About the Journal

Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

The BC TEAL Journal is the peer-reviewed publication of the Association of BC Teachers of English as an Additional Language (BC TEAL).  The journal exists to promote scholarship related to the teaching and learning of English as an Additional Language in British Columbia, with articles explicitly reflecting the various contexts and settings of the BC TEAL membership.

The BC TEAL Journal publishes on an ongoing basis, with articles gathered into a single issue over the course of one calendar year.

Information on how to submit an article to the journal along with author guidelines can be found here: https://ojs-o.library.ubc.ca/index.php/BCTJ/about/submissions

Section Policies

Editorial: Indexed

Theoretical Analysis, Classroom Practice, Opinion Essays: Open Submissions / Indexed / Peer Reviewed

Articles: Open Submissions / Indexed / Peer Reviewed

Book Reviews: Open Submissions / Indexed

Peer Review Process

Submissions that fall within the focus and scope of the BC TEAL Journal undergo double-anonymous peer review (the identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential from each other) by reviewers familiar with the various contexts and settings related to the teaching and learning of English as an Additional Language in British Columbia.  Typically, reviewers have four to six weeks to complete their reviews. The entire process, however, could take up to six months before a decision regarding publication is completed.

The following questions are designed to help peer reviewers evaluate articles submitted to the BC TEAL Journal.  Where possible, reviewers are encouraged to provide concrete suggestions to strengthen the work for publication.  Reviewers are also reminded to keep their comments collegial and constructive so that they can be shared with the authors.

  1. Is the article interesting? Would members of BC TEAL want to read this article?  Why or why not?  If necessary, what suggestions do you have to make the article more appealing to BC TEAL members?
  2. Does the article make an original contribution to the field of teaching English as an additional language in British Columbia? Alternatively, does it have any new insights related to current knowledge that can be applied to a local context (such as replication studies carried out in British Columbia)?  For studies not located in British Columbia, are explicit connections made to the local context and teaching and learning in British Columbia? If the author doesn’t make connections to British Columbia, what suggestions do you have to help the author connect to the local context?
  3. Does the author appear to know the topic well and support that knowledge with appropriate and current references? If not, what gaps do you notice in the referenced literature?  Can you provide any recommendations along with full references for the author?
  4. Where applicable, is the research plan, methods, theoretical framework, and use of qualitative, arts-based, or statistical procedures of a high standard? If the work isn’t of a high standard suitable for publication, what suggestions can you make to strengthen the author’s work for publication?
  5. Are the author’s conclusions and/or recommendations supported by the findings? Does the author indicate possible limitations and directions for future studies? If not, what would strengthen the author’s work for publication?
  6. Does the author employ APA format? Does the author follow the manuscript guidelines in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition (except for spelling conventions which should follow Canadian usage)?
  7. Is the article well written, logical, organized, and appropriate for a peer-reviewed scholarly journal? Does the author adhere to the suggested lengths (Maximum 200 word abstract and +/-8,000 word research article plus references or maximum 200 word abstract and +/-4,000 word theoretical analysis, classroom practice, or opinion essay plus references)?
  8. Are there any other comments you wish to share with the author(s)?

Publication Frequency

The BC TEAL Journal publishes on an ongoing basis, with articles gathered into a single issue over the course of one calendar year. Please note that book reviews are typically saved for publication towards the end of the calendar year to facilitate the assignment of page numbers.

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research and scholarship freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.  In addition, there are no article submission, processing, or publication fees for authors.

Help BC TEAL continue its mission to support English language education by joining our organization: https://www.bcteal.org/membership/#become_a_member.

Content Policy

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of BC TEAL.

Archiving

LOCKSS system has permission to collect, preserve, and serve this Archival Unit: https://www.lockss.org/

Publisher Manifest Page: https://ojs-o.library.ubc.ca/index.php/BCTJ/gateway/lockss