This commentary focuses on the challenging views and creative insights inspired by the four articles in this special issue of the journal. The studies have integrated creativity research with social psychological and cultural perspectives. I have highlighted the unique contribution of how Karwowski, Tanggaard, Glaveanu, and Hennessey have each…

In the last three decades, the construct of learner autonomy has been a voguish word in the educational literature. It has been explored from a variety of perspectives and spheres, for it is a multifaceted notion that involves several parameters and tenets such as: taking control over learning, assuming responsibility, conducting independent…

In this article I explore the relationships between identities and musicking in Grenada, West Indies, taking into account the understandings of community and nationhood that foreground and inform identity discourse in the Grenadian context. Through the dual lenses of music education and ethnomusicology, I analyze musicking and music education…

Improving the teaching of invisible culture is a recognised need in the TESOL sector. While there are both scholars calling for a more nuanced focus in classrooms, and teachers willing to take this approach, there has yet been no systematic approach developed for its teaching. This paper attempts to bridge the gap between theory and pedagogical…

Non-English-speaking countries are attracting burgeoning numbers of foreign students, yet research regarding these students' experiences remains rather scarce. In line with global tendencies, Portuguese universities are seeing substantial growth in foreign student enrolment. This paper addresses the lived experiences of foreign students in the…

Religion as a school subject--Religious Education (RE)--is handled differently in various national contexts. This article discusses two different systems of managing (or avoiding) RE: those used in non-denominational Swedish and Indian schools. The article focuses particularly on what is allowed in the classroom with regards to religion. Both…

Socialization in the family commonly is considered a process by which children acquire self-understanding and learn to successfully interact with others in a specific cultural context. At one time, scholars conceived of socialization as a process limited to early childhood; thus, greater understanding about socialization, including how music is…

This investigation examined intercultural knowledge development in a short-term study abroad program in a cultural and linguistic minority context (Basque Country, Spain). A pre- and post-program quantitative and qualitative design was used with 26 participants. The quantitative, survey-based results demonstrated an increase in intercultural…

First-generation (FG) college students (students for whom neither parent has a 4-year degree) face a number of challenges as they attempt to obtain a post-secondary degree. They are more likely to come from working-class backgrounds or poverty (Reardon, 2011) and attend lower quality high schools (Warburton et al., 2001) while not benefiting from…

This study examined responses from a questionnaire administered to 98 second- and third-generation Rohingya refugees living in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Questions concerned participants' self-reported language proficiency levels in the Rohingya heritage language and Arabic and patterns of language use in various domains. Findings demonstrate that the…

Caregivers of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder commonly experience stigma. However, how stigma influences social interactions of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is unclear. We aimed to explore the impact of caregiver stigma on real-life social experiences of Taiwanese adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. In the context of…

Study Abroad (SA) has often been referred as the ideal means to learn a second language due to the unique opportunities it brings to the learners. SA provides learners access to both formal and communicative learning contexts where they can interact with the members of the target language community. Existing studies identified various contextual…

The current study explores how pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language in Vietnam developed their belief about social justice teaching through community field experiences in their teacher education programs. Participants of the study were a cohort of 38 pre-service teachers in a TESOL program in a Vietnamese university. Based on…

Emotional well-being is gaining importance within educator preparation, supporting how cognitive traits are vital but not adequate for optimal professional success. For this reason, it is imperative that the whole realm of human learning be reinforced by elements of holistic education often neglected. The purpose of this article is to: (1)…

Due to globalization, many universities around the world have started to strengthen academic and research practices with the view to meeting international standards. However, the higher education context of the study has faced the challenge to provide our students with successful language learning to prepare them for the job market. This challenge…