-generated output, and learner–AI interaction through corpus-based or experimental approaches;

• AI-mediated normativity and bias: critical perspectives on how AI systems shape notions of correctness, proficiency, and identity, and how critical digital literacy can help address such biases in language teaching practice.

By encouraging dialogue between educational research and classroom innovation, this special issue aims to advance a more integrated understanding of how AI can transform the teaching and learning of foreign languages.

Submission of articles
Authors wishing to contribute are invited to send their article by December 5, 2025 to Adriano Ferraresi (adriano.ferraresi@unibo.it),Anna Mongibello (amongibello@unior.it), Francesca Raffi (f.raffi@unimc.it), Serge Bibauw (serge.bibauw@uclouvain.be) and to claor@unior.it (the latter preferably in Cc).

Authors should submit two Word files:

One file labelled “ALLiED_short title of article_date” (e.g., ALLiED_New Trends in ELT_19012020) containing an anonymous digital copy of the article (no headers, footers or running heads);
One file including author’s name, postal and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers), word count of article, a short summary (150-200 words) and a list of up to six keywords, together with the title of the article and brief biographical notes (academic affiliations and principal publications; the bionote should not exceed 100 words).

References

Bibauw, S., Van den Noortgate, W., François, T., & Desmet, P. (2022). Dialogue systems for language learning: A meta-analysis. Language Learning & Technology, 26(1), 1–24.

Chen L, Chen P, Lin Z (2020) Artificial intelligence in education: A review. IEEE Access 8: 75264–75278.

Chiu, T. K. F., Ahmad, Z., Ismail, M., & Sanusi, I. T. (2024). What are artificial intelligence literacy and competency? A comprehensive framework to support them. Computers & Education Open, 6, Article 100171.

Fryer, L. K., Thompson, A., Nakao, K., Howarth, M., & Gallacher, A. (2020). Supporting self-efficacy beliefs and interest as educational inputs and outcomes: Framing AI and human partnered task experiences. Learning and Individual Differences, 80, Article 101850.

Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). ChatGPT for language teaching and learning. RELC Journal, 54(2), 367–371.

Hockly, N., (2023). Artificial Intelligence in English Language Teaching: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. RELC Journal , Vol. 54(2), 445–451

Slamet, J. (2024) Potential of ChatGPT as a digital language learning assistant: EFL teachers’ and students’ perceptions. Discover Artificial Intelligence, 4.