Developing foreign language writing skills through positive psychological interventions
Abstract
The skill of writing in a foreign language is a highly complex productive skill that, in addition to foreign language competencies, requires a coordinated functioning of a number of other; sociolinguistic, cognitive, metacognitive, and strategic competences. Thus, the teaching strategy of foreign language writing skills is important not only due to its language aspect, but also because it provides an opportunity to develop a range of other skills.
The paper reviews the literature on the theoretical and practical background of developing foreign language writing skills, touching upon the outstanding role of writing skills development in the language learning process, the complexity of writing tasks, the importance of awareness, responsibility, emotions and motivation. It also attempts to explore how the frameworks and interventions offered by positive psychology and pedagogy can support the development of foreign language skills in a new generation of young (university age) adults, with 'new types' of writing tasks that take the specificities of a new generation of students into account and focus on the development of 21st century skills.
A small-group micro-research study found that, when compiling writing tasks, it is worthwhile to draw on the tools offered by positive psychology because such consciousness in designing tasks can bring about a change in the often not very positive attitudes shown by foreign language learners towards writing tasks.
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Internetes források
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