Some 260 international guests from 46 countries came together in mid-June for ATFLY 2025 (Advances in Teaching Foreign Languages to Young Learners). The online conference organized by Prof. Dr. Stefanie Frisch (Goethe University Frankfurt, English Language Education), Prof. Dr. Karen Glaser and Anne Schrader (both Leipzig University), and Dr. Constanze Dreßler (University of Wuppertal) brought together researchers, teachers and students, who exchanged views on current research in early foreign language learning. Following the welcome address by Prof. Dr. Viera Pirker (Vice President Teaching and Study at Goethe University Frankfurt) and Prof. Dr. Birgitta Wolff (Rector of the University of Wuppertal), participants were able to choose from a wide-ranging program, including presentations on virtual exchange projects, assessment, task-based language teaching, and literacy. The program featured three keynote lectures, 26 papers across nine thematic sections, three roundtables, as well as poster presentations.
ATFLY provides a recurring conference format on a three-year cycle, offering an international platform for scientific exchange on early foreign language learning. Since early language learning is gaining importance worldwide, the organizers opted for an international and virtual format. “We are overwhelmed by the high quality of the presentations and the large number of participants and look forward to preparing the publication of the key findings,” said conference organizers Stefanie Frisch and Karen Glaser. The collected volume from ATFLY 2022 was published by John Benjamins as an open-access publication.
Further information about the conference can be found on the ATFLY conference homepage →
