Writing for Wellness: Positive Language Education Module

The fourth annual Mental State of the World Report (2024) reveals that the decline in global mental wellbeing observed during the COVID-19 pandemic has continued unabated, with no signs of recovery. Data from 64 countries indicates that this diminished mental health may now be the new normal. Meanwhile. the UNICEF MYMHI survey (2023) indicates that Malaysian youth are generally at a moderate risk for mental health challenges. Overall, their mental health status reflects a moderate level of concern. In order to address this type of problem in the context of language education, Mercer (2017) proposes Second Language Learning as a platform to include Positive Psychology ideas, hence fostering mental health and linguistic proficiency. In order to improve students' mental health while learning English, recent research (Gregersen et al., 2016; Strambi et al., 2017; Mercer et al., 2019; Gregersen et al., 2021) have investigated the effectiveness of adding Positive Psychology into language training. Reflecting on this novel approach, this project ‘Write for Wellness: Positive Language Education Module sought to include PERMA PLUS components into English as a Second Language (ESL) writing classes for first-year undergraduates at a Malaysian institution, building on the Flourishing through Second Language (FL2) activities of Strambi et al. (2017). Over the course of seven weeks, a brand-new Positive Language Education (PLE) module was created utilizing Saban's (2021) CD-AR Model. Initial Reflection was used in the module creation process to choose the study topic and conduct a needs analysis. This was followed by stages for planning, carrying out an activity, and evaluating the results. Observations and reflections were used to iteratively develop the module. Results show that the PLE module was well-liked by students, pointing to its potential as a useful strategy for improving language learning and mental wellbeing at the same time. In order to promote students' academic achievement and well-being, this research highlights the potential benefits of incorporating Positive Psychology into language learning lessons.