Applying principles of positive psychologyin English teaching

聊城大学大学外语教育学院/林洪

【Abstract】The aim of this paper was to explore individual

difference in English learning by using positive psychology at the

class. And discuss approaches which can help English teachers

to increase students’ positive emotion through lessons and

activities on happiness, creativity, positive thinking,resilience etc.

【Key words】positive psychology; positive emotions; English

teaching

1. What is positive psychology

A newly rising field of psychology research, Positive

Psychology, which focuses on personal growth rather than

pathology has started to take center stage in American at the end

of the 20th century.

Positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive

institutions are the three issues’ of positive psychology, and the

finding of it indicate that happiness is improved and affected in

folk different ways. The goal of using positive psychology is to

help people change their negative thinking as a way to vary their

feeling.

2.The reason of using positive psychology in English

learning

2.1 Current English learning and teaching situation

According to statistical data on education, Chinese students

who are not native English speakers have difficulty in English

learning, even some of them have a weak foundation in English,

while the assigned teaching period is insufficient for the huge

programme of English teaching.

2.2 The enlightenment of positive psychology to English

teaching

As positive psychology focus on the potential human virtues,

mental quality training, it can have a range of applications in areas

including education.

Classroom teaching mode emphasizes in the concept of

positive psychology: English class should based on students’

positive psychological development, pay attention to the

“experiential” growth and development of students, and pursue

the unity of prepared and unprepared teaching aims.

To build a scientific, standardized, effective and operable

English classroom teaching mode towards the students'

sustainable development, the different roles of teacher and

students and the rich teaching activities, that is the class structure

model of perception—activity—share—assessment of students'

experiences.

3. Positive psychology used in classroom-based English teaching

3.1 Create good learning environment.

Combining with the teaching contents in class, English

teacher can set up an interesting, high participation teaching

games, so that make students have a new understanding of

English classroom instead of “dull, stiff, boring” English

classroom, willing to learn English. And outside the classroom,

teachers can guide their English corner organization, classic

English movie appreciation, drama performances, story telling,

singing and other activities

3.2 Strengthen the positive experiences and feelings.

Teachers can teach students in accordance with their aptitude,

striving to create the chance of success for their students, and

let students to experience a sense of achievement and success.

Meanwhile, teachers should pay attention to find the best in

students and even a little progress to them not stingy praise,

as praise seems to be an effective method of fostering English

learning.

3.3 Mound positive personality.

Teachers should pay attention to the development of positive

personality, including self-confidence, positive and optimistic,

wisdom, intelligence, etc. In English teaching, teachers should

arouse students' interest in learning English, and also build their

confidence and form the good English-learning motivation and

habits through continuous encouragement and support .

3.4 Attach importance to the guidance of study methods.

To Avoid “Learned Helplessness” in English learning,

teaching English should follow these three teaching pattern:

targeted teaching, study method teaching, and “get something

new in looking over one's old studies”. Only students get the

knowledge, then they have the interests in further learning.

4. Conclusion

To summarize, using the strategies from positive psychology,

English teachers can motivate students and help them understand

and develop their personal strengths, no question that students can

arouse learning interest and enthusiasm, even achieve good results

in English learning.

References:

[1]Djebbari,Z.(2016).Positive psychology in language teaching.

https://www.morebooks.de/store/pt/book/positive-psychology-inlanguage-

teaching/isbn/978-3-659-71148-0.

[2]张敏.如何在英语教学中渗透积极心理学[J].新课程:教育学

术版,2009(8).

[3]玄兆丹.积极心理学在初中英语教学中的应用研究[J].河北

师范大学,2015.

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