Authors:
Yang Wang, University of South Carolina, United States of America
Chao Liu, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, China
Email: wang527@mailbox.sc.edu
Published: September 1, 2016
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.4.2.08
Citation: Wang, Y., & Liu, C. (2016). Cultivate Mindfulness: A Case Study of Mindful Learning in an English as a Foreign Language Classroom. IAFOR Journal of Education, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.4.2.08
Abstract
This case study investigated how the use of mindfulness affected college English as a foreign language (EFL) students' learning and how mindful learning strategies supported their learning of English. Mindful learning considers the students’ abilities to be aware, perceive and conceive. Mindfulness results in an increase in competence, memory, creativity, and positive affect based on the previous studies. In this study, 24 undergraduate freshmen participated at a Northeastern University in China. The data collection included those undergraduates’ pre-surveys, post-surveys, work samples, the instructor’s observation notes and the researcher’s reflective journal entries. This practice found that by engaging in mindful strategies, EFL students took ownership of their learning in the following ways: students built and became aware of a comfortable learning environment in their classroom through mindfulness; mindful writing helped students generate new thoughts and become aware of their thinking; mindfulness facilitated their learning process, cultivated creativity and intelligence; mindful cooperative learning provided students with an opportunity to discover their awareness, learn from others, reflect and think critically.
Keywords
mindful learning, mindfulness, English as a foreign language learning, college learners, case study