LLMY Author Guidelines and Submissions

We welcome contributions to Literacy Learning: the Middle Years.

Authors of articles published in our journals retain the right to self-archive the final draft of their articles in their institution’s e-repository. 美姬社区does not give permission for authors to archive copy-edited published versions of articles published in our journals.

Literacy Learning: the Middle Years (LLMY) is published three times a year and it:

documents and disseminates effective and innovative literacy teaching approaches for students in the middle years of schooling (Years 5-8/9) and recent research findings;
publishes medium length articles in accessible formats, with illustrative material; as well as peer reviewed papers between 5,000-6000 words.
caters for an audience of teachers, pre-service teachers, teacher educators and others interested in the teaching and learning of literacies in the middle years of schooling.

The editor invites contributions to the journal, including:

Key Article: Key academic article on a topical issue in literacy and language development, up to 5,000 words that invites responses as part of a symposium.
Respondents: Shorter articles written in response to the Key Article, between 1,000-1,500 words, reflecting on the innovations, ideas and research explored as part of the symposium, creating a written dialogue on the theme or topic being explored.
Peer-reviewed articles: Research articles submitted for peer-review of 5000-6000 words relating to innovations, classroom practices, pedagogies and research appropriate to literacy learning in the middle years of schooling. We welcome articles from Early Career Researchers.
Connecting points: An earlier LLMY article is revisited, now complemented by a contemporary postscript of about 400 words from the author, offering insights into changes or reflections on the piece since its first publication.
Practical strategies: This section includes articles of up to 1,500 words where practitioners share classroom practice based on the theoretical ideas in each edition. It is the practical application and innovation of literacy teaching and learning in the middle year of schooling. May include student samples, lesson plans, snapshots of process and assessments.
Off-the shelf: Book reviews on key texts relating to the journal’s theme or topic. These include books suitable for young people, books for literacy educators, films, Youtube, animation, visual texts, apps and other resources relevant to literacy teaching and learning in the middle years of schooling. Reviews are generally 350-500 words in length.

Note: We recommend that prospective authors read several articles from previous issues available on the 美姬社区website to get a sense of the style and content.

Upcoming Issues:

THEME	DEADLINE	PUBLICATION DATE
Building a reading culture Building a reading culture in middle years classrooms means creating an environment where reading is valued, encouraged, and enjoyed by students. Reading is a practice which transcends class, race, age and gender and in many ways is at the very centre of school curriculum through the way that it is integral to the personal, social and academic success of a student. A strong reading culture helps students develop positive attitudes towards reading, improves literacy skills, and encourages lifelong reading habits. Promoting and cultivating such a culture is an important value then for all schools and teachers. Teachers can act as key instigators, modelling a love for reading, promoting independent and collaborative reading activities, and offering texts that reflect students’ interests and backgrounds. By providing access to a variety of engaging texts and creating opportunities for students to share and discuss what they read, teachers can help create this kind of reading culture. However, cultivating a true reading culture within schools goes well beyond the roles of classroom teachers and individuals. Rather, it takes the dedication and commitment from school leadership, students, parents, guardians and staff members in the school community to create a culture of reading that becomes a lifetime habit.	1 June 2025	October 2025
Visual Storytelling: The Power of Graphic Novels in Literacy Perceptions around graphic novels are rapidly changing as teachers and educators recognise their unique capacity for literacy building. Once overlooked, they are now celebrated for their rich narratives, dynamic storytelling, and the unique interplay of text and visuals. By engaging a wide range of readers, graphic novels support comprehension, vocabulary growth, and inferential thinking. Their visual nature enhances meaning-making, helping students develop essential visual literacy skills as they interpret images alongside text. For many readers, graphic novels provide an accessible and engaging pathway into reading, making literacy learning more inclusive and dynamic.	1 October 2025	February 2026
Reading for a Sustainable Future: Literacy, Sustainability, and Ecocriticism This edition of Literacy Learning in the Middle Years celebrates 50 years of the journal’s history. An important part of The Australian Literacy Educators’ Association (ALEA), Australia’s leading association dedicated to literacy and English language learning, LLMY has played a critical role in sharing and disseminating the broader views of the organisation. This edition focuses on a range of themes that highlight the journal’s legacy, its commitment to middle-years literacy and its impact on student learning in reading, writing and thinking. In considering this as the journal’s theme for the June 2025 edition, this covers areas such as historical reflection, where articles explore the journal’s founding, highlighting memorable pieces from past issues. It also welcomes contributions that are reflections on literacy practices - about what used to work in classrooms and how research and policy have altered the landscape so that new trends and pedagogies have reformed literacy education and changed practice. The journal also welcomes pieces that reflect on global and local Australian literacy practices and how these have evolved over the past 50 years, emphasising diversity in literature and voices from a range of different backgrounds. Finally, the edition also considers pieces on the future of literacy, such as how technology is shaping reading and writing and predictions about the role of literacy in the next 50 years.	1 February 2026	June 2026
Teaching with AI: Evolving Literacy Pedagogies in the Middle Years The transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is rapidly evolving, creating both opportunities and challenges for literacy teaching and learning. As AI literacy becomes increasingly important, educators must consider not only how to teach students about AI but also how AI can enhance literacy practices in the classroom. While AI offers the potential for personalised learning, content creation, and differentiated support, its role in Australian literacy education remains largely uncharted. Given that digital literacy and literacy are key general capabilities in the Australian curriculum these seem like timely questions for exploration. From generating tailored rubrics and curriculum programs to creating quizzes, content summaries, and decodable text lists, AI is already reshaping literacy instruction. As middle-years learners develop essential skills like prompt engineering, understanding how AI is integrated into literacy teaching is becoming increasingly important for effective and relevant classroom practice.	1 June 2026	October 2026

