Humanistic education in Spanish context : its value in the secondary classroom

Abstract

In this paper, we report the findings of a collaborative case study where an English teacher in the Spanish secondary school uses humanistic exercises to enhance motivation. Data collection procedures such as audio-recorded lessons, language tests and motivation questionnaires were used leading to both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The results indicate the usefulness of these humanistic activities as key elements in fostering the type of meaningful contextual interaction that promotes high motivation and selective attention. They also generated a sense of community and the emergence of collaborative relationships. Therefore, more oral contributions in the target language were observed as learners exhibited interest in expressing their feeling and thoughts.