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TESL Canada Journal Special Issue 2027: Call for Papers

Call for Papers - Special Issue Winter 2027  

Guest editors:  

Ibtissem Knouzi, York University  

Penny Kinnear, OISE - University of Toronto  

Merrill Swain, OISE - University of Toronto  

Proposal deadline: February 01, 2026  

Full paper deadline: June 15, 2026  

Vygotskian sociocultural theory: Transforming L2 teaching, learning, assessment, and  research  

Vygotskian Sociocultural Theory (V-SCT), as a theory of mind, has had a major impact on  second language (L2) theory and practice over the last four decades. It has challenged L2  educators' understanding of the genesis of L2 development and effective pedagogy through a  set of principles (see Swain, Kinnear & Steinman (2015) for a comprehensive and accessible  review) such as the central role of interpsychological mediation, and the focus on conceptbased  teaching and curriculum design. However, as L2 educators and researchers, often trained in  cognitivist paradigms, redefine their roles and attempt to reconcile previous practices and  beliefs with new concepts, many confusions persist (Knouzi, in press). These confusions exist  especially with respect to key concepts such as ZPD vs. i+1; mediation vs. scaffolding; role of  concept-based language instruction in form-focused instruction; role of affect vs. positive  psychology; and Dynamic Assessment vs. proficiency testing.  

This special issue seeks to explain key V-SCT concepts and demonstrate their relevance to L2  theory and practice in Canadian contexts, as demonstrated by Canadian scholars through  conceptual papers and empirical studies.  

We invite submissions that examine and critique L2 development, teaching, and assessment  practices, and teacher education from a V-SCT perspective, addressing topics such as, but not  limited to, the following:  

- Role of mediation in learning and development, focusing on the range, affordances, and  constraints of mediational means (including digital and multimodal) in L2 language  classrooms.  

- Role of language as a cognitive tool (e.g., languaging, collaborative dialogue,  instructional interactions)  

- Concept-based instruction in L2 classrooms and in teacher education programs  - Dialectic relation between affect and cognition  

- Assessment  

- Activity theory-informed analysis of learner/teacher development 

Papers in English and French will be considered. We welcome papers for inclusion in one of  three sections: “Full-Length Research Articles” (original research), “Perspectives” (theoretical  explorations of relevant issues), and “In the Classroom” (pedagogical focus). Please refer to  the TESL Canada Journal author guidelines for more information:  

http://www.teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/about/submissions  

Interested authors are invited to submit a 400-word abstract (including references) to  teslcanadajournal@tesl.ca by February 01, 2026. Please indicate clearly the category to which  your abstract belongs. Notice of abstract acceptance will be emailed by March 01, 2026. Full  manuscripts are due June 15, 2026, and will be subject to a rigorous blind review process. In  line with SCT principles, we will follow a process that fosters collegial mediation and creates  opportunities for scholarly development. In a two-phase process, each contributor will be asked  to review a paper in the special issue (blind review). Following the first revisions and  resubmission, all contributors will have the option to receive additional feedback through  discussion at a meeting attended by SCT colleagues before submitting a final version. The  special issue will be published in January-March, 2027.  

If you have any questions or queries about this special issue, please contact Ibtissem Knouzi at  iknouzi@yorku.ca

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Confucius Institutes in Brazil (by Francisco Figueiredo- ALAB)

Brazil Unifies Its Confucius Institutes Under New National Network; 

UFG Represents Country in Global AI Forums

On September 12th, 2025, the Network of Confucius Institutes in Brazil was officially established, marking an important milestone in strengthening academic and cultural cooperation between Brazil and China. The proposal for its creation originated from the Confucius Institute at UNESP, which also hosted the inaugural meeting. On that occasion, it was decided that Professor Luís Antônio Paulino, from UNESP, would assume the presidency of the Network.

The event was marked by broad institutional and diplomatic representation, bringing together Brazilian and Chinese directors of the Confucius Institutes operating in the country, as well as various authorities from both China and Brazil. Among those in attendance were the Minister of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, the Acting Consul General of the Consulate General of China in São Paulo, the Director-General of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) in Beijing, along with the Rector of UNESP, the Rector of UnB, the Vice-Rectors of UEPA, UEMA, UFBA, UFC, and UFT.

Currently, Brazil has 14 Confucius Institutes – located at UNESP, UFG, PUC-RIO, UEPA, UFBA, UFC, UFF, UFMG, UFRGS, UFRJ, UnB, Unicamp, UPE, and FAAP – and one Chinese Center at UFMT. Together, they form a national network dedicated to ‘promoting the Chinese language and culture, as well as fostering academic and scientific exchange between the two countries.

