Aesthetic emotions and multimodal reading: towards the development of emotional competencies in EFL

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative and idiographic research, which aims to analyze the development of emotional competences and aesthetic emotions of a group of students in 5th grade of Primary Education in the English class. Based on a didactic approach according to the Pedagogy of Multiliteracies and the use of multimodal resources, the students' sensory-emotional reactions are analyzed during the comprehensive and pleasurable reading of two picture books: Amazing Grace (Mary Hoffman, Caroline Binch) and The Magic Paintbrush (Julia Donaldson, Joel Stewart). The results show significant progress, both individually and as a group, in the students' emotional competencies, as well as in their aesthetic sensitivity, using English as an FL to express their reactions and experiences.