Current Call for Papers
Call for Papers
didacticum – Journal for (Subject-Specific) Didactics in Research and Teaching from the University College of Teacher Education Styria
Issue 2027
“didacticum - Zeitschrift für (Fach)Didaktik in Forschung und Unterricht” is an online journal series for research and teaching practice. It is aimed equally at university lecturers and students in teacher education, as well as educators at all school types. The goal is to initiate and foster (subject) didactic discourse, contributing to the dialogue between research and teaching.
For further information see https://didacticum.phst.at.
PDF English/German
Submission of Contribution
Theme for 2027 Issue
Early Foreign Language Education:
Challenges and Opportunities in English Teaching at Primary Level
What is the focus of this special issue of didacticum?
The 2027 issue of the online journal “didacticum - Zeitschrift für (Fach)Didaktik in Forschung und Unterricht” from the University College of Teacher Education Styria aims to publish current developments in subject didactics in the field of early foreign language teaching in an open-access format. The goal is to make key challenges and opportunities for teachers and learners in this area accessible to a broad academic audience.
With the 2027 edition, we invite authors from foreign language didactics, educational science and teacher education as well as related fields to submit their contributions on the focus topic “Early Foreign Language Education: Challenges and Opportunities in English Teaching at Primary Level”.
Empirical studies, theoretical analyses and practice-oriented contributions that offer innovative answers to the challenges described below are welcome. All contributions should clearly demonstrate how their findings contribute to the further development of early foreign language teaching, as well as point out possible limitations. We look forward to receiving your submissions and warmly invite you to contribute to the discussion on the future of early foreign language teaching.
The open call of this issue focuses on original contributions in foreign language didactics, particularly empirical studies, theoretical analyses, and practice-oriented contributions, as well as contributions from educational initiatives with a conceptual focus, in both German and English.
We are looking forward to multi-perspective, interdisciplinary and discursive contributions. Contributions from early-career researchers are expressly welcome.
The open call invites submissions by 14/09/2025 on the following research and development perspectives in particular:
New curricula and multilingualism
Early foreign language teaching has undergone significant changes in many countries in recent years and presents new challenges for both teachers and learners worldwide. In addition to curricular and didactic design, issues of assessment and multilingual didactics play a central role. How do different countries address these challenges, and how can international perspectives contribute to the further development of foreign language education?
CLIL and bilingual approaches
To what extent does CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) provide an opportunity to effectively integrate language and subject learning? What role does CLIL play in schools and what challenges arise for teachers and learners? To what extent can English be used as a bridge language in the context of multilingual didactics?
Language competence of teachers
The English language proficiency of teachers is another key aspect. In many countries, enrolment in teacher education programs for primary education is possible without a compulsory entry screening in foreign languages. What impact does this have on the quality of foreign language teaching? Are there examples of good practice for promoting the English language proficiency of prospective and practising primary school teachers?
Teacher training and professionalization
Future-oriented English teaching at primary level requires well-founded initial and further education structures for teachers, as well as support from qualified teacher educators. What impact do the requirements of the curriculum have on foreign language teaching practice? What competencies do teacher educators in the field of English need to meet the curricular demands? What structural developments in the training of primary school teachers are necessary address these challenges sustainably, and how are these implemented internationally?
In addition to the open call, there will also be invited papers, a section on teaching practice and school quality development as well as a section featuring profiles from the field of practice with a particular focus on international and bilingual schools.
Please send your submission based on the document template (click here) to primar@phst.at by 14/09/2025.
Following this, the editorial and review team will make a decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of the abstracts. Please note that even after an abstract is accepted, the full contribution may still be subject to rejection during the subsequent peer review process.
Timeline
Q2 2025 Call for Papers
14/09/2025 Deadline for submission of abstracts
15/10/2025 Invitation of full papers
15/01/2026 Submission of full papers, allocation to reviewers
31/03/2026 Feedback first review phase
30/06/2026 Submission of revised papers (first revision phase), allocation to reviewers
30/09/2026 End of second review phase, final decision
30/11/2026 Submission of revised papers (second revision phase), final version
Q1 2027 Publication of the thematic issue
Editorial management
University College of Teacher Education Styria
Institute for Elementary and Primary Education
Prof.in Silvia Kopp-Sixt, BEd MA
Hasnerplatz 12, 8010 Graz
elementar@phst.at
primar@phst.at
Editors
Prof.in Leanne Hill, BA BEd MA
leanne.hill@phst.at
Prof.in Mag.a Silvia Lasnik, PGCE
silvia.lasnik@phst.at
