Readership
The intended audience of this journal includes researchers and practitioners interested in issues connected with self-access language learning, including skills support centres. These issues include (but are not limited to):
- learner autonomy and self-access
- advising learners in a self-access centre
- writing centres
- self-directed learning and self-access
- motivation and self-access
- self-access materials design
- conversation lounges
- self-access centre management
- theoretical underpinnings of self-access learning
- CALL and self-access
Contributions
SiSAL Journal welcomes submissions in a number of categories:
Articles
We welcome articles of around 5000 words that highlight research and issues connected with self-access learning or skills support centres. The articles should be scholarly, yet generally accessible to ELT professionals, highlighting practical applications where possible.
Contributors are asked to take into account the following important factors when writing their articles:
- Articles should be of interest and relevance to the readers of SiSAL Journal.
- Articles should be well written and proofread by at least one peer before submission.
SiSAL Journal may also consider reprinting previously published articles if permission is obtained from the original copyright holder.
Column: Ethnographies of self-access language learning
Contribute your language-learning story or another aspect of self-access. Length: varies; typically serialised over several issues.
See:
Mynard, J. (2020). Ethnographies of self-access language learning. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 11(2), 86-92. https://doi.org/10.37237/110203
Werner, R. J. (2020). ‘A puzzle that needs to be fitted together’: The beginning of my autoethnographic journey of learning French through music. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 11(2), 93-107. https://doi.org/10.37237/110204
Summaries and work in progress
Short summaries and progress reports of no more than 1500 words are welcome. References are not necessary.
Perspectives (opinions and reflections)
General opinion pieces and reflections on research or practice of around 2000 words are welcome.
Reviews of books, resources, and events
Reviews of events and conferences, academic books or articles, self-access materials or useful websites of around 1000 words are welcome. Read more guidelines here. Examples of self-access resources with accompanying explanations are also welcome
Style
Articles may be submitted in any language, but an English summary of around 200 words must accompany the original manuscript. When preparing your English manuscript, please use British English or American English (be consistent) and follow the APA 7 style guidelines. Many authors find this website useful for APA conventions. Please anonymise your manuscript before submission. Please format your paper following the guidelines on this sample formatted paper.
Copyright
The authors retain copyright over their work under a creative commons 3.0 agreement and may submit it for publication elsewhere. SiSAL Journal retains the right to publish the journal in multiple formats to maximise exposure.
Submissions
All submissions are initially screened by members of our editorial board. After this initial screening, submissions are double-blind peer reviewed by experts in the field. Where possible, the editorial team provide feedback in order to help authors to reach the required publication standard. Please ensure that your manuscript is formatted according to our style guidelines and has been proofread by a colleague. Please note that SiSAL Journal does not charge authors or potential authors any processing fees. Submit your manuscript via Scholastica:
Submission and publication dates
Please send articles, reports, opinions, reflections, reviews and works in progress for upcoming issues. Issues of SiSAL Journal are published in March, June, September and December of each year. Currently, authors can expect accepted articles to be published within nine months of submission.
Upcoming issues
You are welcome to submit papers at any time via Scholastica. However, please note that we have been receiving a larger number of submissions than usual recently, and your manuscript may take several months to be processed and reviewed. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
December 2023
Regular issue.
March 2024
Guest-edited special issue. Inclusive pedagogies for language learning autonomy. Edited by edited by Christine O’Leary and Christine Siqueira Nicolaides based on the theme of the AILA 2023 Learner Autonomy Symposium. More details…
June 2024
Special issue: Self-access and self-directed language learning in Europe. Editors: David McLoughlin, Jo Mynard and Elena Borsetto. Submission deadline: April 20th 2024. More details…
September 2024
Regular issue.
SiSAL Journal 