Becoming literate about wellbeing for language teachers and learners

Wellbeing is a basic human right and the foundation of good educational practice. In recent years, partly due to experiences during the pandemic, the topic has moved into the focus of research and discussions in language education. However, many myths and misunderstandings prevail. In this talk, we critically examine the topic of wellbeing arguing that being literate means moving beyond simplistic notions, acknowledging its complexity, and addressing the key role played by social structures, systems, discourses, and policies. We look at practical approaches to tackling the topic and how to develop literacy among both teacher and learners.

Sarah Mercer is Professor of Foreign Language Teaching at the University of Graz, Austria, where she is Head of ELT methodology. Her research interests include all aspects of the psychology surrounding the foreign language learning experience. She is the author, co-author and co-editor of several books in this area. She has served as Principal Investigator on several funded research projects, has worked on the editorial board of various journals, was co-editor of System for several years, is co-editor of Multilingual Matters’ Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching book series, is currently vice-president of IAPLL, and is ambassador for IATEFL.

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