This paper presents findings from the Flourishing in a Second Language (FL2) project – a language curriculum for first-year university students which integrates Positive Psychology (Seligman, 2002), Transition Pedagogy (Kift, 2009a), and CLIL principles (Coyle, 2006). The project aims to create learning experiences that are personally relevant, and that facilitate alignment between learners’ interests, linguistic goals, and cognitive challenges posed by the tasks, in order to increase the perceived value of language learning and sustain students’ motivation. More specifically, the project involves re-designing language learning activities typically found in beginners’ level classes, to include strategies and contents believed to facilitate transition, as well as enhance students’ psychological, emotional, and social wellbeing. In this paper, we evaluate the trial implementation of the FL2 activities integrated into the beginners’ curriculum at two different universities. Feedback obtained from language experts and practitioners in language education and Positive Psychology is also briefly discussed.
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Amorati, Riccardo
2020. Drawing upon Disciplinary Knowledge to Foster Long-Term Motivation: Implementing Future L2 Selves in the Australian Tertiary L2 Classroom. In Intersections in Language Planning and Policy [Language Policy, 23], ► pp. 335 ff.
Amorati, Riccardo & John Hajek
2021. Fostering motivation and creativity through self‐publishing as project‐based learning in the Italian L2 classroom. Foreign Language Annals 54:4 ► pp. 1003 ff.
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2023. Fostering well-being in the university L2 classroom: the “I am an author” project. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 0:0
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