Submission of Contributions

A manuscript is accepted on the understanding that it is an original contribution that has not been published previously and is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically via email to ALL editors:

Kylie Bradfield- kylie.bradfield@monash.edu
Diane Hansford- Diane.Hansford@une.edu.au
Hermione Paddle- hermione.paddle.21@ucl.ac.uk
Kelly Carabott- kelly.carabott@monash.edu

Authors wishing to have their articles peer reviewed should submit them at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline dates to allow ample time for reviewers and for revisions.

Authors of accepted and published articles will receive a hard copy of the journal edition, so please include the mailing address for all authors in your submission.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the submitting author

to ensure that the APA 7 style guide is followed. Please note that manuscripts containing large numbers of errors, style problems or missing references will be returned for further editing.
to obtain all permissions to reproduce copyright material, relevant permissions to publish children’s work, and permission of all individuals (as well as parents when individuals are under 18 years old) featured in photographs.
to have ethical clearance and other permissions as appropriate.
to inform the editor if an article is to be considered for the journal’s refereed section.

The review process for the refereed section

The editors will organise blind peer review for articles submitted for consideration for the journal’s refereed section. These articles should be de-identified, so that no names or details of authors are evident on the manuscript. Details about the author/s (name/s, address, telephone and email) should be included in the email that accompanies submission of the file.

Style guide

Prospective contributors should use the following style guidelines:

Ensure articles are interesting and informative to a middle years teacher audience.
Include an Abstract
Include high resolution illustrative material where possible that enhances the content.
Use Standard Australian English and spelling.
Align text to the left with minimal formatting.
Use single line spacing, 2.54 cm margins, size 12 Times New Roman font.
Indent paragraphs after headings.
Use bold for headings and align left. One level of heading is sufficient.
Use APA (7th ed.) for in-text citations and the reference list.
Embed tables in the text and provide a caption for each.
Submit figures (images, diagrams) as separate files. These need to be high resolution (300 dpi), preferably in jpeg format. Screen prints taken from the internet are not always suitable for publication.
Do not use footnotes. Authors should endeavour to include all text in the main body of the article. Where this is not possible, endnotes should be used.
Prior to submission, check that all references are cited accurately in text and in the reference with correct dates of publication.
Include a short bionote (50-75 words) for each author at the end of the article. Where appropriate, the bionote might indicate previous involvement with ALEA.