1The goal of this issue is to present research analyzing how the concept of empowerment fits into the major theories on language teaching and learning, to explore the role of the teacher in learner-empowering classrooms, and to examine strategies for empowering language learners. Initiated by the Association pour la Recherche en Didactique et Acquisition de l’Anglais (ARDAA), this topic emerged following the TeachLEng conference organized by the association in June 2024.
2The concept of learner empowerment is closely tied to a variety of constructs such as learner motivation, communicative competence, and—most importantly, as we will see in many articles in this issue—autonomy and agency (Bainbridge Frymier et al., 1996; Bandura, 2009; Brooks & Young, 2011; Larsen et al., 2021; Schrader, 2003). It is also dependent on several elements, including the teacher and classroom environment, the cultural context where the learning takes place, the student’s background, as well as various psychological factors (Schrader, 2003).
3However, empowerment often circulates as an implicitly understood concept rather than a clearly delineated notion, and is very often left undefined. It is rarely the object of systematic inquiry or description, but rather assumed to be self-evident or intuitively understood. Still, researchers tend to agree that empowerment is a complex variable relating to how students take control of their learning in order to reach goals that are either personally-valued or valued by a group to which they belong (Pan, 2022). Becoming empowered thus entails not only being motivated to learn, but also having the skills and know-how to take the necessary steps for reaching one’s learning objectives. The teacher therefore has an important role in guiding students’ decision-making, even if much language learning and acquisition may happen outside the institutional context (Little, 1991 and 2022; Rivens Mompean, 2022; Toffoli et al., 2023; Toffoli & Sockett, 2015). Giving students some freedom in their language studies can have a positive impact on learning, as research has shown that students, including young learners (Dam, 2003), are able to take control of their learning and appreciate having the chance to do so (Bailly et al., 2018; Dressman et al., 2023; Molle et al., 2019; Paris, 2025; Schug & Sarnou, 2023). What exactly constitutes empowerment in language teaching and learning, however, remains ambiguous. This issue therefore seeks to examine how empowerment is understood, experienced, and theorized in second language acquisition, and to explore its implications for both research and pedagogical practice.
4A further consideration lies in the methodological approaches used to study empowerment. Because it involves individual experiences, social relationships, and fluctuating developmental trajectories, empowerment cannot be easily measured or neatly categorized. The contributions in this issue reflect a wide range of methodological procedures—qualitative, quantitative, mixed, and reflective—each revealing different features of the empowerment process.
5The notion of empowerment also invites us to rethink the roles of teachers and learners. It challenges the traditional transmission model of education and shifts the focus toward co-construction, collaboration, and learner initiative. Yet, empowering learners does not mean leaving the concepts of structure or support aside; the contributions in this issue show that it requires intentional pedagogical choices that balance guidance with openness, authority with dialogue, and curriculum goals with learner needs and identities. Teachers are not simply facilitators, but play an active role in designing empowering learning environments, negotiating expectations with the learners, and modeling reflective practices (Chateau et al., 2017; Chateau & Molle, 2023; Paris, 2021; Paris et al., 2023).
6Furthermore, this issue highlights that empowerment in language teaching and learning must be understood in relation to questions of equity, inclusion, and access. Who gets to be empowered, and under what conditions, matters. We will see how language ideologies, assessment practices, and institutional norms enable or constrain empowerment for marginalized learners—including migrants, beginners, and students from minoritized backgrounds.
7In the end, this issue offers an opportunity to explore all these areas of tension and possibilities. It brings together contributions from researchers and practitioners working in diverse contexts—secondary schools, universities, hybrid learning environments, and migrant education settings—each engaging with the question of empowerment from a distinct angle. Together, they provide a rich and nuanced account of how the notion of empowerment can be conceptualized, operationalized, and experienced in language education today. Rather than proposing a unified theory or model of empowerment, this issue embraces a dialogue across a variety of perspectives. By problematizing the concept itself and examining its practical implications, the contributions assembled here aim to advance the inquiry into what it means to empower language learners and teachers.
8To start with, Carmenne Kalyaniwala offers a comprehensive scoping review of fifty peer-reviewed studies published between 1994 and 2024 examining how empowerment has been conceptualized and operationalized in foreign language education. Her article maps the theoretical, conceptual, and pedagogical dimensions of empowerment across diverse contexts. It also sheds light on how empowerment intersects with the concepts of autonomy, agency, identity, self-regulation, and motivation. While most of the latter are generally defined explicitly, as we noted earlier, that is not the case for the concept of empowerment. By observing three decades of research, this article provides a valuable foundation for defining the concept of empowerment, which culminates in the proposition of a working definition. As such, this article stands as an excellent entry point, or pre-read, to the present issue.
