The purpose of the ACTFL Research Priorities initiative is to support empirical research on six priority areas that are currently critical to improving language education. Proposals can initiate a new research study, support/expand a study under way, or explore an emerging research area that is connected to one or more Research Priority areas. Recipients are expected to develop a publication for a peer-reviewed journal and grant ACTFL first refusal for submission for publication to Foreign Language Annals. The research grants are funded by ACTFL. Below each priority area is a list of sample research topics; research studies need not be limited to these topics.