Activating Character Strengths Through Poetic Encounters in a Foreign Language—A Case Study

Abstract

The paper brings together two important issues related to effective functioning of foreign/second language learners, that is character strengths (one of the pillars of positive psychology) and the use of literary texts for language learning. The goals of using literary texts in a foreign/second language learning contexts and the goals of positive psychology converge. Both literature and positive psychology aim at enriching and expanding individual and social functioning and so they contribute to satisfaction and flourishing. The case study reported in the paper aimed at finding the participants’ opinions about the role of literary texts in foreign language learning and checking whether working on poetry with a positive psychology activity reveals and supports the participants’ character strengths. The findings show that although the participants were rather sceptical about literature courses they had attended and not very enthusiastic about reading literary texts, they realise that literary texts develop their language proficiency, imagination, knowledge and sensitivity. Despite the lack of enthusiasm that emerged from the results of the survey, they found reading poems interesting, involving, satisfying and rewarding. They showed such character strengths as creativity, courage, curiosity, open-mindedness, zest, self-control, social intelligence and appreciation of beauty. These strengths are strongly linked to self efficacy and life satisfaction.