Manuela and Ceci had a lot to say about the importance of incorporating Emotional Intelligence into English classes with Young Learners. In the clip below Anna Britton talks about research that has shown that those with high EQ are more resilient, adapt better to the changing world around us and rise to the top of organisations around the world. EQ is about developing grit, empathy and navigating emotions to develop strategies for surviving tough times and perfecting valuable communication skills with the important people around us.
The good news is that EQ is learn-able, and Ceci and Manuela had lots of suggestions on how we can incorporate it into our language lessons to ensure our students develop both their language skills and emotional intelligence in a fun and stimulating way.
Thanks to Manuela for sharing the short clip below, which explains exactly what we mean by emotional intelligence.
Manuela and Ceci also talked about EQuip Our Kids, an excellent campaign, which focuses on promoting emotional and social learning in America. They have some great examples of activities teachers can use with Young learners. Find out more here.
Manuela also took the opportunity to ask FoELT presenter Ceci Cabrera more about her presentation on Nuerodiversity, focusing on how she empowers learners with special educational needs to develop the strategies and competences that will allow them to achieve consistent and effective learning. In her workshop, Ceci focussed on the potential of children with a dyslexic profile and those with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
If you'd like to find out more about Nuerodiversity, you can read an excellent article from the ADHD foundation by clicking on the image below.
Annamaria’s plenary at FoELT 2019 introduced a framework which conceptualised children as ‘social agents’, respecting their views and opinions and encouraging their participation in classroom research. She suggested that research with and by children can be incorporated into classroom research projects in any context. Ceci and Manuela talked about how this process could work, with some discussion on how primary students can choose a topic for research. They felt that the unpredictability of this type of activity might put off some teachers, who would be daunted by the amount of emerging language that might need to be dealt with. They also outlined some of the benefits, such as the fact it helps increase motivation in learners, can help introduce language items in a more fun, engaging way, and more.