9Claire Tardieu and Eva Guerda then share an experiment conducted with undergraduate students majoring in English studies aimed at incorporating peer review into their learning process. This practical application of the concept of empowerment seeks to promote students’ appropriation of assessment criteria, with the dual objective of enhancing the quality of their work and fostering greater learner autonomy. The study shows that students’ post-feedback self-assessments closely align with teacher evaluations, which indicates genuine awareness and the activation of metacognitive processes. The “mirror effect,” triggered by observing peers, further enriches critical reflection and thus operates as a springboard for empowerment, placing students at the center of a collaborative and responsible learning process.
10The contribution from Laurine Dalle and Jovan Kostov then looks at language students as social actors, who should be engaged in significant and contextualized learning tasks that will equip them with the necessary skills to get by in society. Through an action-oriented approach underscoring the added value of using digital tools to empower language learners, the researchers present an online platform to enhance the learning experience of beginner learners of French. Students were able to prepare audio and video recordings, participate in written forum discussions, and get regular feedback and guidance from a tutor. These activities, coupled with personal reflection in logbooks, helped students overcome their difficulties and become more autonomous language learners.
11Next, Élise Ouvrard’s contribution presents how an ambitious pedagogical project—engaging French students aged 14-15 in the complete reading of Jerry Craft’s graphic novel New Kid (2019)—can foster student empowerment while developing their language skills. Through a participatory and rigorous research project that highlights often underrepresented reading practices in favor of oral activities, this learner-centered experiment encourages self-expression, the development of social skills, and a deeper understanding of linguistic norms. Data analysis shows that language learning becomes a tool for emancipation, which enables students to gain confidence, autonomy, and agency. The study underscores the importance of an educational framework that values subjectivity, dialogue, and reflexivity to build critical awareness and the capacity to act upon the world.
12Aurelie Mariscalchi’s contribution then presents doctoral research examining the effects of a training program in L2 French designed for adult migrants in a community-based context, through the lenses of engagement and empowerment. By adopting a multimodal and enactive approach (the Silent Way), this training program fosters cognitive, social, emotional, and physical involvement among learners. The findings indicate that fostering such engagement facilitates language appropriation as well as strengthens self-confidence, agency, and sociolinguistic awareness. Learning also becomes a means for emancipation and integration. The study highlights the importance of a contextualized and relational pedagogy, rooted in learners’ concrete needs and aspirations, to connect learning with appropriation processes by intertwining the concepts of engagement and empowerment.
13In their research note, Rahima Arib and Daniel Schug offer an insightful contribution to the theme of empowerment in language education through the lens of learner autonomy. Based on a comparative study of French and Algerian university students, the article shows how institutional environments, cultural norms, and learner beliefs shape students’ readiness for autonomous language learning. Relying on an adapted version of the Learner Autonomy Readiness Questionnaire by Kartal & Balçikanli (2019), Arib and Schug highlight the influence of individual, sociocultural, and institutional factors on students’ capacity to act autonomously. Particularly interesting is the discussion of systemic barriers in the Algerian context, contrasted with more favorable conditions in France, and how these differences might impact students’ decision-making abilities, perception of learning responsibility, and (in-/outside) classroom engagement.
14Stella Anne Achieng then explores how teacher competence—in terms of emotional intelligence, intercultural sensitivity, and pedagogical adaptability—can foster learner empowerment in EFL/ESP contexts and create inclusive learning environments where learners develop their voice, agency, and motivation. By combining theoretical insights (a meta-synthesis of existing research on learner motivation and autonomy) and classroom practice (observations drawn from actual teaching experience), the article highlights the interplay between culture, motivation, and autonomy in multilingual classrooms. Resorting to reflective practices and learner-centered strategies, the article also shows how empowerment in foreign language education emerges through collaborative approaches that respond meaningfully to students’ lived experiences and diverse needs.
15In her contribution, Nolwena Monnier presents an innovative approach to differentiating instruction for undergraduate English learners in a French technical institute. After acknowledging that heterogeneous levels are particularly common in the university language classroom, she describes the way she positioned herself as a learning facilitator to empower learners to progress at their own pace. In her course design, students are able to select learning tasks that correspond to their actual proficiency levels and interests. With an approach allowing students to correct their work based on teacher feedback and resubmit for further correction, this contribution illustrates how teachers can encourage autonomy and reflective practice in their learners, leading to greater student satisfaction and success.
16Finally, Lily Schofield explores the intersection between formal and informal learning. Guided by the Common European Framework of Reference—Companion Volume—and research on mediation, she explains how language students can be empowered when learning activities allow them to use their unique knowledge and experiences. Through several specific examples, we see how analyzing social media posts, popular television series, and even personal experiences relating to class lessons can make course content more accessible to learners, and potentially lead to deeper analyses on their part.