Meditation and speaking anxiety in the EFL classroom: a study on the educational methodology of the Indian School Alice Project - Awakening Special Universal Education

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to discuss the use of meditation as an instrument to reduce speaking anxiety in EFL classrooms, with particular reference to its application within the methodology of the Indian School Alice Project - Awakening Special Universal Education. The first part of this work discusses the issue of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and the application of meditative practices in educational contexts in order to prevent this type of disturbs. Furthermore, the philosophy and the educational methodology of the Alice Project School are illustrated, describing how meditation is concretely adopted for educational purposes in the School’s curriculum. The second part of the thesis presents a study conducted at the Alice Project School in Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh, India) with the purpose of evaluating the impact of meditation on the students’ anxiety levels prior to engaging in oral production activities in their EFL classes.