Practicing mindfulness during english language teaching and learning at higher educational institutions in Ukraine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33216/2220-6310/2026-112-1-82-95Keywords:
mindfulness, mindfulness exercises, foreign language teaching and learning, English language classroom, higher education, student well-beingAbstract
The article examines the potential of mindfulness exercises for promoting students’ well-being and improving the effectiveness of English language teaching in higher education institutions of Ukraine. The relevance of the study is due to the increasing levels of stress, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and reduced motivation among students, particularly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which highlights the need for educational approaches that support both academic achievement and psychological well-being. The paper reviews contemporary theoretical and empirical research on mindfulness, outlines its core principles, and analyses their application to the foreign language classroom. Particular attention is paid to the contribution of mindfulness to reducing foreign language anxiety, strengthening emotional regulation, increasing resilience, motivation, self-efficacy, concentration, memory, communication skills, and speaking performance. The article also discusses the pedagogical principles underlying effective mindfulness instruction, including intention, attention, attitude, inquiry-based learning, and the creation of a supportive and non-judgemental learning environment. Furthermore, the principles of non-judgement, acceptance, beginner’s mind, patience, non-striving, trust, letting go, and compassion are interpreted in relation to English language learning. Based on the analysed literature, the paper proposes a set of practical mindfulness activities that can be integrated into English language lessons, including mindful breathing, listening, writing, conversations, body scanning, movement, grounding, visualisation, art practices, and savouring. These activities may be used as lesson warm-ups, fillers, transitions, or independent learning tasks to foster students’ emotional well-being while simultaneously developing their communicative competence. It is concluded that mindfulness represents a valuable pedagogical approach capable of creating psychologically safe and engaging learning environments that support both language acquisition and personal development.
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