Associate professor Dr. Luciane Maimone of the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions (LCR) has been appointed editor of the Portuguese Language Journal (PLJ) and as board member of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL).

Maimone said she felt both happy and flattered by the appointments. She also expressed optimism about the potential positive outcomes they might bring to her department and the university.

“We have worked hard to become a reference in language education in the state of Missouri, and I will be proud to share our current and future successes with a broader community of language educators,” Maimone said.

“Occupying high-level positions like these at the regional and national levels help raise the university’s profile,” she added.

Professional outreach vital to language education professions

Maimone, who also serves as graduate program director in LCR, believes it is vital for educators to be connected to the broader professional community.

“Participating in the professional community at any capacity is a great way to learn about new developments in research, pedagogical practices, program management and evaluation and much more,” Maimone said.

PLJ editorial responsibilities

Maimone described working as editor of an academic journal as the “ultimate learning opportunity for any researcher.”

“It forces you, in a good way, to become acquainted with the publication scene, the latest innovations in research design and analyses, and the hottest research topics—those that need to be further explored or that the audience wants to read about,” she said.

As a PLJ editor, Maimone will coordinate publication and peer-review processes as well as oversee accounting, indexation, grant and award programs, advertising, fundraising and webmaster tasks.

Plans are also in the works to make thematic and structural changes to the journal, according to Maimone.

“We are updating our publication guidelines to align them with the most recent guidelines and best practices in research methods, language inclusivity and ethical/free-bias practices,” she said. “We also plan to increase the accessibility of our content by creating a Portuguese version of the journal’s website—currently only available in English.”

A future, co-edited thematic journal will explore the trajectory of women researchers and educators in North American postsecondary Portuguese programs, Maimone said.

“We have also created a new…section featuring classroom research meant to showcase the contributions of schoolteachers to the field of Portuguese learning and teaching,” she added.

CSCTFL board responsibilities

As one of only two university-level representatives at the CSCTFL, Maimone will serve a four-year term on the board, starting April 2024.

Board members organize the annual convention and support initiatives related to diversity and inclusion, language advocacy and professional development, Maimone said.

During her tenure, she will work with board member and MSU alum Kris Morehead, who represents the K-12 level. Morehead is a graduate of LCR’s Master of Applied Second Language Acquisition (MASLA) program.

“I plan to focus on projects supporting critical and less commonly taught languages, as well as initiatives focused on the improvement of working conditions for language educators in our region,” Maimone said.

“I am sure being an active member of the CSCTFL will provide many insights into the profession that can be shared with our students and help modernize our programs.” [Read more…] about Deep connection with languages inspires Dr. Luciane Maimone