Academic Scientific JournalsCharacter integrated language learning – a case for character education in foreign language teaching
Keywords:
academic success, character strengths, character education, ELT, positive psychologyAbstract
The aim of this article is to provide an introduction to character education with its underlying principles and draw attention to some of its possible ELT classroom applications. Character is seen as a crucial non-cognitive factor of academic success. The case for the extensive implementation of character education in foreign language teaching is discussed in relation to the demands and challenges of contemporary education expressed in legal regulations such as national curricula and the European Union Framework on Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning. Drawing from the experience of American schools actively using character education, the author suggests a set of methods for integrating it into foreign language teaching which is claimed to have a multi-faceted beneficial effect on students’ development irrespective of their age. The proposed understanding and application of character education is based on positive psychology and research into character strengths and the non-cognitive factors of academic achievement.
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