This paper provides an overviewo fp sychologicalt heories that haves haped foreign language education since its emergence as an independent discipline. It pays special attention to the call for the support of learner autonomy and self-regulationinthe teaching and learningp rocesses of foreignl anguagesr esultingf rom the insights of cognitivism and constructivism. This is particularly relevant in the context of current developments, namelythe COVID-19pandemicin2020-2022, involving the shiftfrom face-toface to online teaching.