
European Mindful & Compassionate ELT Project
Fostering EFL teachers’ inner balance.
Encouraging mindful and compassionate classrooms across Europe.
01
Monthly Webinars
Monthly webinars featuring experts in mindfulness in EFL and related topics.
These webinars aim to deepen our understanding of mindfulness and related areas.
02
Monthly Mindfulness Meditation Sessions
Each session will consist of:
(a) a 15-minute guided meditation to centre and refresh participants;
(b) a 30-minute segment dedicated to sharing mindfulness-based projects and initiatives currently making an impact in European schools and education systems;
(c) a 15-minute Q&A segment, providing an opportunity for participants to discuss and explore mindfulness practices further.
03
Online Mindfulness Course
Tailored specifically for Portuguese and European EFL teachers. This initiative aims to foster a supportive network of ELT professionals dedicated to incorporating mindfulness into their teaching practices.
About
The European Mindful & Compassionate ELT Project kicked off in 2024, driven by a group of like-minded and like-hearted teachers based in different European countries.
It aims to encourage EFL teachers across Europe to take up consistent mindfulness meditation practices and to be compassionate towards themselves and their students, thus actively fostering their overall inner balance, student learning outcomes, and securing safe, inclusive, learning environments.

Meet the Team

José M. Carvalho (In Loving Memory)
President of APPI's General Assembly (Portuguese Association of English Teachers), Co-coordinator of APPI's Mindful EFL SIG

Chantelle Walsh
Teacher and Teacher Trainer, Education School Inspector AISLi (Associazione Italiana Scuole di Lingua)

Boglárka Spissich
Vice-President, TESOL-Hungary, PhD in Language Pedagogy and English Applied Linguistics

Zeynep Koçali
PhD, Lecturer, School of Foreign Languages, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize,Turkey

Anna Pires
EFL teacher in Portugal for over 25 years and also a coursebook author for Porto Editora. Anna loves the challenges of working with children and teens.

Stefania Ballotto
South African-born Italian, holds a degree in Applied Linguistics from Cambridge University and brings over 50 years of experience in education. She has worked as a teacher, teacher trainer, trainer of trainers, university lecturer, including as a Pilgrims teacher trainer.
Upcoming Events 2026
November 7th
Title: From Action to Awareness: Building Presence in the Classroom
Speaker: Gabriella Kovács MA
Register here: The link will be shared soon!
Webinar Recordings

Our brains are wired to forget, so how can we help our students remember better? In this
session, we’ll dive into the connection between emotions and memory. Emotions have a
huge impact on how we take in, store, and recall information, which makes them key to
learning. We’ll talk about how tapping into students’ emotions and being more mindful in
the classroom can boost their memory, and how small adjustments can lead to lasting
results.
Link to YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wga98MNGA38

Invite me to your world, tell me what you think and how you feel, explain your intentions, values and beliefs. I will show you mine. Let us paint our reality in full colour, discover its beauty in each unique mosaic. There is no one template to see each other's mind. The mind is a temple... Do you agree with the notion that interpersonal communication can be quite complex, therefore we should always be mindful of others, compassionate and empathetic in our daily interactions? When in class, we also come across the phenomenon of diversity; while working with different minds, we deal with neurodiversity. If you feel intrigued and wish to know more about learning differences and common associated conditions, explore the theory of mind, the double empathy problem between neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals to better navigate the interplay and to bridge possible gaps, join us on Saturday, April 5th, 2025, in a live webinar with a teacher trainer and neurodiversity specialist - Anna Machura. Don't miss out, save the date and share your experiences with us on the day. Neurodiversity is to be celebrated, not ignored. P.S. Get ready to talk about the mosaic of your mind too. See you!
Link to YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZX9vSTt9_4A

Foreign language anxiety, particularly speaking anxiety, is a significant barrier to effective language learning. This presentation explores how mindfulness can help EFL learners manage anxiety, improve focus, and build confidence in spoken communication. Educators can create a more supportive and emotionally balanced classroom environment by integrating mindfulness techniques into language teaching. Practical strategies and research-based insights will be shared to help teachers and students embrace language learning with greater ease and self-assurance.
Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtgWYbqSSas

