Submissions

Author Guidelines

WAESOL Educator accepts articles based on current or emergent trends in TESOL concerning the teaching of language (in elementary and secondary education, higher education, adult education, and bilingual education) as well as teacher preparation for pre-service and in-service teachers. 

The article categories include

• From the Classroom: Teaching Reflections and Teaching Tips  We all learn from the evolving practices of our peers! From the Classroom articles focus on well-grounded practices, materials, and methods that lead to successful language acquisition. We encourage you to share lessons that support learners’ growth, projects that can lead to more critical thinking, methods that have changed the way you do what you do, or insights into teaching and learning that have helped you. Your article will probably include descriptions of your teaching context, the population, objectives, materials used, different stages, and the outcomes. Also, include images, original materials, or open-access web resources if possible. 
• 1,000-2,000 words* (excluding references and summary). 
• Limit references to fewer than seven. All references should be cited in the text.
• Scholar-Practitioner Articles in this category focus on investigations into the teaching-learning cycle and research that informs the practice of language teaching. Describe how the latest research in our field has affected how you teach, your understanding of language, or any related aspect. Submit an article of 1,500-2,300 words* (excluding references and summary) in an accessible, but clearly academic style that blends a research focus with a practice-oriented lens. (Limit references to fewer than twelve. All references should be cited in the text.) 
• 1,500-2,300 words (excluding references and summary) *Word limits may be extended if necessary, but not without prior approval from the Editor.
• Limit references to fewer than twelve. All references should be cited in the text.
• Reflections on Practice Articles in this category describe a process, experience, or learning practice and the insights gained through reflection on the practice. The reflection should be clear, detailed, and focus on specific insights that will be of interest to other practitioners in the field of language teaching. 
• 2,000 words
• Limit references to fewer than seven. All references should be cited in the text.
• Book and Article Reviews Describe thought-provoking texts or compelling articles that we should know more about by writing a summary and a short reflection. 
• 500-800 words
• ELT Resources Review Recommend apps, websites, textbooks, materials, or any other beneficial resource to the greater WAESOL community.  Write a summary of the resource in 500-1,000 words describing its purpose, how you have used it, and why you believe it might be useful to other professionals. 
• 500-1,000 words 
• Limit references to five or fewer. All references should be cited in the text.
• Professional Development Share insights about a recent conference or inspiring session you have attended; tell us about a stimulating course you organized or took part in; share valuable professional experiences with the rest of the community.
• 800-1,200 words
• Limit references to three or fewer. All references should be cited in the text.
• School, Learner, or Teacher Profiles We all benefit from learning about the variety of contexts that our peers experience. In 500–1,200 words, profile a colleague, a school or school program, or a student or group of students. In this category, we welcome an informal, open tone to make it easier for members to get to know others in our wider community. Include related images and links to help members connect or follow the person/institution featured.
• 500–1,200 words
• Limit references to three or fewer. All references should be cited in the text.

Please prepare 3 documents.

1. Your article
   • Write your article in an accessible academic style. The text should be 1.5-spaced, 10-point font in Georgia typeface with headings. (Do not include the author’s name at any point in the article.)
   • Use block paragraphs. (Do not indent.)
   • For emphasis, use italics rather than bold or underlining (except with URL addresses).
   • To delineate, choose bulleted points over numbers (unless chronological or prioritized). If it’s a chronological or prioritized list, use a single number followed by a period: 1. First idea. 2. Next idea. etc. (Do not use end parentheses; i.e., not 1) First idea. 2) Second idea.
   • Oxford comma is preferred: a, b, and c. 
   • Save your article with the Full title of the article. (Do not write the author’s name.)
   • At the top of the first page include 
     • the title of the article (75 character limit); 
     • which category it is intended for (‘From the Classroom’, ‘Scholar-Practitioner’, etc)
     • the word count (within parameters for the category you are writing for);
     • a short summary of the article (50-75 words);
     • 4 to 9 keywords (also called metalinguistic tags) that will alert readers to the issues you are discussing. (Keywords are typically one- to three-word phrases that are used to indicate the main topics of a submission.) You will upload each of these keywords during the submission process. Here’s an example.
   • Please include URL links to any websites mentioned. 
   • Include in-text citations and references in APA style. Where available, provide URLs for the references.
   • Insert any photos, graphics, or images within the article where they should appear and add, in square brackets, [Editor: Insert Figure/Table/Image 1 here]. You must also include good quality images (300+ dpi) of these figures/tables/images in a separate file, explained below.
   • Save your article with the Full title of the article. (Do not write the author’s name.)
2. Your bio and a photo
   • Prepare a short (100-150 words) biographical note (written in the third person) of the author(s). Include your full name as you would like it to appear in the byline and conclude the bio  with “You may contact her/him/them at” and your preferred email address.
     • For more than one author, please continue to limit the total to 150 words. (If, for example, there are two authors, then a maximum of 75 words per author; if three, then 50 words per author; etc.)
   • Prepare a recent, good quality (300+ dpi) photo(s) of the author(s) in standard jpg, gif, or png format. (All photos must be original or have a CC BY license.) Add alt text to your photo (eg A photo of the author, Jane Doe).
   • Name this Word document  Full name(s) Bio. (For example, Aisha Aziz Bio or Jane Smith, Juan Lopez, and Chiang Li Bios) 
3. Figures/tables/graphs/images
   • In addition to inserting figures, tables, etc into your article, you should prepare a separate file with full size, good quality (300+ dpi) versions of these same tables, images, graphs, or figures. Note: if the quality of the images is not clear, we will not be able to publish them. 
   • All tables, charts, images, etc. must be original to the author, have a CC BY license, or have permission granted by the original author. 
   • Clearly label each with 3 items: the type, the number, and the title e.g. 
     • Table 2 Number of students by age group
     • Figure 1 Students self-rated enjoyment of core subjects.
   • In addition to inserting figures, tables, etc into your article, you should prepare a separate file with full size, good quality (300+ dpi) versions of these same tables, images, graphs, or figures. (Note: if the quality of the images is not clear, we will not be able to publish them.)
   • Add alt text to every figure, table, graph, or image you send. (This is a very short description that appears in place of an image on a webpage if the image fails to load on a user's screen. It also helps screen-reading tools describe images to visually impaired readers.)
   • Name this Word document Article title Figure# – #. (For example, Article title Figures 1-5 or Article title Table 1, Figure 1.)

How do I know if my article has been accepted for publishing? You will receive a confirmation email from the editor upon receipt of your submission. Following the article submission deadline, your submission will be made anonymous and sent to two peer reviewers who will review it and return it to us. The Editorial Board will make a final determination about publishing. In most cases, you will be notified within three weeks after the deadline whether or not your article has been accepted. The two anonymous reviews will be returned to authors who may choose to revise their article based on the comments and suggestions of the peer reviewers.

Will my article be edited? Your submission should be in its final form. If your article is accepted, peer reviewers will suggest you rewrite/revise some parts of your work before submission. After resubmission, we may work with you to make minor edits to ensure the quality of the publication. 

How often can I submit an article? You may submit articles as often as you wish, but we may limit authors to one submission per volume.

Can I submit to more than one journal at a time? Submissions must not have been previously published and must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Who do I talk to if I have a question? If you have any questions, suggestions, or other submission ideas, please contact editor@waesol.org.

Thank you!