Psychological Mindedness in ELT - Exploring Contributions of Comparative Literature to Pre-Service English Language Teachers’ Psychological Mindedness

Oct 15, 2026

Qualitative research examined the significance of developing psychological mindedness for pre-service English language teachers, with attention to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of comparative literature in supporting it. Conducted within a Turkish undergraduate ELT program, narrative inquiry collected data at semester end under a selected literature course. Thematic analysis of 39 narrative frames identified three overarching themes: self-awareness, empathy, and the mental and physical well-being of teachers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Great Reset, education, and teacher well-being

What is Psychological Mindedness? Why Do We Need a Psychologically Minded Teacher?

Psychological Mindedness in ELT: Exploring Contributions of Comparative Literature to Pre-Service English Language Teachers’Psychological Mindedness 1 Esin KUMLU Dokuz Eylül University Abstract This qualitative research aimed to explore the significance of the development of psychological mindedness, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic, for pre-service English Language Teachers and the use of comparative literature to facilitate it. The research was conducted in the context of an undergraduate ELT program in Turkey and data was gathered through narrative inquiry at the end of the semester under the title of a selected literature course. Thematic analysis of the collected 39 narrative frames shed light on the development of pre-service teachers’ psychological mindedness which emerged in three overarching themes; self-awareness, empathy, and the importance of mental and physical well-being of a teacher which are all the necessary conditions for psychological mindedness. Findings suggest that these pre-service teachers were strongly influenced by the comparative analysis of the literary texts that facilitated the development of psychological mindedness. Keywords: Psychological Mindedness, Comparative Literature, COVID-19, English Language Teacher Education, Pre-service Teacher Education. DOI: 10.29329/epasr.2022.442.2 1Assoc. Prof., Dr. Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey, ORCID: 0000-0002-6884-6382 Correspondence: [esin.kumlu@deu.edu.tr](esin.kumlu@deu.edu.tr) Introduction It would not be misleading to say that the key words ofthe year 2020 was the term “the Great Reset”, the title of Time Magazine’s November issue. The term was first used in the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a proposal to highlight the rebuilding of the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. At first sight, the term refers to economic expansions however, with a deeper insight it signifies radical changes in human life both socially and psychologically. Lockdowns all around the world, the necessity of social distancing, fear, anxiety and depression are the few elements of the Great Reset, which illustrates a completely different life for each of us. In relation, education systems around the world have been directly affected by the pandemic as an integral part of social life. Teachers, the main locomotives of the education system, are therefore not only expected to adapt themselves into the radical changes of daily life, but also to help their students become accustomed to the hardships of the pandemic days. That is the reason why promoting teachers’ well-being and emotional awareness, has gained importance (MacIntyre et al., 2016; Gkonou & Mercer, 2017) . Hence, the question of“How can teachers integrate themselves into this new order both professionally and psychologically?” has become an important issue. Consequently, this qualitative study, which used narrative frames to examine participants’stories about their lived experiences, aims to explore the concept of psychological mindedness, which refers to “seeing/interpreting life through a psychological lens”([www.psychology.com](www.psychology.com)), within the context of pre-service teacher education. This psychological lens could contribute to pre-service teachers’ both mental and physical well-being in the light of global changes in which preserving mental and physical health is much more vital than before. As psychologically-minded people are“interested in, and responsive to, the inner needs, motives, and experiences of others”(Gough, 1957, p.11), pre-service teachers could empathize more with their students during unexpected times like the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first part, the study first aims to underline what is psychological mindedness and why it is necessary for a teacher in 2020’s. It then displays the methodological aspects of the study, analyzeshow the comparative analysis of the selected novels could impact the psychological mindedness of pre-

FAQs

What is the purpose of the qualitative study?

To explore the significance of developing psychological mindedness for pre-service English language teachers during the COVID-19 context and to examine how comparative literature can facilitate this development.

How was the data collected in the study?

Data were gathered through narrative inquiry at the end of the semester within an undergraduate ELT program in Turkey under a selected literature course.

What themes emerged from the narrative frames?

Thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes: self-awareness, empathy, and the importance of teachers’ mental and physical well-being.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by MrHarris58