The Spanish Society for Applied Linguistics (AESLA) is a well-established academic society in Spain because, since from its founding in 1982 it has emerged as the coordinating body of the concerns in the field of applied linguistics in Spain. As stated on the AESLA Statutes, “[t]he specific objective of the Association is to promote, stimulate and improve the study and research of applied linguistics in all its manifestations in Spain."

AESLA has been a dynamic partner in the academia. Its dynamism has served to integrate more than 1,000 partners and members belonging to various scientific disciplines, always with close or central interests to applied linguistics.

Among the regular activities of the association we include:

  • The organization of annual international conferences in applied linguistics at various points in the geography of Spain, always supported by the organizing Universities. These conferences are designed around thematic panels and have an average attendance of 300-400 participants, many of them foreigners. In addition to communications and posters, the annual meetings include plenary lectures given by scholars of international prestige, as well as workshops and seminars organized around a particular aspect of applied linguistics. A selection of the papers presented at the annual meetings is published in the proceedings, edited by each of the organizing committees.
  • In addition to the proceedings of the annual conferences, the publication of two scientific journals, RESLA and RÆL. The first journal, launched in 1985 and currently published by John Benjamins, is a prestigious scientific journal, included in many indexes and international impact records. The second AESLA journal, RÆL, is an online electronic publication, launched in 2002. Although RÆL was initially directed to early-stage researchers, in only a few years this journal has entered a number of electronic indexes and impact databases of international prestige. Both journals have independent "blind" systems of contribution reviewing. In a word, RESLA and RÆL are the best ambassadors of the Association.

Since one of the main objectives of AESLA is the exchange of scientific information with related associations and other entities both in Spain and in other countries, in an attempt to disseminate research in applied linguistics and languages, it has been both AESLA and its Boards’ priority to establish contacts with other scientific associations. Thus, for example, AESLA is integrated within AILA (Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée), based in Brussels. In fact, all AESLA members, by virtue of their affiliation with AESLA, are also AILA members and can participate in the international conferences which AILA organizes every three years.

Membership in AESLA has a number of advantages, among which are the annual conference proceedings, the RESLA journal and their special issues, access to RÆL, the internal newsletter published by the Board, and affiliation with the international association AILA.

List of benefits

If you become a member of the Spanish Association of Applied Linguistics, you will have the following benefits:

  1. Attend and/or participate in the international conference held at a different Spanish university each year with special registration prices.
  2. Have access to the papers in the electronic journal RAEL.
  3. Have access to two e- volumes of  RESLA (a JCR journal) per year. The prestigious publisher John Benjamins has been in charge of the publication since 2014.
  4. Have the possibility to compete for AESLA young and senior research prizes.
  5. Be a member of the International Association of Applied Linguistics/Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée (AILA) and have the possibility to attend and participate in their international conferences.
  6. Receive the annual bulletin AILA Review.
  7. Be included in the members’ distribution list and be informed about activities related to Applied Linguistics.
  8. Receive the AESLA conference proceedings at no charge. They will be published by the Centro Virtual Cervantes.
  9. Have access to the AESLA Bulletin.
  10. Have access to the AESLA proceedings already published.
  11. Participate in the Association’s Assembly that takes place in every conference.
  12. Be able to take part in any position of AESLA, be it the Executive Board, the Scientific Committee or  as a  panel coordinator.
  13. Promote your research profile by means of AESLA.
  14. Benefit from the agreements signed between the Association and the business sector.
  15. Channel contacts with other members of the Association of a similar or different research profile.

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