ELT News Think Tank

Topic: "Can we teach our students to be happy?"

Marc Helgesen

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The thank you letter
This is based on ideas 4 and 5 on the list above. Families are a common topic in English classes. For years I've had learners write descriptions of their family members. Last month, I gave them a choice. They could do that, or they could write a thank you letter to someone in their family. If they did that, they were supposed to write it once in English and once in Japanese (in whichever order they wanted). Almost everyone chose to write the letter (you can download that form in PDF format HERE).

The following week, when the homework was due, I showed up with envelopes and stamps. I told them they didn't have to send the letter, but I explained that research shows that people who take the time to say thank you are happier. And I knew the person they thanked would be very happy. They tore the worksheet in half. I collected the English version of the letter. This was the most satisfying set of homework assignments I've read in a while. I encouraged them to send or give the Japanese part of the letter to the family member. The worksheet explains in Japanese that "my teacher asked me to write a letter to a family member thanking them for something they have done." This makes it easier for the person to send.

Still, not everyone was comfortable sending the letter. Some felt embarrassed. And that's fine. They didn't have to give it to the person. They didn't even have to tell me if they were going to or not. Most were happy to send or give the letter to the family member. I think the fact that I was giving them stamps somehow put extra value on the activity ­ and the value was more than ¥80. I was somehow valuing them by asking that they value someone in their family.

I guess I should address the pedagogical issues here: since when is it the English teacher's job to engage in pop psychology?

Is it pop psych? Sure. That just means it is accessible, something we can work with. We are using pop psych when we start class with a smile to show enthusiasm or with a frown that shows the topic is serious.

We don't have to deal with issues like happiness, but I think it goes back to the idea that we don't just teach English, we teach people. That is basic to humanistic language teaching. A while back, Curtis talked about motivation in light of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. These activities are designed to deal with self-actualization needs. I think if we can help learners feel positive, they are in a better position to learn. It also contributes to a positive class atmosphere ­ one where we help each other. And the students are using English. Anything that has them do that I figure is good.

Besides, these are nice things to do -- which means we all benefit from list item #2.

Oh yeah, back to the tsuyu thing. This might sound like a joke. It is not, but it may be one of those things that "you either get it or you don't."

A bit of background here: My brother is a psychologist and an ordained Christian minister. He once told me he considered psychology to be "Buddhism for Westerners ­ we just try to get them to accept what is."

So, what's that got to do with rainy season? I've got a little garden next to my house. This "appreciating tsuyu" idea requires (for me, anyway) a bit of space outside. A garden is perfect. A balcony on a high rise might work. I got a big, canvas beach umbrella. Some evenings, I sit in the garden, listening to the gentle rhythm of rain on the umbrella ­ something about rain on canvas that is wonderful. I nurse a cold one as I listen to blues or country music ­ I think enka would work if I was Japanese. Instead of cursing the lousy weather, I enjoy it. For me the key is: Embrace depression. Accept it as it is. It can feel great.

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Marc Helgesen, Miyagi Gakuin Women's College

Co-author of English Firsthand and Active Listening

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