The Editor-in-Chief of the Arab Journal of Applied Linguistics introduces the first issue of the journal, expressing gratitude to the founding members and highlighting the journal's open online access. The journal aims to involve scholars in the global exchange of knowledge in applied linguistics. The Inaugural Issue primarily focuses on English language teaching in the Arab world, with contributors underscoring the value of teacher feedback, the importance of assessment for developing teaching skills, and the need for more in-service training due to a mismatch between teachers' perceived capacities and their actual performance.
The issue also addresses the topics of diglossia and bilingual education in the Arab world. The Editor-in-Chief suggests that diglossia is diminishing due to advances in technology, increased mobility, and decreasing illiteracy rates. Additionally, the enrichment of Modern Standard Arabic is attributed to the contributions of local varieties and the intermingling of languages.
The Editor-in-Chief encourages future contributions to focus on language and literacy in the Arab world through empirical studies rather than relying on insider knowledge. Researchers are particularly invited to explore the teaching and acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic and its use in academic and professional contexts, relating their findings to language policy and planning. While acknowledging the significant contributions of information technology to the field, the editorial emphasizes that the fundamental purpose of language acquisition and education is to access and contribute to knowledge.
The Editor-in-Chief expresses gratitude to the Professor and Manager of the Journal for their relentless work, as well as to colleagues who evaluated the submissions to the Editorial Board, acknowledging their fair and diligent evaluation process.
In summary, the Inaugural Issue of the Arab Journal of Applied Linguistics focuses on English language teaching in the Arab world and addresses the diminishing prevalence of diglossia, urging future contributions to emphasize empirical studies on language and literacy in the Arab world. The editorial stresses the importance of language acquisition and education for accessing and contributing to knowledge, while expressing gratitude to those involved in bringing the inaugural issue to fruition.