Journal

Editorial (of Vol. 11)

 

(Download the pdf format here)

 

The eleventh issue of RPLTL is a special issue on early foreign language teaching and learning. The domain is an extremely important one, especially relevant in the era of the global dominance of English, where the pressure to expose very young learners to English is increasing, and so is relevant research. The special issue sheds light on many different aspects of this reality, with reference to extensive original research, that ranges from comprehensive descriptions of established curricula for teaching young learners, to organizing the teaching and learning process in the distance education mode, to teacher education concerns, to implementing online technology, teaching content through English, and raising younger learners’ intercultural awareness.

The issue is rounded up with six more papers that fall outside the realm of the special issue and refer to the use of interactive whiteboards, teachers’ perspectives about using games for learning, the impact of the practicum on teachers’ professional decisions, the importance of metacognitive listening strategy instruction, Greek adolescents’ motivational profiling, and the promotion of intercultural competence of migrant learners through computer mediated activities. The issue also includes two book reviews.

 

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As the cliché goes, all good things must come to an end. As I am passing the torch to my worthy successor, Thomai Alexiou, I cannot but bring to mind the past twelve years at the helm of what turned out to be a unique academic journal, both in and out of the Greek context. I strongly believe (and this is backed by the number of visitors and downloads of papers, the citation of many papers in other publications, and also the integration of its papers in the reading lists of various undergraduate and postgraduate curricula around the world) that RPLTL has fully succeeded (a) in promoting the best of research that is carried out within the M.Ed. in TESOL (and currently teaching English as a Foreign/International Language) of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) and (b) in attracting original research from respected scholars around the world. This realization makes me really proud and grateful to everyone who contributed in this wonderful journey, over the past dozen years.

I would like to sincerely thank all colleagues, HOU tutors, for their extremely significant contributions—without their hard work and commitment this journal would not have been possible. I would also like to thank all the authors, both graduates of the M.Ed. and colleagues from both inside and outside Greece, for their engagement and perseverance. Collectively, they have made RPLTL what it is.

On a final note, I would like to thank Thomai for taking over as editor-in-chief and wish her the very best of success in this new task.

 

Nicos C. Sifakis
Editor-in-Chief