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Updates from the Annual Review of Applied Linguistics

Erin Fell and Alison Mackey, Georgetown University
Editorial Assistant and Editor-in-Chief, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (ARAL)

The 2023 issue of the Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 
on Language Anxiety 

On behalf of the editorial board of the Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, we are excited to announce that the upcoming (2024) issue will be on the topic of innovations in applied linguistics research methodology. Authors have been invited to provide their “hot takes” on a variety of topics of discussion in the field at the moment, including issues of ethics, rigor, sampling, operationalization, positionality statements, constructed languages, and the siloing of quantitative and qualitative methods by research topic. Research methodology is having a moment in ongoing discussions in different venues, and we are looking forward to a stimulating and engaging issue of ARAL on the topic! Contributions from the following authors are included (listed in alphabetical order): Ian Cushing, Laura Gurzynski-Weiss, Phil Hiver, Bronson Hui, Ruirui Jia, Nan Jiang, Youjin Kim, Kendall King, Kevin McManus, Charles Nagle, Yoon Namkung, David Peterson, Luke Plonsky, Jessie Sams, Pia Sundqvist, and several others. 

Alison Mackey, current Editor-in-Chief, has announced that the 2024 issue—her tenth with the journal—will be her last one as Editor-in-Chief at ARAL. Alison offers the following remarks as she reflects on her experiences with the journal:

In my opinion, this truly fantastic journal occupies a unique position in our field as an annual invitational publication based around a singular theme, recruiting voices from around the world and from different sub-disciplines in applied linguistics, working with a premier publisher and our foremost professional organization in the field. ARAL has an incredible, hardworking and highly esteemed board. There is, rightfully, in my view, much talk in our field about the need to make space for new voices, and by stepping down after ten years, I hope to do just that. A decade is enough for anyone, and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career to work with the board members, authors, reviewers, mentors, editorial assistants, and staff members and supporters at AAAL and Cambridge University Press during this time. I look forward to passing the torch to the next Editor-in-Chief in 2025.

Cambridge University Press, ARAL’s publishing house, will be advertising the position of Editor-in-Chief in the coming weeks, and interested parties should feel free to reach out to Amy Laurent with questions about the position.

Finally, this year ARAL has been approached by Scientia, a research dissemination platform whose aim is to make complex academic papers more accessible and understandable to the general public. Scientia has already partnered with a number of AAAL colleagues, including Kim McDonough and Pavel Trofimovich, to produce open access, magazine-like adaptations of their work. In ARAL’s case, Scientia will be publishing an adaptation of our 2022 issue, Social Justice in Applied Linguistics, spotlighting the early-career scholar authors, the collaborative review process implemented in the issue, and the senior mentor-reviewers who dedicated their time, expertise, and mentorship to the authors. We encourage AAAL members to read the Scientia piece when it comes out and to take a look at our most recent issue on the topic of L2 anxiety, broadly construed.

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MAAL: Championing Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability

Shameem Rafik-Galea, SEGI University Malaysia
President, Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics (MAAL)

Dr. Shameem Rafik-Galea, MAAL President & AILA 
2024 World Congress Chair

The Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics (MAAL) is honored to contribute to this issue of the AAALetter. MAAL is still a young organization and was formed in November 2013. Its members are passionate in pursuing research, various activities, and advocacy programs related to applied linguistics and beyond. These efforts revolve around conceptualizing language and communication, spanning pedagogical aspects of teaching and learning to the conservation of indigenous language varieties.

MAAL provides various platforms for lively exchanges of ideas and intellectual discourse, including webinars, conferences, training, newsletters, roadshows, and engagement sessions that foster rich and enlightening discussions among members.

MAAL’s recent achievements include the launch of the ASEAN Journal of Applied Linguistics (ASJAL) in 2021, the hosting of the 21st AILA World Congress in Malaysia in August 2024, and the organization of the 3rd Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics International Conference (MAALIC 2023) on September 5–6, 2023. MAALIC 2023 showcased how applied linguistics and its subfields can address the challenges of our uncertain era and provide solutions for a more sustainable world.

MAAL celebrates inclusivity and diversity. And to-date, a series of activities have addressed how language and communication, in a multiplicity of languages and settings, can expedite sustainability efforts. For instance, in conjunction with the Universiti Malaya Research Gallery 2023, MAAL promoted its call for research proposals on documenting endangered languages and knowledge. MAAL celebrates diverse languages, including Bahasa Malaysia, Arabic, Mandarin, Tamil, Spanish, Japanese, and indigenous languages, like Kadazan, Lun Bawang, and Dayak. Various programs and initiatives have been organized, such as the webinar “Kajian Korpus dan Praktis Sosiolinguistik Melayu” (a corpus-based study of Malay sociolinguistics).

MAAL emphasizes the vital role language plays in driving sustainability, supporting economic empowerment, societal resilience, and environmental stewardship. Sustainability, derived from the Latin words sus (up) and tenere (to hold), embodies humanity’s desire to continue its existence on the planet. It is imperative to find avenues for intellectual discourse on how to meet the needs of present communities without compromising future generations’ capabilities. The concept of sustainability is gaining traction and has become a serious global issue. Aligned with this advocacy, MAAL organized the Asia Pacific Conference last year with the theme “The Role of Language in the Pursuit of Sustainability.” Building on this success, the theme for the 21st AILA World Congress 2024 is designed to continue MAAL’s efforts in line with sustainability and SDGs goals: Linguistic Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability. The congress will cover various topics in applied linguistics from scholars, academics, industry professionals, and government agencies.

