Candlin & Mynard - Jo's Blog

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.

Forthcoming book: Reforming the Foreign Language Classroom: Empowering Learners to Take Ownership

12/13/2025

We are delighted to announce the publication of our forthcoming edited volume, to be released on December 20th. This book has been a long time in the making, shaped through years of dialogue, collaboration, classroom practice, and deep professional trust. The editors are not only leading voices in the field but also dear friends, and it has been a genuine privilege to accompany them on this journey as publisher. What makes this volume especially meaningful is the care with which it brings together theory, practice, and lived experience, honouring foundational work while speaking clearly to the realities of contemporary classrooms.

At a time when education is often framed as being in constant crisis or rapid transformation, this book demonstrates the enduring relevance of learner autonomy. Through chapters on inclusion, vocational education, classroom discourse, agile methodologies, and Leni Dam’s own reflections, the volume shows how autonomy continues to offer principled, practical, and humane responses to diversity, uncertainty, and change. Grounded and forward-looking, this is a book that reminds us why the field matters and why it continues to resonate with teachers, researchers, and learners alike. We are immensely proud to publish it.

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

Reforming the Foreign Language Classroom: Empowering Learners to Take Ownership
Edited by Katja Heim, Leni Dam, Annika Albrecht, and Carmen Becker

Release date: December 20, 2025
Series: Autonomous Language Learning
Volume: 16
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47908/40
Royalties go to the IATEFL Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group

Thanks for joining the book launch!

12/13/2025

Many thanks ot everyone who joined the official launch of Artificial Intelligence in Our Language Learning Classrooms, edited by Louise Ohashi, Mary Hillis, & Robert Dykes. Congratulations again to the editors and all the contributing authors.

Book Launch: Artificial Intelligence in Our Language Learning Classrooms

12/9/2025

Join us on Zoom to celebrate the launch of our latest book, Artificial Intelligence in Our Language Learning Classrooms, edited by Louise Ohashi, Mary Hillis, & Robert Dykes. Meet the editors and authors, chat with other teachers, get discounts, and possibly win a free book!

Thursday, December 11, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. JST.
Please RSVP: www.candlinandmynard.com/genai1booklaunch.html

Celebrating 13 Years of Candlin & Mynard

11/22/2025

Today marks Candlin & Mynard’s 13th anniversary, a milestone that feels both momentous and quietly gratifying. When we began in 2012, our vision was simple but ambitious: to publish thoughtful, practice-oriented scholarship that supports language educators and learners around the world. Thirteen years later, that mission continues to guide every book we publish, every collaboration we nurture, and every conversation we spark within our professional community.

We’re celebrating this anniversary with the recent release of three new titles—each one reflecting the evolving landscape of language education and the incredible work of our authors and editors.
Screen Media in Foreign Language Education, edited by Adrian Leis and Matthew Wilson and published in October as part of our Positive Pedagogical Praxis Series, explores how screen-based media can empower learning in creative, dynamic ways. This volume brings together innovative classroom practices and research that help educators navigate an increasingly digital world—without losing sight of human connection.

On Thursday, we proudly released Pulling Back the Curtain in Self-Access: Stories of Student Staff Member Motivation, written by Christopher Phelps for our long-running Autonomous Language Learning Series. This book offers a rare insider perspective on the student staff experience in self-access environments, weaving together personal narratives and practical insights. It’s warm, reflective, and deeply resonant for anyone working in learner development or self-access learning.

And just yesterday, we added a timely and forward-looking volume to our new Generative AI and Foreign Language Education Series: Artificial Intelligence in Our Language Learning Classrooms, edited by Louise Ohashi, Mary Hillis, and Robert Dykes. As AI continues to transform how we teach and learn languages, this book provides grounded examples, emerging perspectives, and thoughtful guidance for educators navigating this new terrain.

These three books are a wonderful reminder of why Candlin & Mynard exists: to champion educators, share fresh ideas, and make meaningful contributions to our field. We’re incredibly grateful to the authors, editors, reviewers, readers, and colleagues who have supported us - some from the very beginning, some joining us just recently. You are the heart of this work.

Thank you for being part of our journey over the last 13 years. Here’s to the next chapter, new collaborations, and many more books that inspire, challenge, and connect our global community of language educators.

New Release — November 20: Pulling Back the Curtain in Self-Access Stories of Student Staff Member Motivation by Christopher Phelps

11/9/2025

What really motivates the students who work behind the scenes in self-access learning centres (SALCs)? These are the places where learners take ownership of their language learning, and where peer support, autonomy, and personal growth flourish, often quietly, but powerfully.

We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Pulling Back the Curtain in Self-Access: Stories of Student Staff Member Motivation by Christopher Phelps, launching on November 20.

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

In this fascinating and heartfelt book, Phelps invites readers into the world of student staff members (SSMs) at Japanese universities. Drawing on rich personal narratives and grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the book explores what drives SSMs to engage deeply in their roles — from a desire to help others, to developing competence and belonging in a community of learners.

Pulling Back the Curtain in Self-Access is not just about research; it’s about people. It highlights how autonomy, relatedness, and self-reflection can transform simple part-time roles into powerful learning experiences. Educators, advisors, and administrators alike will find inspiration and practical insights for creating more autonomy-supportive environments.

Beautifully written and deeply human, this book serves as both a window into the student experience and a guide to fostering motivation in higher education settings.

👉 Available November 20, 2025