It is with great pleasure that I welcome readers to this collection of papers. The book has benefited from the contribution of several researchers from Poland and abroad. In recent years, most of them have cooperated with the Research Group of the Foreign Language Teacher Training College at the Jagiellonian University. Several of the papers were presented at a seminar which explored different aspects of dialogue in foreign language education organized by the college in May 2007.

The aim of the publication is to stimulate discussion about the multifaceted nature of foreign language education and the interplay between the various factors influencing foreign language learning and teaching. Recently, we have observed a growth in the popularity of the concept of dialogue. Scholars from diverse backgrounds, such as psychology, philosophy or education, have investigated their notion of dialogue.

As editor of this publication, I suggested that the following perspectives of dialogue be explored in relation to foreign language learning:

1. • an intrapersonal perspective, i.e. the dialogic nature of foreign language learning – processes internal to the learner;

2. • an interpersonal perspective, e.g. the interaction between learners and the teacher;

3. • a dialogue within the institution or between several institutions, e.g. cooperation of teachers with various stakeholders;

4. • a dialogue between various disciplines and approaches in teaching and researching.