Article published In:
Australian Review of Applied LinguisticsVol. 47:2 (2024) ► pp.196–218
Flourishing in Spanish
A pilot implementation of a wellbeing-supportive approach to L2 teaching and learning
This paper reports on a pilot implementation of the FL2 approach and resources, developed to support tertiary students’
wellbeing as well as their second language learning (L2). The FL2 approach and learning activities were piloted in two Spanish language
courses at Australian universities. Evaluation data were collected through an online survey of participating students and compared to the
results of previous pilots conducted with students of Italian. Responses to scale items and open-ended questions indicate that the majority
of participants greatly enjoyed their experiences in the courses and were satisfied with the learning opportunities provided, which shows
potential for the FL2 approach. Evaluations of seven Positive Psychology-informed learning activities also piloted in this study were more
nuanced. Taken together, these results suggest that designing curriculum to support student wellbeing as well as disciplinary learning can
yield positive results. However, careful consideration must be given to alignment between FL2 activities and curriculum, as well as to
students’ individual differences in the reception of Positive Psychology-informed activities.
Keywords: L2 Spanish, L2 Italian, positive psychology, transition pedagogy
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Theoretical and pedagogical background
- 3.Design
- 4.Implementation and evaluation
- 4.1Data collection and analysis procedures
- 5.Results
- 5.1Between-group comparisons: Spanish and Italian pilot data
- 6.Discussion and conclusion
- Note
-
References
References (37)
Allen, S. (2018). The science of gratitude. John Templeton Foundation.
Anderson, L., Hanken, A., & Horn, T. N. (2018, June 7–10). Positive language teaching: Culturally responsive, strengths-based and empathetic. Paper presented at the 3rd IAPLL Conference, Tokyo, Japan.
Baik, C., Larcombe, W., & Brooker, A. (2019). How universities can enhance student mental wellbeing: The student perspective. Higher Education Research & Development,
38
(4), 674–687. 
Baik, C., Larcombe, W., Brooker, A., Wyn, J., Allen, L., Brett, M., Field, R., & James, R. (2017). Enhancing student mental wellbeing: A handbook for academic educators. The University of Melbourne. [URL]
Bailey, T. H., & Phillips, L. J. (2016). The influence of motivation and adaptation on students’ subjective well-being, meaning in life and academic performance. Higher Education Research & Development,
35
(2), 201–216,
Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education,
32
1, 347–364.
Black Dog Institute. (n.d.). Facts & figures about mental health. [URL]
Brewer, M. L., Kessel, G. van, Sanderson, B., Naumann, F., Lane, M., Reubenson, A., & Carter, A. (2019). Resilience in higher education students: A scoping review. Higher Education Research & Development,
38
(6), 1105–1120.
Brown, H. D. (1994). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs.
Bye, L., Muller, F., & Oprescu, F. (2019). The impact of social capital on student wellbeing and university life satisfaction: A semester-long repeated measures study. Higher Education Research & Development,
39
(5), 1–15.
Chan, D. (2009). So why ask me? Are self-report data really that bad? In C. E. Lance & R. J. Vandenberg (Eds.), Statistical and methodological myths and urban legends (pp. 309–336). Routledge.
Council of Europe (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge University Press.
Coyle, D. (2006). Developing CLIL: Towards a theory of practice. In Monograph
6
1. APAC.
Cullen, B. (2018, June 7–10). Practical positive psychology activities for the language classroom. In J. Mynard & I. K. Brady (Eds.), Stretching boundaries: Papers from the Third International Psychology of Language Learning Conference, Tokyo, Japan (pp. 27–29). IAPLL.
Curry, N., & Maher, K. (2018, June 7–10). A CBT-based approach to helping anxious language learners: Investigating causes of speaking anxiety. Paper presented at the 3rd IAPLL Conference, Tokyo, Japan.
Dewaele, J.-M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2014). The two faces of Janus? Anxiety and enjoyment in the foreign language classroom. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 41, 237–274.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine.
Galdas, P., Darwin, Z., Kidd, L., Blickem, C., McPherson, K., Hunt, K., Bower, P., Gilbody, S., & Richardson, G. (2014). The accessibility and acceptability of self-management support interventions for men with long term conditions: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. BMC Public Health,
14
(1), 1–20.
GuildHE. (2018). Wellbeing in Higher Education: A GuildHE Research Report. [URL]
Harward, D. W. (2016). Wellbeing and higher education: A strategy for change and the realization of education’s greater purposes. [URL]
Headspace. (2018). New headspace research reveals alarming levels of psychological distress in young Australians. [URL]
Helgesen, M. (2017). English teaching and the science of happiness: Positive Psychology communication activities for language learners. ABAX ELT.
Henning, M. A., Krägeloh, C. U., Dryer, R., Moir, F., Billington, R., & Hill, A. G. (2018). Wellbeing in higher education: Cultivating a healthy lifestyle among faculty and students. Routledge.
Kift, S. (2009). Articulating a transition pedagogy to scaffold and to enhance the first year student learning experience in Australian higher education: Final report for ALTC Senior Fellowship Program. Australian Learning and Teaching Council.
MacIntyre, P. D., Gregersen, T., & Mercer, S. (2019). Setting an agenda for positive psychology in SLA. The Modern Language Journal,
103
(1), 262–274.
Matsumoto, D. (2018, June 7–10). Exploring third-age foreign language learning from the well-being perspective. Paper presented at the 3rd IAPLL Conference, Tokyo, Japan.
Mercer, S. (2017). Positive psychology in SLA: An agenda for learner and teacher wellbeing. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 401, 108–120.
Moranski, K., & Henery, A. (2017). Helping learners to Orient to the inverted or flipped language classroom: Mediation via informational video. Foreign Language Annals,
50
(2), 285–305.
Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. (2017, May 3). Mental health of Australian university students flying under the radar. Orygen News and Events. [URL]
Seligman, M. E. (2012). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster.
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 551, 5–14.
Stallman, H. M. (2011). Embedding resilience within the tertiary curriculum: A feasibility study. Higher Education Research & Development,
30
(2), 121–133.
Stevick, E. (1990). Humanism in language teaching. Oxford University Press.
Strambi, A., Luzeckyj, A., & Rubino, A. (2017a). Flourishing in a second language (FL2): Integrating positive psychology, transition pedagogy and CLIL principles. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics,
40
(2), 121–139.
(2017b). Helping first-year students flourish through languages: Integrating positive psychology, transition pedagogy and CLIL principles. Department of Education and Training. [URL]
van Gijn-Grosvenor, E. L., & Huisman, P. (2020). A sense of belonging among Australian university students. Higher Education Research & Development,
(29)
2, 1–14.
Wynaden, D., Wichmann, H., & Murray, S. (2013). A synopsis of the mental health concerns of university students: Results of a text-based online survey from one Australian university. Higher Education Research & Development,
32
(5), 846–860.