Positive Psychology In The Classroom

CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

“Happy students learn more. Happy students work longer at tasks. Happy students approach tasks are more enthusiastic.” (Helgesen, 2011).

Undoubtedly, educational psychology adheres firmly to the said philosophical view in learning which positions the learners’ positive emotions at the heart of any significant scholastic endeavor regardless of disciplines. Effective teachers know that the observance of the principles of educational psychology in teaching will help them guide the students’ learning (Santrock, 2012).

The message from social and affective neuroscience is very clear: no longer can we think of learning as separate from or disrupted by emotion, and no longer can we focus primarily

Certainly, the teachers’ role in promoting positive emotions is considered fundamental. In particular, the instructors’ practices of positive psychology in and out of the classroom can greatly influence the students’ overall learning experiences and outcomes. This reality in fact correlates significantly with the teaching of the English language according to Prof. Marc Helgesen (2011), one of the leading proponents of the Science of Happiness in the English Language Teaching

English instructors must remember that language learning came about through emotional signaling – bonding and sharing – rather than using the methods they typically employ in the classroom. Teachers must be reminded that they should not only provide relevant knowledge to their learners but should nurture a positive climate that encourage collaboration in the classroom hence fostering student achievement in English. This can be made possible through the integration of the Science of Happiness (positive psychology) in the classroom according to the neuroeducation experts.

More importantly, teachers must ensure that the pedagogy they employ in language teaching must be brain compatible (Kelly & Sandy, 2008). The abovementioned suggestion summons the language teachers to revisit and reflect on their teaching practices to find out their relevance and appropriateness with regard to the latest research findings in