Empowering hearts and minds through stories: fostering emotional intelligence and language development in young esl learners

Serea, Paula Cristina
Regueira Martín, Andrea Sofía (dir.)

Universidad de Zaragoza, FEDU, 2023
Departamento de Filología Inglesa y Alemana, Área de Filología Inglesa

Graduado en Magisterio en Educación Infantil

Resumen: This dissertation aims to explore the integration of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms for young learners in Infant Education. Specifically, it focuses on the use of storytelling as a resource to enhance both linguistic proficiency and emotional development. The final dissertation begins with a comprehensive theoretical review, examining the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the significance of Emotional Intelligence, and the power of storytelling in Infant Education. A checklist for selecting suitable storybooks that address both EI and linguistic aspects is developed and implemented. Subsequently, a series of lesson plans are created based on these selected stories, following CLT and Task-Based Learning (TBL) principles. The dissertation also provides techniques for teachers to incorporate Emotional Intelligence in their EFL storytelling sessions, demonstrating that EI can be integrated even when the story's explicit focus is not on emotions and feelings. Moreover, an assessment tool is introduced to evaluate students' performance. The findings and the development of these materials conclude that the integration of emotional aspects can be achieved through both book selection and teaching techniques employed during storytelling sessions, emphasizing the role of teachers in promoting emotional and linguistic growth in young learners.

Tipo de Trabajo Académico: Trabajo Fin de Grado