Subsequently, on October 10th, 2025, the first online meeting of the Council of the Network of Confucius Institutes in Brazil was held. The main objectives of the meeting were to approve the 2026 Work Plan and to elect the two vice-presidents of the Network, as established in its Statute. Following deliberations, Professor Francisco José Quaresma de Figueiredo, Director of the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine at UFG, and Professor Antônio Braga, Director of the Confucius Institute at UEPA, were elected to join the Network’s leadership alongside the president.

The strengthening of this organizational structure represents a significant step toward consolidating the presence of the Confucius Institutes in Brazil, expanding opportunities for interinstitutional cooperation and broadening the reach of initiatives aimed at Chinese language teaching and the promotion of intercultural dialogue.

The Confucius Institutes have as their main objective the dissemination of the Chinese language and culture, and some of them, such as the Confucius Institute of Chinese Medicine at the Federal University of Goiás, in addition to offering courses on the Chinese language and culture, also provide courses in the area of Chinese Medicine. Every year, a major global event is held in which new methods and approaches for teaching Mandarin are discussed – the World Chinese Language Conference, which took place in Beijing from November 14th to 16th 2025. The event is attended by directors of Confucius Institutes around the world, as well as the President or Vice-President of the institutions responsible for each Confucius Institute. This year’s theme was “Innovation Leads, AI Empowers: Learning Chinese Without Borders.”

The use of Artificial Intelligence in Mandarin teaching was also discussed at another event held in Hong Kong from November 16th to 17th – the Global Confucius Institutes Hong Kong Forum, organized by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with the theme “Exploring New Opportunities for Cooperation among Confucius Institutes in the Era of AI.” The event was attended by 150 invited participants from various Confucius Institutes in 69 countries. The Confucius Institute of Chinese Medicine at UFG represented Brazil at this event.

Prof. Francisco José Quaresma de Figueiredo

Brazilian Dean of the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine at UFG

Vice-President of the Network of Confucius Institutes in Brazil

 

in Action / AILA International Events / Congratulations / Events / Visibility

 Call for Papers:  UNICollaboration conference in Limassol, Cyprus June 4-5 2026

The UNICollaboration organisation is organising an international research conference on the theme of “Virtual Exchange in a Changing World: Innovation and Inclusion”. Our 2026 theme acknowledges the transformative power of digital connectivity and collaborative learning in times of global complexity.

The conference will take place on June 4-5, 2026 at the Cyprus University of Technology in Limassol, Cyprus and welcomes presentations, workshops, panel discussions and posters that include both research studies and practical reports.

The deadline for submission is 15 November 2025. Details can be found in the Call for Papers HERE and the link to submit abstracts can be found on the conference website HERE.

If you have specific questions about conference logistics or travel issues, you can contact the organizers at their email address: unicollabconference2026@gmail.com; or directly to anna.nicolaou@cut.ac.cy; annanicolaou0@gmail.com

in Events / featured stories / timeline / Upcoming Other Events

2nd CFP AESLA GRANADA 2026

The Spanish Association of Applied Linguistics (AESLA) and the Organizing Committee of this edition are pleased to invite you to the 43rd International Conference of the Spanish Association of Applied Linguistics, organized by the Department of Spanish Language at the University of Granada. The conference will be held in Granada from April 15 to 17, 2026, at the School of Civil, Canal, and Port Engineering.

With the topic: ‘Language, variation and identity: linguistic dynamics for representing identity’, we want the conference to become a space for dialogue where we can reflect on how language reflects and shapes social reality and how speakers use linguistic resources to represent their identity.

The AESLA 2026 Organising Committee encourages you to participate in the conference by submitting a proposal for an oral presentation or a poster.

We remind you that each participant may submit up to two proposals, in Spanish and English, from 15 October 2025 to 20 December 2025. Proposals should be submitted via the web platform: https://matrix.aesla.org.es/aesla2026, and will be assigned to the thematic panel chosen for review (each proposal may only be submitted to one panel).

For more detailed information about the AESLA 2026 conference, please visit our website: https://wpd.ugr.es/~aesla26/

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at the following email address: aesla2026@aesla.org.es

We look forward to seeing you in Granada!

Elena Fernández de Molina Ortés, Rocío Cruz Ortiz and Edyta Waluch de la Torre

Coordinators of the Organising Committee for the AESLA 2026 Conference

in EUROPE / Events / featured stories / timeline

Highlights UNESCO Chair Intercultural Competences Newsletter

The newsletter reports on the UN Summit of the Future which happened in September in New York City, USA, with the theme “Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow” where member states agreed on working on seven pillars: governance reform, climate action, technology for the common good, human rights, peace and security, and strengthened multilateral partnerships prioritizing the interests of future generations in global decision-making. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that while war is a choice, so is peace.

