Call for papers

In view of technological advancements (Ganascia, 2019) and the effects of the pandemic that have deeply alter, even disrupted, the modes of learning and the relationship with knowledge, it seems relevant to examine the term "relationship" in the context of language teaching. This term lies at the heart of epistemological questions raised in numerous fields of humanities and can be seen as an act of resistance against the dissolution of human connections and the lack of resonance (Rosa, 2018; Suchet, 2021). Other terms associated with it include "exchanges," "dialogue," "welcome" (Cassin, 2020), "encounter" (Jullien, 2023), and "interaction." When explicitly addressed in language didactics, it refers to unique conceptions of language learning and is introduced from various theoretical perspectives.

Some research studies highlight the importance of rethinking relationships as " l’acte dynamique de reliance à soi, aux autres et à l’environnement par lequel émergent en permanence des sens partagés entre les humains » (Aden 2013 § 9). They are contextualized within the framework of sociobiographical approaches that place the learner's historical function (Molinié, 2023, forthcoming) at the core of processes of (re)constructing multilingual repertoires from a decolonial perspective (Fillol & Razafimandimbimanana, 2022). A poetic journey within the relational experience can be conceived through language teaching methods (Castellotti, 2017) that emphasize ‘the individual rather than the cognitive dimension, art rather than technique, relationship rather than communication and reception rather than production’ (ibid.: 315).

Thus, it concerns both relationships with others in an educational context and the connection of the learning subject to his languages and cultures. Regarding the pedagogical relationship, one can wonder how it is shaped by the choice of linguistic objects, the teaching methods and the chosen methodologies. What implications for the teacher and the learners? To what extent does considering relationships influence the implementation of activities? V. Laurens (2020) highlights the importance of the teacher's ethical stance towards the learner. It is quite interesting to inquire about the power dynamics inherent in the relationship, the representations associated with the role of educational authority, and the emotions that emerge in the pedagogical relationship (Aguilar, 2017; Cavalla et al., 2023, forthcoming), key questions in the field of language education.

The didactic materials introduced by teachers also play a significant role in connecting the learners’ histories, cultures, and languages. Several scientific works (Godard, 2021; Martin, 2017; Viart, 2019) thus emphasize a "relational" approach to literature that mobilizes diverse and varied experiences of connecting literary texts and readers. In language education, « l’expérience littéraire de la langue enrichit non seulement notre connaissance et notre pratique de la langue, mais aussi notre capacité de penser la/les langues et notre relation à elles » (Godard, 2015: 271). It is interesting to consider the "relational aesthetics" (Bourriaud, 2019) developed from artworks (Borgé, 2020) when introduced in language courses where learners engage in intersubjective aesthetic experiences.

Moreover, can language be conceived without considering its realization as the product of interaction (Guerin, 2017)? Language is in fact inseparable from its usage and thus its users. How does one become an agent in the dynamics of a new language? This question involves the speakers' relationship with languages and their varying degrees of normative and/or ideological significance: how does one grasp them (David & Weber, 2021)? This question leads to another: how do we train speakers to interact with others in a foreign language? This aspect of the concept also involves socioanthropolinguistic perspectives.

It will be interesting to examine different perspectives on the term "relationship" during this international conference. The aim of these presentations will be to develop various viewpoints linked to this term, connecting them in an "undisciplined" manner (Suchet, 2016). Different aspects can thus be explored, including:

1. The learner-teacher relationship in the context of language education. How is it established and nurtured? What are its implications for learning? What do the words "pedagogical relationship" mean?
2. Taking into account the relationship with languages and cultures of learners that emerges within familial, social, and historical contexts. What are the challenges (intercultural, emancipatory, etc.) in language education? What comes out in the relationship between learners, between learners and their teacher, in different multilingual and multicultural contexts?
3. The connections initiated by artistic didactic materials (literature, visual arts, etc.), which not only bring out knowledge but also trigger forms of "connection" and resonance by engaging learners' sensory universes.
4. Training in relationship skills: how are future language teachers currently trained for relationships? Can we speak of "relational didactics"?
5. How does one interact in a new language beyond the learning context? Should/how should learners be trained in the representations and attitudes specific to a culture?