Candlin & Mynard - Jo's Blog

Beyond Kikokushijo: Congratulations to all the authors

9/25/2026

It was my absolute pleasure to attend the book launch in Tokyo on Sunday and meet all nine authors in person. There were 52 attendees (23 in person and 29 online) at the event. Online attendees joined from Cambodia, Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and the USA. It was a deeply moving event where the authors described their past struggles and also their joy in being able to share their stories and collaborate through this book.

This is the first collection of stories from so-called Kikokushijo (“returnee student” in Japanese) by the self-named TOMATO (Teachers Of Multilingual And Transnational Orientation) group. As one of the editors, Maki Yazaki notes in Chapter 1, beyond kikokushijo refers to "former kikokushijo ... who have become educators" and "teachers whose multilingual and transnational experiences fall outside conventional definitions and categories." It is a powerful book that gives valuable insights into diverse teacher identities and questions fixed labeling of educators.

Details of how to purchase the book are here:
https://www.candlinandmynard.com/beyondkikokushijo.html

Book launch! Meet the authors!

8/31/2026

Beyond Kikokushijo: Teaching English in Japan After Growing Up Between Languages and Cultures.
Edited by Aiko Minematsu, Risa Ikeda, and Maki Yazaki (Life and Education in Japan Series)
Available for order from 10th September, 2026.
More details

Meet the authors and get a chance to win a free copy of the book.
Date & Time: Sunday, September 20, 2026, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Vision Center Ichigaya (Tokyo) 1202 (Floor 12)
Format: Hybrid (In-person or Online)
Fee: No charge. This is a free event.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/B84z8vyBPoHN5QMfA

Flyer designed and created by Yuzuki Miyagi @yudu.kn10

Celebrating the Launch of Artificial Intelligence in Japan’s Language Learning Classrooms

6/11/2026

We are delighted to celebrate the publication of Artificial Intelligence in Japan’s Language Learning Classrooms, edited by Robert Dykes, Oliver Edwards, Dave Bollen, and Tina Shu-wen Lin. Released on June 8, 2026, the volume is the ninth title in the Life and Education in Japan series, edited by Dr. Melodie Cook and Dr. Anne McLellan Howard.

The Life and Education in Japan series showcases the work of scholars and professionals living and working in Japan, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of educational and professional life in this unique context. As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms teaching, learning, and communication worldwide, this timely volume explores how these developments are playing out specifically within Japanese language education.

Bringing together researchers and practitioners from across Japan, Artificial Intelligence in Japan’s Language Learning Classrooms moves beyond simplistic “pro-AI” or “anti-AI” positions. Instead, the contributors offer thoughtful and evidence-based perspectives on how generative AI is reshaping language learning, teaching, assessment, feedback, motivation, and institutional policy. Alongside practical classroom applications, the volume engages with important questions surrounding ethics, bias, academic integrity, equity, and the evolving roles of teachers and learners.
To mark the publication, we were pleased to participate in an online launch event hosted by the JALTCALL Special Interest Group and the JALTCALL Podcast Team. The event brought together editors, authors, and readers from across the language education community for a lively discussion of the book’s themes and findings.

Representing the volume were editors Oliver Edwards, Robert Dykes, and Dave Bollen, who introduced the book and discussed the motivations behind the project. Several chapter authors also joined the event to share insights from their contributions, including Robert Swier (Chapter 1, The End of Second Language Acquisition?), Kayoko Horai (Chapter 2, Corrective Feedback in the Age of AI), Ashton E. Dawes (Chapter 3, Generative AI as a Writing Feedback Companion: Practice, Efficacy, and Student Beliefs), Michiyo Oda (Chapter 8, Exploring the Impact of AI on Motivation for EFL Learning), Steven MacWhinnie (Chapter 10, Student Perceptions of AI Chatbots in Language Learning Classrooms in Japan), and Anthony Brian Gallagher (Chapter 11, Navigating AI Ethics in Japanese Higher Education). Robert Dykes also reflected on the volume’s key messages in his concluding chapter, Mediating the Future of AI in Language Education.

As the publisher, I was pleased to join the discussion to introduce the book, explain how readers can obtain copies, and share some reflections on how useful I have already found the volume in my own teaching and professional practice. One of the strengths of the collection is its balanced approach: rather than presenting AI as either a solution or a threat, the authors explore the complex realities of integrating emerging technologies into language education.

The event also included a book giveaway, with Dr. Diego Mideros winning a complimentary copy, and all attendees received a special 20% discount coupon for our online store.

