Call for Papers: Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German Centennial Issue (2026)
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Call for Papers:
Centennial Issue (2026) A Century of Teaching German — Reflections and New Directions
Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German AATG Centennial Year
In 2026, the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) celebrates its 100th anniversary. To mark this milestone, Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German invites submissions for a special issue titled “Reflections and New Directions.” This issue presents an opportunity to reflect critically on the development of German teaching, especially in the United States, while offering forward-looking perspectives on the future of our German language education.
We welcome two types of submissions:
1. Research and Praxis Articles (6,000–8,000 and 4,000–6,000 words, respectively)
These articles should engage with the archive of Die Unterichtspraxis / Teaching German and offer informed analyses of relevant pedagogical, curricular, methodological as well as institutional and sociopolitical trends and developments in German education. Topics may include:
➢ Studies of trends in teaching methods (e.g., grammar-translation, communicative approach, multiliteracies, postmethod)
➢ Review of debates on the role of culture and/or regional variation and variety in language teaching
➢ Changing rationales for learning German (e.g., heritage, career, literacy, study abroad)
➢ Varying challenges such as declining enrollments or changing university priorities
➢ The changing role of teaching materials and resources, such as textbooks, workbooks, as well as audio, video, and digital resources
➢ Changing views on and implementation of assessment
➢ The place of social justice and decolonial frameworks in German language education
➢ The use of analogue and digital technologies in language learning
Each article must take a diachronic view by comparing or tracking trajectories and development over time. Articles in this Centennial Issue need to reference and discuss at least three articles from this journal. Article authors may revisit their own article(s) in Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German.
In addition to these narrative reviews, we also encourage the submission of replication studies, qualitative and quantitative meta-analyses, state-of-the-art review articles. All of these also need to be based—at least in part—on articles published in this journal over its 58-year period.
2. Forum Articles (~2,000–4,000 words)
These concise, focused essays should engage with a specific article, debate, or theme from Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German and use that as a springboard for envisioning the the future of the field (or aspects thereof). Forum Articles may be reflective, polemical, or practical. They ought to address contemporary challenges and/or opportunities in German teaching and present a potential way forward. Possible directions include:
➢ How past innovations might inform future curriculum design
➢ Reimagining teacher training for the next generation
➢ Responding to the impact of AI, translation tools, and other new technologies
➢ Creating inclusive, interdisciplinary, and globally and personally relevant programs
➢ Building sustainable partnerships across institutions and communities
We encourage contributions from all levels of the profession—K–12 educators, community-based instructors, graduate students, and university faculty—and especially invite young scholars to share bold, pragmatic ideas for the next century of German teaching.
Submit an abstract of not more than 200 words to express your interest by October 1, 2025. In the abstract, indicate your envisaged article type, a precise topic, a summary of your approach and the findings, and a list of the articles in Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German that you will use. Full manuscripts are due by March 1, 2026, but earlier submissions are strongly encouraged. The articles will be published continuously upon acceptance. The virtual Centennial Issue will be compiled in the anniversary year 2026.
Submission Guidelines:
➢ Submit abstracts unterrichtspraxis@gmail.com by October 1, 2025.
➢ Read the author guidelines at https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/page/journal/17561221/homepage/forauthors.html
➢ Submit manuscripts via our online portal at https://submission.wiley.com/submission/dashboard?siteName=TGER
➢ Indicate “Centennial Issue” in your submission
➢ All submissions must conform to journal style and length requirements
➢ Publication date: continuous publication upon acceptance throughout 2026
➢ Inquiries: unterrichtspraxis@aatg.org
Article types:
Forum Article
A Forum Article is a type of scholarly writing characterized by its brevity, typically between 1,500 and 2,000 words, including references. These articles are solicited through a call for papers on a specific topic with a few parameters or guidelines. Forum Articles serve as a platform for researchers and teachers to express their views, insights, and opinions on a particular subject. They may differ from Research Articles in several ways:
● Informal tone: Forum Articles are less formal in tone compared to research papers. Authors may use a more conversational style to engage with the readers.
● Engagement with relevant issues: These articles are used to address current or pressing issues, challenges, or debates within a field of research and teaching. As a society journal, Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German listens to the membership and formulates the call for papers accordingly. Thus, they provide a forum for authors to offer their perspectives on timely topics.
● Opinion-based: While Forum Articles must be based on research and evidence, they often incorporate the author's personal opinions and experiences. Authors may take a stance on an issue and advocate for a particular viewpoint.
● Shorter length: Forum Articles are concise, typically limited to around 2,000 words. This brevity allows authors to convey their ideas succinctly. The whole rubric, normally in a single journal issue, then allows for multiple Forum Articles and diverse voices, perspectives, and approaches.
● Solicited contributions: Normally, a call for papers is issued to solicit contributions from interested authors. Forum Articles often feature contributions from a diverse range of scholars and teachers, including established experts and emerging voices in the field.
● Engagement with readers: Authors of Forum Articles may aim to engage with readers on a more accessible level. This can involve addressing practical implications, offering recommendations, or sparking further discussion and reflection among readers.
Overall, Forum Articles play a valuable role in scholarly discourse by providing a platform for experts to share their insights, engage with current issues, and contribute to ongoing debates within their fields.
Praxis Article
A Praxis Article serves as a valuable resource for German teachers, professors, and students in German Studies and/or in teacher training, by translating theoretical knowledge into practical action. It bridges the gap between theory and practice by offering insight, guidance, and real-world examples to help individuals or professionals implement theories or concepts in their teaching of German. A Praxis Article:
● Applies Theory: The article starts with a foundation in theory or concepts but goes beyond mere theoretical discussion to show how these ideas can be applied in the classroom.
● Offers Guidance: Praxis Articles provide actionable steps, strategies, or recommendations to help individuals apply the theoretical knowledge effectively.
● Shares Experiences: They often include case studies, examples, or reflections from German teachers who have successfully applied the concepts in their teaching.
● Addresses Challenges: Praxis Articles may also discuss common challenges or obstacles that teachers and/or learners of German might encounter and offer suggestions for overcoming them.
It is important that Praxis Article provide evidence for the probable success of the procedure or approach discussed and that the specific educational or institutional contexts are made clear. A good Praxis Article explains how its insight can be transferred to other educational and institutional contexts. They are approximately 4000 words in length; however, they may be up to 8000 words including references.
Research Article
A manuscript submitted as a Research Article to Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German often has the following components:
● Research question or hypothesis, which sets the focus or purpose of the empirical study or theoretical exploration,
● Literature review, in which relevant literature and research is critically reviewed,
● Methods describe the research instruments, data collection and analysis methods, and procedures employed in the study,
● Results, presenting the findings of the study based on the data collected (this section might include statistical analyses, tables, charts, and other visuals),
● Discussion, in which the authors interpret the results and discuss them in the context of the research question or hypothesis,
● Conclusion, which might contain a summary of key findings, significance of the interpretation of the results for the field of teaching German, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research.
Research articles are approximately 8000 words in length, including references.