The International Association for the Psychology of Language LearningRESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The importance of high quality, rigorous, and transparent methods cannot be overstated. This SIG, therefore, seeks to support, improve, and advance the methodological knowledge and capacity of IAPLL members. By doing so, we hope to also improve our individual and collective capacity to produce new and valuable knowledge about the psychology of language learning through workshops, consulting, and more generally to provide a space/platform for discussions and networking as they pertain to research methods.
LEADERSHIP TEAMChair: Bianca Sandu Co-Coordinators: Alfaf Albakistani, El Maki Amiri, Giuseppe D'Orazzi CONTACT USBianca Manuela Sandu - bianca.sandu@ulpgc.es |
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Bianca Manuela SanduBianca Manuela Sandu (PhD) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting (English) at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics and an MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Since 2017, she has taught English as a Foreign Language, English for Specific Purposes, English culture, and motivational modules for university students and educators. She has also taught topics related to language contact and bilingualism (English and Spanish) within language communities in Central and North America. Her research focuses on language learning motivation through intervention programmes grounded in contemporary motivational theories, particularly among undergraduate students and pre-service teachers. Her work also addresses teacher motivation, motivational intelligence, lexical availability and semantic networks, bilingual education, English Medium Education, Service-Learning, and the integration of AI in language learning. She is actively involved in national and international research and educational innovation projects. |
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Selected publications
- Sandu, B. M., & García-Sánchez, S. (2025). Raising pre- and in-service teachers’ awareness of the impact of imagery-based intervention programmes on language learners’ motivation. Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition.
- Sandu, B. M., Lesuisse, M., & García-Sánchez, S. (2025). Thriving through motivational intelligence: An intervention programme based on life capital, mindset and vision. TESOL Quarterly.
- Rodríguez Gil, M. E., Sandu, B. M., & Santana Perera, B. (2024). Self-efficacy beliefs in Spanish pre-service teachers: A microteaching case study using immersive virtual reality. Pixel-Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación.
- Sandu, B. M., & Rodríguez Gil, M. E. (2023). Engaging Spanish English-major undergraduate students through imagery and motivational activities. Revista de Filología de la Universidad de La Laguna.
Alfaf AlbakistaniDr Alfaf Albakistani is an Academic Skills Lecturer in the UK and a researcher in Applied Linguistics specialising in the psychology of language learning. She completed her PhD at Birkbeck, University of London, where her research examined how skills-based classroom activities shape learners’ foreign language enjoyment using a mixed-methods longitudinal design. Her work focuses on the emotional dimensions of second language acquisition, particularly enjoyment, anxiety, and engagement, and how these interact with pedagogical practices to influence learning outcomes. She has published in leading journals including Applied Linguistics and The Language Learning Journal, collaborating with scholars such as Jean-Marc Dewaele. She also serves as a peer reviewer for several international journals. |
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Selected publications
- Dewaele, J.-M., MacIntyre, P. D., Albakistani, A., & Kamal Ahmed, I. (2025). Emotional, attitudinal and sociobiographical sources of flow in online and in-person EFL classrooms. Applied Linguistics.
- Dewaele, J. M., Ferrer, M. S., Ahmed, I. K., & Albakistani, A. (2024). Does multilingualism affect foreign language classroom anxiety and foreign language enjoyment? Porta Linguarum.
- Dewaele, J. M., Albakistani, A., & Ahmed, I. K. (2022). Levels of foreign language enjoyment, anxiety and boredom in emergency remote teaching and in-person classes. The Language Learning Journal.
- Albakistani, A. (2024). How skills-based classroom activities shape learners’ foreign language enjoyment: A mixed-modelling longitudinal examination. PhD thesis, Birkbeck, University of London.
El Makki AmiriEl Makki Amiri is an Assistant Professor at Mohammed V University, Morocco. His doctoral research examined emotion contagion in educational settings. Prior to his academic career, he worked as an ESL teacher in a governmental high school for five years. His research focuses on emotional and psychological variables in educational contexts, including the role of teacher emotions in shaping learner motivation, attitudes, and engagement. He currently serves as Co-Coordinator of the Research Methodology Special Interest Group within the International Association for the Psychology of Language Learning. |
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Selected publications
- Amiri, E. M. (2024). Are teachers’ emotions contagious? A qualitative study of the effects of perceived teacher enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom on students’ emotions, motivation, and attitudes. Üniversitepark Bülten.
- Amiri, E. M., Meftah, R., & Botes, E. (2025). The congruence and incongruence between FL learners’ perceptions of their own and their teachers’ emotions. Manuscript under review.
- Shao, K., Amiri, E., & Kutuk, G. (2026). Pride and shame in CALL: Links to appraisals, engagement, and performance. Language Learning & Technology.
Giuseppe D’OrazziDr Giuseppe D’Orazzi is a Senior Lecturer in ESL and Applied Linguistics at the School of Languages and Linguistics and a Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne. He is Secretary of the Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities (LCNAU), a leading organisation advocating for language and culture learning in Australia. His research interests include second language learning and teaching, intercultural communication, multilingualism, multiculturalism, and the internationalisation of higher education. His current projects examine motivation and demotivation in second language learning, including Indigenous and minority languages such as Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara, and Sardinian, as well as intercultural language learning and the role of AI in language learner motivation. |
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