Call for papers - Babylonia 3/ 2027 - Foreign Language Teaching Manuals: Design, Status, Appropriation

In current research on language teaching, while particular teaching practices and proposals are often discussed, the sometimes predominant role played by textbooks in many foreign language lessons has been relatively little explored, even though these tools are part of the daily routine of countless foreign language teachers around the world (Vitta, 2014; Akbari, 2008).

The choice and use of a textbook sometimes depend directly on the teacher, but often also, more broadly, on the organisation underlying a given teaching context. While educational authorities generally follow or create curricula or assessment standards that define the objectives of language teaching, they sometimes also take charge of the choice of textbooks (Bruillard, 2021; Lebrun et al., 2006), leaving little to no leeway for teachers to select or decide how to use them (Banegas, 2013). Elsewhere, teachers choose their textbook(s) themselves or with their colleagues and have complete freedom in how they use them. That said, in any case, it is clear that ‘it is the teacher who is on the front line’ (McDonough et al., 2013, p. 9) and the question of control over teaching materials is closely linked to that of pedagogical freedom (McGrath, 2013; Prairat, 2020).

The very concept of the textbook itself has also evolved since the first publications appeared, and traditional textbook series now have to compete with billions of teaching resources available on the Internet (Sammler, 2018), which are part of a wide range of approaches to language teaching.

The concept we will focus on here refers to books, often offered in series and specifically designed to present and structure the content of foreign language teaching. These differ from what we will refer to as teaching materials in the broad sense.

This issue will be devoted to examining the place of textbooks in language teaching practice. Empirical contributions (research or action research projects), as well as practical contributions (analysis of teaching resources, testimonials, sharing or analysis of practice, etc.) or position statements on the subject, from different contexts (teachers, authorities, educationalists, teaching resource editors, etc.), are welcome.

Contributions should not be based solely on the description or evaluation of specific textbooks but should aim to offer a transversal reflection on the challenges involved in the design and development of foreign language teaching resources, in relation to their implementation and appropriation by teachers.

We invite contributions addressing the following questions:

Designing a Foreign Language Teaching Resource:

- What are the challenges involved in developing a foreign language teaching textbook and implementing it in schools?

- How does the process of developing a foreign language teaching textbook take into account advances in research in the field?

- How does a foreign language teaching textbook enable the introduction of new approaches to foreign language teaching?

- What are the challenges involved in designing a foreign language teaching textbook linked to the implementation of intercultural approaches?

Distribution, status and pedagogical freedom:

- What are the key practical requirements when designing a foreign language teaching textbook?

- What is done in the design of a foreign language teaching textbook to really facilitate its implementation and adoption by teachers?

- What is the impact of choices made in the development of a foreign language teaching textbook on its adoption and use by teachers?

- How much autonomy do teachers have, or feel they have, with regard to the use of a textbook?

- What guides teachers' choice of foreign language teaching textbooks?

Practical application and adoption:

- How can teaching textbooks be used to make foreign language teaching truly communicative?

- How do teachers use their teaching textbooks to ensure pedagogical differentiation?

- How do teachers transpose what is planned in a foreign language teaching textbook into their lessons?

- How do teachers select the activities carried out in class from the teaching textbook? Based on what constraints/criteria?

- What is the tension between what teachers expect from the textbook and what happens in their foreign language lessons?

- How do students perceive the teaching textbook used?

Babylonia prefers clear and easily understandable language. Article length: 16,000 to 20,000 characters (4 to 5 pages). Please consult the submission checklist and use the provided stylesheet.

Submit your abstract (max. 2,000 characters, including spaces) in German, English, French, Italian, or Romansh by  to veronica.sanchez@ciip.ch and/or eva.waltermann@unige.ch

Deadlines – Issue 3/2027

Abstract submission: 12.2026

Notification of acceptance/rejection: February 2027

Full article submission: 30.04.2027

Reviewing and feedback 01.09.2027

Publication: December 2027

Literature

Akbari, R. (2008). Postmethod Discourse and Practice. TESOL Quarterly, 42(4), 641‑652. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2008.tb00152.x

Banegas, D. (2013). What page today ? A look at materials development. [Plenary Talk]. V Jornadas de Actualización en la Enseñanza del Inglés, San Juan, Argentine.

Bruillard, E. (2021). Textbooks : Current research and practices, some markers.

Lebrun, J., Bédard, J., Hasni, A., & Grenon, V. (2006). Matériel didactique et pédagogique : Soutien à l’appropriation ou déterminant de l’intervention éducative.

McDonough, J., Shaw, C., & Masuhara, H. (2013). Materials and methods in ELT : A teacher’s guide (Third edition). Wiley-Blackwell.

McGrath, I. (2013). Teaching materials and the roles of EFL/ESL teachers : Practice and theory (First Edition). Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472542076

Piccardo, E., & Yaïche, F. (2005). « Le manuel est mort, vive le manuel ! » : Plaidoyer pour une nouvelle culture d’enseignement et d’apprentissage. Éla. Études de linguistique appliquée, 140(4), 443. https://doi.org/10.3917/ela.140.0443

Prairat, E. (2020). La liberté pédagogique, jusqu’où ? Cahiers pédagogiques, N° 562(5), 37‑38. Cairn.info. https://doi.org/10.3917/cape.562.0037

Sammler, S. (2018). History of the School Textbook. In E. Fuchs & A. Bock (Éds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Textbook Studies (p. 13‑23). Palgrave Macmillan US. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53142-1_2

Vitta, J. (2014). The Functions and Features of ELT Textbooks and Textbook Analysis : A Concise Review. RELC Journal, 1‑8.