Call for papers

2024-08-13

Cuadernos de Investigación Educativa invites submissions for the special issue titled “Contemporary Perspectives on In-Service ESOL Teacher Development: Connecting Theory and Practice”.

Context and justification

The field of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) education is in a state of continuous evolution, highlighting the need for ongoing professional development (Diaz Maggioli, 2020). This need stems from various factors, including the increasing diversity of student populations, specific challenges in both rural and urban educational settings (Coady et al., 2023), the lasting impact of the pandemic (Cardozo-Gaibisso et al., 2024), and the emergence of alternative pathways for teacher certification.

In this ever-changing environment, it is essential to bridge the gap between theoretical pedagogical frameworks and practical teaching methods for the professional growth of ESOL educators as well as for the enhancement of student learning. Indeed, effective professional development requires thoughtful planning that considers the local context and addresses the specific needs of teachers (Cirocki et al., 2023).

In many cases, educators often face classrooms with increasingly linguistically diverse learners, which call for the development of strategies that support both content learning and English language development. Thus, it is imperative for teachers to develop the expertise and skills required to effectively support student learning progress (de Oliveira & Jones, 2023; Nieto, 2003).

Aim

The special issue aims to explore contemporary perspectives on the professional development of in-service ESOL teachers. It will focus on innovative approaches, research outcomes, and practical insights that effectively link theory with practice, ultimately enhancing language learning for all students.

Topics

We invite original research articles, case studies, and conceptual papers that address one or more of the following topics:

  • Place-based Professional Development Programs: papers that examine the design, implementation, and outcomes of professional development initiatives specifically tailored for ESOL teachers working in distinct rural or urban contexts. This includes studies that assess the unique challenges and opportunities presented in these contexts, the development of program content to address local needs, and the impact of such programs on teacher effectiveness, student outcomes, and/or community engagement.
  • Professional Development for Teacher Certification: papers that analyze the effectiveness of professional development programs used as alternative routes for in-service teacher certification. This includes a detailed exploration on how these programs are structured, the criteria for certification, and the support mechanisms in place.
  • Communities of Inquiry and Communities of Practice: papers that explore the application of theoretical models and frameworks such as Communities of Inquiry (CoI) and Communities of Practice (CoP) into practical teaching strategies. This includes examining the principles of these models, how they can be effectively integrated into professional development programs for educators, and the impact on teacher collaboration, reflective practice, and continuous professional growth.
  • Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Professional Development: papers that present strategies for fostering culturally responsive teaching practices among in-service ESOL teachers through professional development. This includes exploring professional development programs that emphasize cultural and linguistic diversity, and social justice education to better equip teachers to address the diverse needs of their students.

Guest editor

Dr. Lourdes Cardozo Gaibisso, Mississippi State University (United States).

Article submission

Original submissions will be received until January 31, 2025, through the journal’s platform.

To submit an article, authors must register or log in (if they already have an existing account).

Publication

Will be published in the second semester of 2025.

Guidelines for authors

This special issue will accept and publish manuscripts both in English and Spanish.

When submitting an article, authors must follow the formal rules and requirements established by the journal, in the Guidelines for Authors. 

Some important considerations

  • The editorial process and publication of articles is free for the authors.
  • All articles will be subjected to a double-blind peer review, in accordance with international standards.
  • Cuadernos de Investigación Educativa is indexed in SciELO, Redalyc, Latindex, and ERIH PLUS; in the DOAJ directory; in the Dialnet and AURA portals; in the Google Scholar, PKP Index, LatinREV, EBSCO and EBSCO Essentials databases; in the MIAR citation index; and in the catalog of the Universidad ORT Uruguay Library System. It subscribes to DORA (Declaration on Research Assessment) and AURA (Uruguayan Association of Academic Journals).
  • The journal is available under the Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) which guarantees the publication, distribution, use and reuse of academic papers. The authors retain their copyright and intellectual property rights.

Questions

If you have any questions, contact us by email at cuadernosie@ort.edu.uy

References

Cardozo-Gaibisso, L., Harman, R., Buxton, C., & Vazquez Dominguez (Eds.). (2024). Pedagogies for Equitable Access: Reimagining Multilingual Education for an Uncertain World. Information Age Publishing.

Cirocki, A., Farrelly, R., & Buchanan, H. (Eds.). (2023). Continuing Professional Development of TESOL Practitioners: A Global Landscape. Springer.

Coady, M. R., Golombek, P., & Marichal, N. (Eds.). (2023). Educating Multilingual Students in Rural Schools: Illuminating Diversity in Rural Communities in the United States. Brill.

de Oliveira, L. C., & Jones, L. (2023). Teaching Young Multilingual Learners: Key Issues and New Insights. Cambridge University Press.

Diaz Maggioli, G. (2020). Continuous professional development: The seeds of professionalism. In C. Coombe, N. J. Anderson & L. Stephenson (Eds.), Professionalizing Your English Language Teaching (pp. 253–262). Springer.

Nieto, S. (2003). Challenging current notions of “highly qualified teachers” through work in a teachers’ inquiry group. Journal of Teacher Education, 54(5), 386-398.