About the Journal

Porta Linguarum is an interdepartmental and interuniversity scientific journal specializing in foreign languages teaching and bilingual education. It originated from the collaboration between the Departments of Spanish Language Teaching and Philology, along with other research groups interested in these fields.

The journal aims to promote research in the field of foreign language teaching and learning by fostering knowledge dissemination and academic debate within the international scientific community. Porta Linguarum publishes original articles on educational processes in this field, addressing curricular aspects such as objectives, content, procedures, materials, and assessment, as well as methodological issues, organization, and educational planning at various levels of education (Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary, Adult Education, and University).

The journal stands out for its international and interuniversity character and its commitment to the dissemination of empirical studies, critical reviews, and theoretical models that analyze the multiple factors influencing foreign language teaching and learning.

Additionally, Porta Linguarum accepts the publication of book reviews of high academic interest, provided they align with the journal’s thematic scope.

Mission and Objective

The mission of Porta Linguarum is to foster the advancement of knowledge in the field of foreign language didactics and bilingual education by providing an open-access scientific dissemination platform, free of economic restrictions, for researchers, teachers, and professionals in the field.

The journal’s objective is to publish original, high-quality research that contributes to the theoretical and practical development of foreign language teaching and learning. Priority is given to studies based on empirical data, without excluding highly relevant and current theoretical articles.

The main areas of interest of Porta Linguarum include:

  • Innovations in language teaching and learning.
  • Social and cultural influences on second language acquisition.
  • Individual learner factors such as age, gender, motivation, and cognitive styles.
  • Characteristics of foreign language teachers: attitudes, methodologies, and training.
  • Teaching strategies, classroom interaction, and the effectiveness of educational resources.
  • Assessment of learning and communicative competence at different academic levels.

The journal primarily publishes in English, although articles in other languages are accepted when their content is directly related to the teaching and learning of the respective language.

History and Significance

Porta Linguarum was established in 2004 as an interdepartmental and interuniversity journal with the goal of becoming a leading reference in the didactics of foreign languages and bilingual education. Its origins lie in the collaboration between various Spanish departments specializing in language teaching and philology, along with research groups interested in these fields. Since its inception, the journal has maintained a strong commitment to advancing research in language teaching, fostering the dissemination of knowledge within the international scientific community.

The journal’s name, Porta Linguarum, is a tribute to Johann Amos Comenius’s work Porta Linguarum Trilinguis Reserata et Aperta, a fundamental text in the history of foreign language teaching. Comenius, a 17th-century pedagogue, was renowned for his innovative vision, emphasizing the practical nature of language learning as a tool for communication. He pioneered the use of iconic images to facilitate vocabulary acquisition and applied the Baconian principle in intellectu autem nihil est, nisi prius fuerit in sensu ("there is nothing in the intellect that was not first in the senses").

Furthermore, Comenius established didactic principles that influenced the Grammar-Translation Method, structured around a sequence of presentation, translation, repetition, and memorization. He also emphasized the importance of content and context in vocabulary teaching and adopted a natural approach that anticipated learner-centered models.

Following this tradition, Porta Linguarum has evolved into a key reference for research and reflection on foreign language teaching and learning, maintaining an interdisciplinary and international perspective.

Target Audience

Porta Linguarum is intended for researchers, teachers, and professionals specializing in foreign language didactics and bilingual education. Its content is of particular interest to university academics, teacher trainers, education policymakers, and specialists in second language acquisition.

Additionally, the journal serves as a reference source for postgraduate and doctoral students conducting research in this field, as well as for professionals involved in language teaching at various educational levels, from early childhood education to adult training.

Funding

Porta Linguarum is sponsored by the following institutions:

Sponsors

This support allows the journal to offer open and free access, eliminating any processing or submission fees.

Indexing and Recognition

Porta Linguarum is included in relevant databases and indexing systems to ensure the visibility, accessibility, and academic recognition of the published works, thereby promoting its international dissemination in didactics, educational psychology, school organization, and teacher training. Indexing.

Ownership and Governance

The Porta Linguarum journal is owned by the University of Granada, and its publication is managed by the Editorial Universidad de Granada (EUG), the institution responsible for its administration, production, and dissemination.

Any modifications to its governance or co-publishing agreements with other institutions must be addressed within the framework of the Editorial Universidad de Granada and carried out under its supervision, ensuring the continuity of the quality standards and academic rigor that characterize the publication.