Foreign and second language education, which refers to the teaching and learning of languages in diverse contexts, requires a variety of approaches that include key competencies and literacies that are essential for effective teaching and learning. Educators must develop professional competencies, e.g. linguistic, cognitive, methodological and digital skills, to meet the evolving demands of language instruction. Additionally, literacy in reading, writing, culture and academia plays a crucial role in fostering comprehensive language proficiency. Teaching and learning approaches encompass integrated models that foster the acquisition of a foreign or second language, respectively, as well as innovative methods for a more dynamic and engaging learning experience.

The aim of our study was to investigate the research trends in competencies and literacies in relation to foreign/second language teaching and learning in order to help future researchers focus their efforts. We used a bibliometric approach with science mapping by searching the Scopus database for related terms. The results were limited to journal articles and conference papers from the years up to 2024. The data were analysed using Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny and VOSviewer. The productivity and influence of authors, countries and sources were examined. Combined authors and indexed keywords were studied using the co-word analysis to identify trends and important research topics. Country collaboration was analysed the using co-author analysis.

The number of documents has increased the most in the last 10 years. 89% of documents were journal articles and 11% conference proceedings. 85% were written in English, 5% in Spanish and 10% in other languages. The most prolific journal was Perspektivy Nauki i Obrazovania (Perspectives of Science and Education), which published almost 50 articles, while the Journal of Second Language Writing was the most influential with over 2,000 citations. The most frequently used keywords were “foreign language”, followed by “English as a second language”. “Communicative competence”, “intercultural competence”, “literacy” and “digital literacy” were the most frequent among competences and literacies.

Science mapping revealed five thematic clusters:
1) foreign language (in relation to education/teaching in higher, professional and vocational education; communicative and professional competences; digital and information literacies);
2) multilingualism (reading and communication, medical education; cultural and clinical competences; literacy and health literacy);
3) second language (language acquisition and writing; bilingual, early childhood and elementary education; pragmatic, interactional and sociolinguistic competences; academic literacy);
4) English as a second/foreign language (writing in early childhood/adolescence; critical and family literacies);
5) intercultural competence (teacher education/competence; primary/secondary/tertiary education; intercultural communication and translation competences; feedback literacy).

Some of the most frequently cited papers deal with second language learning, writing, grammatical, sociolinguistic and communicative competences and language, health and academic literacies. Recent research topics include the use of artificial intelligence in language teaching, anxiety in using foreign languages, interactional and communicative competences, as well as feedback and assessment literacies.

Keywords: Foreign language, second language, education, competencies, literacy, bibliometric analysis.