ACTFL Seeks New Editor for Foreign Language Annals (FLA)
ACTFL seeks an Editor for Foreign Language Annals (FLA), the association’s highly-respected, peer-reviewed quarterly scholarly journal. The desired start date for the Editor’s term is April 2024 following publication of the Spring 2024 issue. The journal is dedicated to expanding the awareness and understanding among language education professionals of current research, pedagogy, and challenges facing the profession. It is released in March, June, September and December to more than 6,000 ACTFL members and an additional 1,000 institutional subscribers, and accessible online by the entire ACTFL membership (>12,000 members). More information about the journal can be found in the Publications area at www.actfl.org. The Editor will serve beginning in April 2024 and ending in December 2026 with the Winter 2026 issue. The Editor is reviewed annually by the ACTFL Board of Directors and Executive Director. The position is renewable for a second three-year term at the discretion of the ACTFL Board of Directors.
What we seek in an editor
Qualifications:
- Experienced scholar in language education, with substantial record of research publication
- Knowledge of field, trends, practical and technological developments
- Organizational skills
- Communication skills in speech and writing
- Editorial experience, including familiarity with the electronic journal process.
- Network of relationships in the field and desire/ability to grow that network
- Experience advocating for diversity of ideas, perspectives, backgrounds
- Experience mentoring/supervising people in research and/or publishing contexts
Responsibilities:
- Oversee all aspects of journal operation
- Develop a strategic vision for the journal
- Actively solicits submissions, reviews submissions
- Meet timelines for quarterly publication
- Ensure diversity of voices, perspectives, authors, topics, areas of language focus/educational contexts
- Communicate with (prospective) authors and reviewers in tactful, constructive ways to support fair, confidential and timely review and manuscript decisions
- Promote transparency around publication processes
- Expand readership and tend to relevance issues
- Supervise the FLA Graduate Diversity Intern
- Collaborate with staff of The Language Educator
- Coordinate with ACTFL and its Board to operate and manage the journal
- Act as a clear communicator/representative of the journal to invite contributors and maintain
The Editor is served by a Managing Editor who corresponds with submitting authors, schedules volunteer reviewers, communicates suggested revisions to authors, and edits all contents of the journal. Additionally, the Editor is assisted by an Editorial Board comprised of professionals in the field who are recommended by the Editor and appointed by the ACTFL Board of Directors. The FLA Editor also supervises the work of the FLA Graduate Diversity Publications Intern. The Editor also serves on ACTFL’s Research and Assessment Committee.
This position offers an annual honorarium and travel funds for the ACTFL Annual Convention and additional domestic conferences as appropriate. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a letter documenting their qualifications and vision for the journal no later than December 15, 2023. The review of candidate applications will begin after that date and the position will remain open until filled.