If you missed the launch, you can still listen to the full discussion through the JALTCALL Podcast. We are grateful to the JALTCALL community for hosting such an engaging event and for creating a space where educators can critically examine the opportunities and challenges presented by AI.

The conversation will continue this week at the JALTCALL 2026 Conference at Konan University in Nishinomiya (June 12–14). Many of the editors, authors, and the publisher are attending. Fittingly, this year’s conference theme, “Prevail or Fail?”, invites participants to explore how AI, technology, and pedagogical innovation are reshaping language education and what this means for the future of our profession.

We congratulate the editors and contributors on this important publication and look forward to the discussions, research, and innovations it will inspire in the years ahead.

Useful links:

New book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons for Language Educators by Andy Curtis.

5/15/2026

Today, we are delighted to celebrate the publication of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons for Language Educators by Andy Curtis. I found this book a genuinely compelling read. It is a wonderfully clear and accessible distillation of leadership literature from education and beyond, thoughtfully connected to the realities of language education. What makes the book especially powerful, however, is the deeply personal narrative woven throughout. At different moments, I found myself laughing, reflecting, and unexpectedly emotional. I wholeheartedly recommend it to both current and aspiring leaders in language education.

You can find out more about the book here: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn

Launching Language Learner Autonomy: A Practical Guide

4/29/2026

We are delighted to announce the publication of Language Learner Autonomy: A Practical Guide by David Little, now available from Candlin & Mynard ePublishing. This concise and highly practical volume brings together over four decades of research, classroom experience, and international collaboration to offer a clear vision of what learner autonomy means—and how it can be implemented in real educational contexts.
At a time when educators are seeking ways to create more engaging, learner-centred environments, this book provides both inspiration and practical direction. Rather than presenting autonomy as an abstract ideal, David Little shows how it emerges through everyday classroom practices: dialogue, reflection, collaboration, and the active use of the target language. The result is an approach that supports not only language development, but also learners’ confidence, agency, and capacity to manage their own learning.
What makes this publication especially exciting is its hybrid design. Each chapter is accompanied by short video introductions, offering an accessible entry point into key ideas and making the book an ideal resource for both individual study and professional development. Whether you are new to learner autonomy or have been working in the field for many years, the guide provides a fresh, focused perspective grounded in real classroom practice.

We are proud to publish this important contribution to the field and to continue supporting educators interested in autonomy, advising, and learner-centred approaches. You can find out more about the book, access the companion videos, and explore the new course on our website.

https://www.candlinandmynard.com/lla.html

Preface (video)

Coming Soon: The Learning Mindset Notebook (18 February)

2/10/2026

We are delighted to announce the forthcoming publication of The Learning Mindset Notebook: A 12-Week Reflective Journal for Language Learning, available from 18 February.

Written by Satoko Kato and Mioko Yoshinaga, two of Japan’s most widely respected scholars in language learning and learner development, the original Japanese notebook (published by Osaka University Press) has supported thousands of learners in Japan and is now being published in English for the first time. Grounded in eight carefully sequenced principles and structured around 31 guided activities, the notebook leads learners through a three-month reflective journey that connects past experiences, present realities, and future goals. It encourages sustained, intentional engagement with language learning and supports the development of motivation, self-awareness, planning habits, and well-being.

Designed for independent use and equally adaptable to classroom or advising contexts, the English edition has been carefully prepared to ensure that it feels natural and accessible for an international readership while preserving the pedagogical depth and spirit of the original work. We are excited to introduce this learner-centred resource to a wider global community of language learners and educators.

Available 18 February.

More details: https://www.candlinandmynard.com/mindsetnotebook.html

Learner Autonomy in the Spotlight (and Going Strong!)

1/21/2026

The year began for me with a keynote at the 3rd PSC Forum in Oman (held online in January 2026), dedicated to learner autonomy and titled The Enduring Interest in Learner Autonomy. The focus of the talk was not whether learner autonomy is still relevant, but why it continues to endure despite--and in many ways because of--global disruptions such as the pandemic, advances in psychology, and the rapid emergence of generative AI. The keynote, and indeed the conference, explored why learner autonomy remains a pedagogical imperative rather than an optional extra, and considered how we might navigate an evolving digital landscape while keeping learners’ agency firmly at the centre.

The recent flurry of attention on learner autonomy is clearly visible in publishing activity across the field. Toward the end of last year, Candlin & Mynard published two volumes that speak directly to enduring and emerging questions of autonomy in practice:

Pulling Back the Curtain in Self-Access: Stories of Student Staff Member Motivation by Christopher Phelps offers a nuanced, human-centred exploration of motivation within self-access contexts.
Reforming the Foreign Language Classroom: Empowering Students to Take Ownership, edited by Katja Heim, Leni Dam, Annika Albrecht, and Carmen Becker, firmly integrates learner autonomy into contemporary classroom reform.

