Apples: Journal of Applied Language Studies

Apples: Journal of Applied Language Studies is a peer-reviewed, open access scientific journal in the field of applied language studies. The full volume of 2012 is now online. The first issue includes four articles that deal with language education and language teaching in different contexts. Jörgen Tholin problematizes equality of language education within the so called SvEn education, where goal setting is lacking and activities unregulated and varied. The other articles discuss the importance of role models in international higher education, a European survey on teaching English pronunciation, and the role of grammar knowledge in the Common European Framework of Reference. In addition, the issue includes a book review of a volume on multilingualism, edited by Cecilia Varcasia.

The second issue of 2012 includes eight articles that are based on papers given at the international conference New Dynamics of Language Learning: Spaces and Places – Intentions and Opportunities. The articles discuss language learning from several angles: learner identities and beliefs, language learning in different settings, and various ways of learning and teaching languages. The issue includes several articles on university students’ language learning and teaching and their beliefs about language learning. Additionally, methods of planning teaching and motivating students are covered. The articles also discuss reviving lapsed language skills and learning languages in informal contexts. As research data, the studies reported in the articles have used narratives, questionnaires, teaching experiment and ethnography.

Apples publishes articles that share an applied, interdisciplinary orientation to issues of language in society. Its key areas of interest include language learning, language teaching, language assessment and language education policy. The working language of the journal is English but papers and other contributions can also be published in other languages.

Apples is published by the Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Apples is an open access web-based journal, with all its articles accessible online. For more information and for access to articles, please visit http://apples.jyu.fi