MAAL looks forward to this collaboration with AILA, celebrating its 60th anniversary. It is an honor for MAAL to host the celebration in Kuala Lumpur on August 11–16, 2024. With its emphasis on collaboration, knowledge exchange, and addressing linguistic challenges, the congress is poised to make significant contributions to the advancement of applied linguistics on a global scale.

MAAL expresses its sincere appreciation to its partners and collaborators for their support in organizing events and programs. Recently, MAAL collaborated with the Singapore Association of Applied Linguistics (SAAL) to host a talk by Associate Professor Mie Hiramoto of the National University of Singapore titled “Gendering English: A Case of English Enthusiasts in Japan.” In December 2022, MAAL partnered with the Australian Association of Applied Linguistics (ALAA) to organize an early-career researchers webinar. MAAL’s other partners include Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, who collaborated with MAAL in organizing MAALIC 2021, and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, with whom MAAL formed a strategic partnership to organize an APEC-funded seminar on stakeholder communication and advocacy of green hydrogen as clean energy, attended by eleven economies across Asia Pacific.

MAAL expresses its heartfelt appreciation to its advisor and founder, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Azirah Hashim, and all present and past committee heads and members for their contributions throughout its journey. MAAL remains ardent in its commitment to contributing to scholars, professionals, and practitioners in the field of applied linguistics and looks forward to forging more collaboration with AILA and its affiliates. We encourage you to follow our journey as we move forward. member as we work toward a shared cause during these turbulent times.

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Turning Strategies into Action: The Latest News from BAAL

Zhu Hua, University College London
Chair, British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL)
Dr. Zhu Hua, BAAL Chair
The British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL), founded in the 1960s, is a global community of more than 1,300 members with half of our members based in the UK and the other half from the rest of the world. Over the years, we have embraced a broad conceptualisation towards applied linguistics, united in our conviction of the importance of language in individuals’ lives and society. We have dedicated significant time and resources to five priority areas in the last few years. Below I shall report some of the latest activities under each priority area and highlight how you can get involved.
Multilingual representation: How can we enhance the visibility of languages other than English in BAAL?
The long-standing BAAL Newsletter, expertly edited by Sal Consoli, has introduced an innovation section called “Multilingualism in Focus,” dedicated to publishing multilingual content. In the latest issue (No. 122, the 2023 spring issue), you will find three compelling articles by Colin Flynn, Daria Banegas, and Bérénice Darnault. These articles explore topics such as adult learners in minority language contexts, publishing in languages other than English, and the practice of multilingualism in a narrative study. Most significantly, they demonstrate the power of multilingualism in academic writing and debates. If you are interested in contributing to the Newsletters, please get in touch with Sal.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion: How can we address issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion both within the organisation and in the field of applied linguistics more broadly?
BAAL has published an EDI statement, which is now an integral part of our initiatives. We have introduced a new category of First Book in the BAAL Book Prize Shortlist to give recognition to outstanding first books for the 2022–23 cycle. Also, the BAAL solidarity membership scheme was piloted earlier this year and will continue next year.
Support and recover from the pandemic: How can we support each other post the COVID-19 pandemic?
We systematised the practices of sharing resources and recordings via YouTube and member websites. BAAL’s very own YouTube channel is now available where you can find our annual conference keynote speakers’ recordings. We also work very closely with the BAAL Annual Conference local organising committees to offer a live streaming option open for all BAAL members as well as mentoring opportunities during the conferences. Please save the date for BAAL 2024: September 5–7, 2024, to be hosted by the University of Essex.
Engage with and influence the UK government and higher education policies: How can we champion applied linguistics and forge strategic partnerships?
The higher education landscape is ever-evolving, and the field of applied linguistics is expanding, too. BAAL is dedicated to actively participating in debates, ensuring the visibility and coherence of our discipline, and securing funding and job stability. We have taken proactive steps in collaborating with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). The newly published version of the QAA benchmark statement for linguistics incorporates a definition of applied linguistics as the following: “Applied linguistics uses insights from linguistics, sociology, education and psychology, and other disciplines to study real-world questions and problems involving language and, in partnership with those involved, to seek practical solutions for them.” To further our advocacy efforts, we will encourage more advocacy initiatives through our Applied Linguistics Fund (up to £15,000). Details for 2024–25 will soon be available on our website.
Develop an international outlook: How can we promote international connectivity and nurture a global mindset?
We have actively engaged with AILA and AILA-Europe networks. We hosted an AILA Europe Junior Researcher Meeting (JRM) as part of our Annual Conference in Belfast in 2022. Professor Grégory Miras and Dr. Sin Wang Chong are currently editing a special issue for the European Journal of Applied Linguistics to develop the JRM presentations into publications.
If you would like to hear more about our initiatives at BAAL or collaborate on these priorities, please get in touch with us or follow us @_BAAL. We are keen to collaborate and work together with our sibling organisations.

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