Emerging Issues in English Language Education with Psycho-Emotional Traits in the Spotlight: Futurology in Language Studies

*Please note: Articles not directly related to educational psychology, such as those focusing solely on language instruction like EFL teaching, will not be considered in this collection to maintain the focus on core psychological elements within education. Pure education articles without an exploration of psychological variables, and articles without a sufficient grounding in psychology literature, risk being rejected or transferred. For this reason, summary submissions before full manuscript contributions are compulsory for this collection, to allow for preliminary scope evaluation and alignment with this topic by the editors. Upon receiving the manuscripts, the Frontiers Editorial Office will then evaluate the scope and alignment with the participating journals.*

English language education is constantly evolving, with new trends and emerging issues shaping the way we teach and learn. Over the past few years, there has been a growing focus on the psycho-emotional traits of teachers and students in language education. This shift towards understanding their psychological/affective well-being is crucial in creating effective learning environments. In today's fast-paced world, students are under immense pressure to perform academically, leading to high levels of language anxiety. Understanding and addressing positive and negative affect as well as individual's overall functioning is essential in promoting a positive learning experience. As we look towards the future of education, it is clear that a more holistic approach is needed to address the psycho-emotional needs. Futurology in language studies involves predicting future trends which seeks to explore ways in which teachers and students can work towards sustainable development and think creatively and strategically about long-term outcomes within the field of psycho-emotional traits.

The central focus of this Research Topic revolves around the exploration of emerging themes in the field of language studies, particularly those related to psycho-emotional traits. By experiencing and incorporating positive affect, mindfulness practices, emotional intelligence training, and stress management techniques into language education, teachers can support students' well-being and enhance their language learning abilities. These characteristics encompass a wide range of factors that play a crucial role in shaping individuals' ability to navigate through stressful and difficult circumstances. The intersection of psycho-emotional traits and language education is a critical area that requires further exploration. A focus on futurology in language studies will be essential in preparing teachers and students for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. Research has shown that the emotional/psychological traits of language learners can influence the future of the learning environment and teachers’ professional development. The majority of studies in this field have used traditional, retrospective approaches to explore the interplay between psychological and emotional factors and the process of teaching and learning. Therefore, this Research Topic adopts a prospective approach to assist educators and students to conscientize responsibility and to map their preferred futures with the objective to act for sustainability now and in the future.

This Research Topic is excited to receive submissions of high-quality original research papers, case studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews on the topic. Researchers have the option to gather data using quantitative, qualitative, or a mix of both methods. Psycho-emotional traits cover a wide range of variables which may include but are not limited to:

• Exploring the role of the teachers’/students’ psycho-emotional traits across different aspects of teaching/learning (e.g., digital learning, teacher education, criticality/reflectivity skills, flipped-based instruction, cross-cultural issues, syllabus design/curriculum development, testing/assessment).

• Exploring the impact of psycho-emotional characteristics on a wide range of positive and negative teachers’ and learners’ variables which may include but are not confined to:

- Autonomous Learning
- Boredom
- Coping Strategies
- Emotion Regulation Strategies
- Identity Construction
- Intercultural Communication
- Language Anxiety
- Learning/Teaching Engagement
- L2 Grit
- Mindfulness
- Quality of Teaching
- Resilience
- Skills Development
- Well-Being.

Keywords: Affective Factor, Emerging Issue Analysis, Futurology, Positive Psychology, Psycho-Emotional Traits

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.