In what regards the role of applied linguists in the creation of conditions for this peace, we highlight some of the issues that were addressed in the summit that are of special relevance to us: 

  1. Emphasis on Intercultural Dialogue:
    • The summit stressed the importance of intercultural and intergenerational dialogue in peacebuilding and global cooperation, highlighting the role of language in fostering understanding across cultures.
  2. Focus on Human Rights:
    • Discussions around human rights included the protection of marginalized populations, emphasizing the need for linguistic accessibility in education and healthcare to ensure universal rights.
  3. Global Governance and Communication:
    • The call for global governance reform includes improving communication strategies within international frameworks, which is critical for effective collaboration among diverse language groups and populations.
  4. Educational Initiatives:
    • The summit’s focus on education aligns with our endorsed goal of promoting language education that supports sustainable development, diversity and inclusion.
  5. Technological Impact on Language:
    • The discussions on the use of technology for the common good, especially regarding AI, raised important questions about language representation, ethics, and the need for multilingual capabilities in technological solutions. It also stressed the need for global ethical guidelines and reinforced cybersecurity.
  6. Multilingualism and Global Identity:
    • The summit highlighted the idea of a global identity which recognizes multilingualism, and we underscore the role of applied linguists in promoting language diversity, inclusion and equity. Noting that this is the most fraught time since World War II, themes from the Interactive Dialogue on Peace and Security included the importance of focusing on shared values, particularly around human rights, the need to embrace inclusivity in peacebuilding efforts and the role of solidarity to address causes of conflict. The importance of intercultural and intergenerational dialogue was also stressed.
  7. Partnerships and Collaborations:
    • The emphasis on partnerships and collaborations suggests opportunities to engage in projects that contribute to global initiatives and dialogue that promote diversity in addressing these pressing global challenges.

The newsletter also reports on the UNESCO Chair Forum which took place in Ethiopia with the theme "Transforming Knowledge for Africa's Future," convening over 500 scholars, policymakers, educators, and stakeholders from 90 countries to discuss pivotal issues in education, culture, science, and sustainable development. The forum aligned with Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including discussions related to the recent Pact of the Future from the UN Summit. It emphasized the need for inclusive and principled dialogue to co-create visions for Africa’s future.

UNESCO Co-Chair Dr Divinia Jithoo also contributed with a report outlining her recent experiences and insights to international education, focusing on the importance of intercultural competence and equitable practices in higher education internationalization focusing on decolonial approaches. Her highlights include the need to address power dynamics in international partnerships and a discussion on the importance of languages, access to technology and virtual exchange for a more inclusive internationalization.

in featured stories / Past Events / UNESCO

ISB14 Call for papers – Abstract submission portal now open

International Symposium on Bilingualism 14
– Diversity Now –

Now Accepting Abstract Submissions

The 14th International Symposium on Bilingualism will take place on 26-30 June 2023 at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

The theme of the conference is Diversity Now. The United Nations General Assembly has declared the period between 2022 and 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to draw attention to the critical status of many Indigenous languages across the world and to encourage action for their preservation, revitalisation, and promotion. ISB14 especially encourages submissions of work involving lesser-studied bilingual communities and interdisciplinary work examining bilingualism across cultures, societies, and the life-span.

ISB14 invites submissions in all areas of research on bilingualism and multilingualism, including but not limited to: linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, applied linguistics, neuropsychology, language acquisition, clinical linguistics, language and education, and multilingual societies.

Keynote speakers include:

  • Christos Pliatsikas (Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism, School of Psychological and Clinical Language Science, University of Reading)
  • Ingrid Piller (Centre for Workforce Futures, Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University)
  • Kevin Kien Hoa Chung (Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong)
  • Kilian Seeber (Faculty of Translation and Interpreting, University of Geneva)
  • Leher Singh (Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore)
  • Ofelia Garcia (Urban Education and Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Cultures, City University of New York)
  • Sharynne McLeod (School of Education, Charles Sturt University)

We invite abstracts for two categories of submissions: individual papers and posters.

Individual papers are formal presentations on original research or pedagogy-focused topics by one or more authors, lasting a maximum of 20 minutes with 5 additional minutes for discussion.

Posters on original research or pedagogy will be displayed in sessions that offer the opportunity for individualised, informal discussion with others in the field. Posters are especially effective for presenting work-in-progress, fieldwork, and results of empirical research for which data can be presented visually. Posters will be available throughout an entire day of the conference with presenters in attendance for a 90-minute poster session.

Abstract submission is now open and will end on 30 November 2022.

Abstracts should be a maximum of 300 words in length, anonymised and submitted in English via the submission portal https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/3999/submitter.

Abstracts will be reviewed anonymously. Notification of acceptance will be sent by 28 February 2023.

Enquiries regarding the academic content of submissions should be addressed to the ISB14 Scientific Committee via ISB14.ScientificCommittee@westernsydney.edu.au. For general inquiries about the conference please email the Organisational Committee at ISB14@mq.edu.au.

in featured stories / Research