This momentum continues into 2026. Forthcoming titles from Candlin & Mynard include:

Language Learner Autonomy: A Practical Guide by David Little provides a clear, practice-oriented synthesis from one of the field’s most influential scholars.
The Learning Mindset Notebook: A 12-Week Reflective Journal for Learning Learning by Satoko Kato and Mioko Yoshinaga translates theory into structured, reflective practice for learners.
Autonomy Among Unwilling Language Learners in Blended Environments: A Teacher’s Narrative by Diego Mideros offers a timely and honest account from blended learning contexts.

Alongside these new works, we are also pleased to be bringing foundational texts back into circulation. Candlin & Mynard will be republishing several classic volumes originally released by Authentik, now made available open access. These include Lerner Autonomie: Von der Theorie zur Unterrichtspraxis (in German) / Learner Autonomy 3: From Theory to Classroom Practice (in English). We are grateful to Leni Dam, the copyright holder, for generously supporting the continued accessibility of these influential works. Making these texts openly available is part of a broader commitment to ensuring that key ideas in learner autonomy remain visible, usable, and relevant for new generations of educators.

Beyond Candlin & Mynard, there is equally encouraging news. Jo Mynard, Giovanna Tassinari, and Diego Mideros are currently working with over 50 contributors on The Bloomsbury Handbook of Learner Autonomy (more on that in due course). At the same time, Phil Benson and Hayo Reinders are revising Autonomy in Language Learning, a volume that has long been a favourite 'go-to' text for many of us in the field, and the AILA Research Network on Learner Autonomy is planning a new edited volume based on the 2024 Kuala Lumpur conference.

Taken together, these developments point to an important conclusion: learner autonomy is evolving. The people may change, the contexts may shift, and the tools may be new, but the core concern remains the same: how learners take charge of their learning in meaningful, supported, and socially situated ways.

Looking ahead, the next AILA World Congress will take place in Vancouver in August 2027. It feels like an ideal moment for the learner autonomy community to plan a proper gathering, not only to share research but to celebrate the many publications, collaborations, and sustained commitments that continue to shape the field.

Learner autonomy endures! And judging by what lies ahead, it is very much alive and well.

Honouring Lienhard Legenhausen

1/9/2026

It is with deep sadness that we honour the life and work of Lienhard Legenhausen, a scholar, mentor, colleague, and friend whose influence on learner autonomy has been profound and enduring. I have known Lienhard for more than twenty years, and like so many in our community, I will miss him greatly. His generosity of spirit, intellectual rigour, and unwavering commitment to learners were constants; quietly present, always encouraging, and deeply empathetic.

News Bulletin. January 2026!

1/2/2026

Season's greetings from Candlin & Mynard!

Thank you for your continued support of our small publishing company. This means a lot to all of us involved. We published six books in 2025 and have several more in the works for 2026. Please see this link for the New Year News Bulletin from Candlin & Mynard.

Announcement

12/26/2025

It is with sadness that I share the news that Dr. Sally Candlin died on 9 December 2025.

Following the death of her husband, our co-founder, Christopher Candlin, in 2015, Sally assumed the role of Senior Advisor to Candlin & Mynard ePublishing. Her association with the press reflected the scholarly values and academic integrity that had long characterised her work. Her involvement symbolised continuity with a tradition of rigorous scholarship that Chris had helped to establish, and that remains central to our publishing ethos.

Sally Candlin was a highly respected scholar in the fields of professional, healthcare, and institutional communication. Her research and publications, particularly in nurse–patient interaction, professional identity, and discourse in health settings, have had a lasting influence across applied linguistics, nursing, and health studies. She taught and supervised widely, served as an editor and reviewer for numerous journals, and authored and edited works that continue to underpin curricula internationally.
Candlin & Mynard ePublishing has always sought to align itself with scholarship that is principled, careful, and socially grounded. In this sense, Sally Candlin’s name and standing mattered. Her career represented a commitment to intellectual seriousness, interdisciplinary dialogue, and respect for professional practice; values we continue to uphold.

We are grateful that Chris and Sally’s daughter, Angharad Candlin, will continue to serve as Senior Advisor to Candlin & Mynard ePublishing. This ensures continuity with the Candlin scholarly legacy while supporting the ongoing work of the press.

Sally Candlin’s death marks the passing of a significant figure in applied linguistics and health communication. We acknowledge her contribution with respect and gratitude.

Read more about Sally's academic work.