Naikan is a simple yet profound Japanese method of self-reflection that nurtures gratitude,
responsibility, and awareness of our impact on others. By exploring the three foundational
questions of Naikan, teachers can cultivate a more humanized, compassionate classroom
environment. In this session, we will experience how Naikan practice can shift classroom
dynamics from expectation and judgment to appreciation and connection benefiting both
teachers and learners.
Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swbkcS6SbX8

In the EFL classroom, the fear of making mistakes can silence even the most capable learners. When students feel judged by peers, the teacher, or themselves, their willingness to take risks and experiment with language quickly fades. In this webinar, we will explore how to create a non-judgmental learning space where curiosity outweighs fear. We will also look at practical techniques for fostering trust, building emotional safety, and encouraging authentic communication. Together, we will explore ideas to encourage our students to speak up, get involved, and see challenges as a natural part of the learning process.
Link to YouTube: https://youtu.be/SmOL61FLC3w

In this webinar, we will discuss the thinking behind the three-C model of compassion-based language education: Compassion, criticality, and courage. We will look at ways in which we can use the lens of compassion to inform HOW we teach. Then we will reflect on how compassion can drive our language teaching so that we teach FOR compassion.
Link to YouTube: https://youtu.be/D0fw7CssNqE

This session gives an overview of the principles and practices of Nonviolent Communication. Cath will demonstrate how NVC can be applied to a potential conflict situation in a school. It will include a 20 minute experiential exercise where you get to use the NVC process for your own 'trigger'. Please come with a situation in mind, where someone said or did something you found annoying, upsetting or confusing.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/xLdc5FLyPOQ

We are conditioned to believe that stress is bad for us and only leads to harm. However, research shows that in the right amounts, and processed in a particular way, stress can actually benefit us physiologically and psychologically. One thing that evidence suggests has a big impact on how we process stress is our perception. In this webinar, Adrian will explore what stress is, share some of the research into the impact stress can have, and how we can mindfully change how we view stress, including leaning into and approaching stressful situations with greater ease and wellbeing.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/J_7CNSNFxGs

In the high-pressure environment of the modern ELT classroom, teacher stress and burnout are critical barriers to effective pedagogy. This practical, online webinar is the core of our mindfulness project, focused on the essential truth: Empowerment comes from Confidence. This session moves beyond theoretical mindfulness to provide language teachers with immediately usable, simple neuro-regulatory techniques that foster a state of internal calm and confidence. We will explore how dedicated, short reflective practices can dramatically reduce decision fatigue, improve emotional regulation, and stabilize the nervous system-creating resilient, focused teachers and learners.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/vio4jGkqSio?si=7G_i5UNGIKQC-Xhv

In this webinar, we explore a simple but powerful idea: All English learning is social- emotional learning. When students use language, they are also building confidence, expressing identity, managing emotions, and connecting with others. This session introduces Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and shows how it naturally aligns with English language teaching. We will also discuss practical ways to incorporate SEL into classroom activities, teaching practices, and overall pedagogy. Participants will leave with ideas they can immediately apply in their own classrooms.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/fNW7IN50aVc

This is not going to physical locations, it is exploring experiences, feelings, and states of mind that help both us and our learners feel present, noticed, and alive. They are the moments of warmth, colour, and wonder that can make teaching, and learning truly memorable. We'll also look at some practical mindfulness strategies when mindfulness doesn't seem to work, offering alternative ways to reconnect, finding calm and joy in challenging moments.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/B0SvnlS5Qsg

As a new school year begins, we share practical, easy-to-use mindfulness ideas that teachers can bring into their classrooms right away. Across five short talks, we explore: 🌱 What Mindfulness Is – the basics, and why it matters in a school setting 👀 The Senses – simple sensory practices to help students ground and focus 💛 Kindness & Compassion – nurturing empathy and connection in the classroom 🤝 Teacher & Student Wellbeing – supporting mental health on both sides of the desk 🌊 Emotions – helping students (and teachers) recognize and navigate their feelings This toolkit offers accessible ideas to start the year grounded, present, and connected.
Link to YouTube video: https://youtu.be/mKB2X-si1Jo