Teaching mindfulness in an English classroom

Mindfulness is the inherent capacity within all of us to stay grounded in the present moment, fully aware of our surroundings and actions, without becoming overly reactive or overwhelmed by external events. 

It’s not a skill that needs to be developed from scratch; rather, it’s an intrinsic quality that we can learn to tap into. 

By practicing techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and mindful observation, we can cultivate mindfulness, which is widely used in mental health practices to help manage anxiety, depression, and other conditions.

Teaching mindfulness in the English Foreign Language (EFL) classroom is one way of fulfilling the CEFR’s vision of making language learning more purposeful. 

We live in a fast-paced and often stressful world, students are constantly bombarded with distractions and pressures. 

Introducing mindfulness into the English classroom can offer numerous benefits such as: 

Mindfulness practices can help students improve their attention span, allowing them to stay focused on the lesson and absorb more information.

By engaging in mindfulness activities, students can learn to manage stress and anxiety better, creating a more conducive and trusted learning environment.

When students are mindful, they are more present in the moment, which can increase their engagement and intrinsic motivation to learn.

For adult learners

As an ESL teacher of mostly adults, I can definitely tell you that your students will thank you for such activities at your lessons. 

Adult learners, ranging from young adults to mature students, often juggle multiple responsibilities such as work, family, and studies. 

Mindfulness can be particularly beneficial in managing stress and enhancing their learning experience:

Many adult learners experience high levels of stress due to their various commitments. 

Mindfulness can provide tools to manage this stress effectively, improving their overall well-being.

Mindfulness practices can help adults improve their concentration and productivity, making them more efficient in their studies and other tasks.

For adults, developing mindfulness is not just about improving academic performance; it’s also about fostering a lifelong habit that can enhance their personal and professional lives.

Adult learners focus on practical applications of mindfulness that they can integrate into their daily lives. 

Provide opportunities for reflection and discussion, allowing them to share their experiences and learn from each other.

If you have made up your mind to integrate mindful activities into your lessons, here are some practical mindfulness activities that you can incorporate into your English lessons:

Activity: Start or end your class with a short breathing exercise.

Instructions: Ask students to sit comfortably, close their eyes, and take deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. 

Encourage them to focus on the sensation of their breath entering and leaving their body. 

This simple exercise can help ground them and prepare them for learning. 

If you struggle with guiding your students, you can use several videos from YouTube.  

For example:

Activity: Use listening exercises to promote mindfulness.

Instructions: Play a short audio clip (e.g., nature sounds, a piece of music, or a passage from a story). 

Ask students to close their eyes and pay attention to the sounds they hear, noting any details they might normally overlook. 

There are several examples throughout the internet.  

After the exercise, discuss what they noticed and how it made them feel. 

You can implement it into a pair or group discussion, depending on how big your group is.

Activity: Incorporate mindfulness into writing exercises.

Instructions: Give students prompts that encourage reflection and self-awareness. 

Examples include:

These prompts help students practice mindfulness while improving their writing skills. 

Better to be done during the lesson. 

After the exercise you can divide students into small groups for them to share their pieces of writing with each other. 

Therefore, they will be able to provide feedback to one another.

Activity: Start or end your class by conducting a body scan to help students become aware of physical sensations.

Instructions: Guide students to focus their attention on different parts of their body, starting from the toes and moving up to the head. 

Ask them to notice any sensations, tension, or relaxation they feel. 

This practice can help them release physical stress and become more attuned to their bodies. 

Use the short videos like: 

Activity: Use mindful reading techniques to deepen comprehension.

Instructions: Choose reading material that will engage your students without overwhelming them — something that stimulates their minds without becoming another task on your to-do list. 

Conducting a survey beforehand can help you select the most suitable text for this exercise.

Ask students to read a passage slowly and deliberately, paying close attention to each word and its meaning. 

Afterward, discuss what they noticed and how the mindful approach affected their understanding of the text.

Introduce mindfulness activities gradually, starting with brief exercises and gradually increasing the duration as students become more comfortable.

Foster a supportive and non-judgmental environment where students feel comfortable sharing their experiences and reflections.

Practice mindfulness yourself and demonstrate it in your teaching. 

Your behavior can serve as a powerful example for your students.

Not all students will take to mindfulness immediately. 

Be patient and persistent, and recognize that the benefits may take time to become evident.

By incorporating mindfulness into your English lesson, you can help your students develop valuable skills that extend beyond language learning. 

These practices not only enhance their academic performance but also contribute to their overall well-being and personal growth. 

My main advice would be to choose your favorite exercises and practice them with your students.