Fostering Engagement: A Social-Emotional Didactic Sequence Proposal for Reflective Writing in Brazilian High School EFL Classes

Abstract

The teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) within the contemporary Brazilian educational landscape face challenges that transcend structural barriers, reaching into pedagogical and affective dimensions. This article proposes a pedagogical intervention designed to mitigate classroom disengagement and language anxiety among foreign language students, grounded in the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) framework proposed by CASEL (2020) and Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter hypothesis, guided by general competencies 8 and 9 of the Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC). Methodologically, this investigation is a qualitative, descriptive study grounded in documentary research and theoretical synthesis, informed by preliminary empirical classroom observations. As a result, the study proposes a structured Didactic sequence (DS) based on the model by Schneuwly and Dolz (2004), establishing reflective writing as developed by Bolton (2014) and viewed through the lens of Hyland’s (2019) Expressivist Theory, as its core pedagogical tool. The proposal aims to build a “safe space” that promotes exploration of self-awareness and emotional regulation as students develop target-language skills. This research concludes that integrating social-emotional dimensions into the learning process through writing skill not only supports students' well-being but also serves as an essential catalyst to restore learner engagement and foster a more inclusive and meaningful linguistic development.