Navigating policy, pedagogy, and the self in TESOL

Ward Peeters; Sal Consoli; David Wei Dai; Fiona Xiaofei Tang

doi:10.21153/tesol2025vol34no1art2278

Authors

Dr Ward Peeters Monash University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5531-3926
Dr Sal Consoli University of Edinburgh
Dr David Wei Dai University College London https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3575-131X
Dr Fiona Xiaofei Tang Kaplan Business School https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5742-016X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21153/tesol2025vol34no1art2278

Keywords:

TESOL, policy, pedagogy, AI, gamification, curriculum, assessment

Abstract

From time to time, those of us working in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) become acutely aware that the field is evolving in ways that demand our attention. Established conversations take on new contours, and challenges long familiar begin to reveal unfamiliar dimensions. This issue – Volume 34, Number 1 of TESOL in Context – emerges at one such moment.

In the current issue, it is clear that our field is grappling with a convergence of pressures. The lingering shadows of systemic policy shifts and the burgeoning integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom have compelled practitioners to rethink professional identities, day-to-day pedagogy, as well as the psychological and identity-based dimensions of language education. This issue brings together a collection of papers, a special report, and a book review that collectively examine where the field stands today and, importantly, where it is heading as these forces intensify and further influence learning and teaching.

The contributions in this issue can be broadly categorised into three intersecting themes, as we 1) discuss some of the key dimensions of present-day TESOL policy and advocacy, 2) evaluate the pedagogical affordances of emerging technologies, and 3) create insights into the inner lives of learners and teachers, specifically regarding identity, anxiety, and investment. Together, these publications challenge us to look beyond the surface of policy and classroom practice to the structural and emotional undercurrents that shape the educational experience of language learners and teachers.

Author Biographies

Dr Ward Peeters, Monash University

Dr Ward Peeters is Lecturer in Linguistics at LLCL and Visiting Professor at Kanda University of International Studies (Japan). His main research interests include studying digital discourse in language learning contexts, language acquisition and development, and learning analytics. Ward is the Director of the Master of Applied Linguistics and editor of the Australian Review of Applied Linguistics (John Benjamins Publishing) and TESOL in Context (ACTA).
Dr Sal Consoli, University of Edinburgh

Dr Sal Consoli is a Lecturer (Research) in Language Education at the Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh. His work focuses on the psychology of language learning and teaching—particularly learner motivation, engagement, and teacher wellbeing—and draws on narrative inquiry and practitioner research. He developed the concept of life capital to illuminate how learners’ and teachers’ life stories shape educational experiences. Widely published in journals such as TESOL Quarterly and System, he also serves on several international committees and is an Editor for TESOL in Context.
Dr David Wei Dai, University College London

Dr David Wei Dai is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Professional Communication at University College London and an Associate Editor for TESOL in Context. With a background in health curriculum and pedagogy, translation, and applied linguistics, his award-winning research explores interactional competence, human sociality, and the communicative impact of emerging technologies such as large language models. He has published in leading applied linguistics and professional communication journals, and his monograph Assessing Interactional Competence (Peter Lang) offers the first comprehensive account of assessing interactional competence. His work has been supported by major funders including the British Academy, Leverhulme, OET, Duolingo, and the British Council.
Dr Fiona Xiaofei Tang, Kaplan Business School

Dr Fiona Xiaofei Tang is Managing Editor of the Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching and TESOL in Context, and the inaugural Academic Learning Specialist (Academic Level C) at Kaplan Business School, Australia. Holding a PhD in Linguistics (TESOL specialisation) and an honorary Visiting Research Fellowship at the Australian National University, she brings extensive cross-sector experience in higher education across Australia and China. An award-winning educator and researcher, Tang has published widely on digital education, second language acquisition, flipped learning, textbook evaluation, and teacher professional development. Her editorial leadership is supported by a cross-disciplinary publication record across refereed journals, conference proceedings, edited volumes, and monographs. She is also author/editor of Learnability of Grammar (2017) and both editions of Introduction to Society and Culture of Britain and America (2018, 2021).