Modern Language Journal (MLJ)

Student talk is a propeller for learning. But how much do students actually talk in the language classroom, and in which language? The study looked into 192 English and French lessons in England, France and Norway. Eiene et al. (2026). The MLJ. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70077

How open is the L2 research we build on? 393 experimental studies, 19 applied linguistics journals in China, 108 indicators of transparency, from how participants are described to whether data are shared. Zhang et al. (2026). The MLJ. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70075

Who actually teaches new language teachers how to teach? Research on language teacher educators has focused on university-based experts, not the school-based mentors who spend the most time with novices. Gerlach (2026). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70069

Does knowing where an idiom comes from help learners remember what it means? It has been suggested that it does, but the empirical evidence is limited. This multi-site study puts the idea to the test. Wang et al. (2026). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70074

Who benefits when heritage and L2 students share the same Arabic classroom? Elabdali argues that these mixed courses function as a site for the extractivism of linguistic capital from racialized HL students. Elabdali (2026). The MLJ. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70078

Multilingual identity is always in the process of becoming. What roles do time and space play in how it develops? Wu and Forbes propose a tempo-spatial model. Wu & Forbes (2025). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70004 #BestoftheMLJ2025

What happens when a French course for future elementary teachers is redesigned to support Indigenous language work on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) land? Wernicke et al. (2025). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.13011

Where does research meet K–12 world language teachers after formal teacher education? Pineault (2025). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.12996 #BestoftheMLJ2025

Is language aptitude more than cognitive ability? Freeborn et al. examine the joint functioning of cognitive, affective, conative, and contextual processes in L2 learning. Freeborn et al. (2025). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70002 #BestoftheMLJ2025

Meet the Best of the MLJ 2025! Four articles recognized for their quality and potential impact on second language learning and teaching. Over the next few weeks, we'll feature each article. Read more on the journal site: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/jour…

Who gets to decide which problems language learning research should solve? MLJ invites contributions to Research–Practice Partnerships: Shaping Next-Generation Language Learning Research. Hiver & Al-Hoorie (2026). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70071

Do multiword sequences really predict speaking proficiency when L2 speakers are talking to each other? Uchihara et al. (2026). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70064

What if translanguaging, transnational, and transdisciplinary are all the same fight? Palmer uses trans-ing to ask what becomes possible when we stop keeping languages, cultures, and identities separate. Palmer (2026), The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70056

No language program exists in a vacuum. So why do we keep designing them as if they do? How do societal forces, policy, and institutional systems interact around immigrant students? Walqui (2026), The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70060

Just two weeks left! The deadline to submit special issue proposals to The Modern Language Journal is August 31, 2026. If you're working on an innovative topic in language teaching and learning, now's the time to get your proposal in. Don't miss this opportunity!

What does it take for teachers to put multilingual pedagogies into practice? How do knowledge, perceived need, confidence, and professional identity shape what becomes possible? Henry (2026), The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70065

If multilingualism is already the norm, why do schools still treat it as an exception? What must change when curricula and assessments still privilege only some languages? Sah (2026), The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70052

Is language learning about what you can say, or who you are becoming? Moranski explores the tension between these two visions for the language classroom. Moranski (2026). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70057

Can task-based language teaching work for multilingual learners when it still rests on monolingual assumptions? Van Gorp (2026). The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/modl.70051

What would multilingual education look like if we actually valued every repertoire? Van Gorp makes the case. Five scholars respond. Over the next few weeks, we'll spotlight each paper in this collection. Take a sneak peek at the full collection here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/…