Domain of Research: L1-Education

ARLE covers research into learning, development and instructional processes in, or relevant to, educational and instructional settings in the domain of L1 education and in all other domains in which the use of language or literature contributes to learning. Within the Association, improvement of teaching and learning processes in languages (first, second and third language), literatures and literacies is the main focus. In this research the processes of development, learning and instruction in the field of L1 education are mainly viewed from a micro-perspective. This means that the Association's interest is directed at the study of learning and developmental processes, as far as they occur, or are influenced or modelled, by material or personal factors in educational or instructional settings. These factors are considered within a larger frame of societal and normative conceptions of learning languages, literatures and literacies. The study of developmental processes, learning and instruction in the field of L1 Education draws on various disciplinary approaches and fields of study, such as linguistics, literary theory, media theory, semiotics, psychology, pedagogy, sociology, the art and science of teaching. Processes are studied with respect to their characteristics, to outcomes and the effects of learning arrangements on these processes, differentiated for tasks and learner characteristics (aptitude, language background etc.). The research covered in the Association aims at descriptive, comparative, interpretative, explanatory and experimental research. ARLE takes up the work of its precedessor IAIMTE. Read more on the history of ARLE.

Mission

Although languages and cultures are different in between nations and linguistic regions, there is a common concern: the quality of the teaching and learning of the languages of schooling. Throughout the world, education systems are confronted with major challenges. Societal demands for literacy and communicative competence in one or more languages are growing. At the same time, the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity of school populations increases. In response to these trends, promising research and development in the learning and teaching of languages of schooling and in literatures and literacies is done in many countries. Because of the specific languages in regions, this research is often regionally bound.

Our mission is to cross over these boundaries, as national work in the improvement of L1 education can profit enormously from international exchange and cooperation. This, in a nutshell, is the mission of the Association.
Read more about ARLE's goals

For further information, please see ARLE Rules of procedure and ARLE Articles.