Effects of Mindfulness in the Field of English as a Foreign Language Classroom: A Literature Review

The practice of mindfulness has its roots in medicine, where it was initially developed as a technique to assist patients in managing chronic pain. Subsequently, mindfulness was introduced to the field of education, where it is defined as the capacity to be mindful of or focus on one's internal experiences, particularly in the present moment. This paper examines the benefits of mindfulness in learning a foreign language. A review of 20 research papers on the implementation of mindfulness in EFL settings revealed that mindfulness can enhance the learning environment, improve test results and reading comprehension, increase students' willingness to communicate in English, reduce speaking anxiety, strengthen concentration, alleviate detrimental feelings or emotions, foster better health conditions, boost self-confidence, maximize foreign language teachers' self-efficacy, and strengthen students' attentional skills and emotion regulation. Consequently, it facilitates communication skills, reduces anxiety, and improves the educational environment. The research underscores the value of mindfulness as a strategy educators embrace in countries such as India, Turkey, the United States, China, and Spain. While it has yet to gain widespread adoption in Colombia, mindfulness offers a promising avenue for fostering a more positive and engaging learning experience for students and teachers. This study aims to contribute to the field of foreign language teaching by introducing new strategies that facilitate students' learning processes. As researchers, the authors seek to provide a broad perspective on this technique and its potential benefits.