SEL Meets ESL with Mindful Poems

Growth Mindset

The wisdom we can draw from the growth mindset offered via Social Emotional Learning (Living) gives each of us a moment and a breath to try again when life’s challenges seem one too many. When our ESL/EFL learners feel anxiety about all the cultural and linguistic challenges of a new language, we can offer an affirming poem with humor and heart that names these challenges.

Naming our challenges reminds us to take that breath rather than react or retreat. Naming the challenges together aloud helps us know how to support each other. Naming the challenges builds connection for our learners. Each new breath will strengthen our neural pathways that help us try again to develop own strategies for learning and using language. None of us need to live only in our comfort zone or to follow pathways that do not serve us well in life and learning.

Learning a language is complex and we can do it. Our students can make choices about moving into the stretch zone and enlarging their comfort zone. We guide them to explore speaking about an ever growing range of topics as well as deeper human interests and dreams. We encourage them to be curious and caring when feeling nervous or shy so they face the trouble and problems of life with each other in conversation and in community. We can all breathe, teach, and talk about The Trouble with English and other poems.

Then we can take another breath and share stories of moving through our trouble and our problems. Our stories will brighten our way on the path of learning, just as stars and moonlight brighten the darkest nights.