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Language Affirmation and Positive Psychology

Observing and assessing student presentations can be exhilarating or exhausting. During an evening class, after numerous student presentations, a simple idea altered the learning environment, changed perceptions, and enhanced my appreciation as a professor teaching effective interpersonal relationships for the power of language or voice affirmation. Let me set the stage. I was teaching a class that included students whose first language was Spanish, French, or Creole. Each of the students was required to deliver a presentation on the topic of interpersonal relationships during the final days of class. One of the students whose first language was not English, got up to deliver her presentation. The student spoke haltingly, clearly struggling with finding the fight words; equally important, she appeared to be unprepared to give her presentation. Inexplicably, I asked the student to deliver the last two minutes of her presentation in her first language and then translate it back into English. I have no idea why I asked the student to deliver her presentation in her native language. Maybe it was my attempt to add some interest to a long evening, or, it could have been something instinctual. But within the context of Van Maanen's (1998) notion of a confessional tale, I suspect it was more my unfavorable perception of her presentation, which in my assessment was vocally halted and stressed, contained lengthy pauses, lacked energy and focus, and revealed vocal variance. Then, the student began to speak and the other students and I were captivated. Her facial expressions, confident movement, rich vocal qualities, musically rhythmic speech, vitality and conviction overwhelmed us. And as the student continued to deliver her presentation in her native language, my initial unfavorable perception began to change to one of admiration. When the student finished her presentation, a spontaneous round of applause filled the room. We now saw a student, who in giving her presentation in her first language, was speaking from a place of strength; and in doing so, transcended the meaning of words. Then, a different type of dialog began; one that would change and enhance my appreciation as a learning and teaching steward for the power of language and voice affirmation. Presenter: "I did not speak much in class because I was afraid you would make fun of me". Students: "Oh no, we think it is wonderful you [that you sic] speak two languages" and one by one, the students confirmed and reaffirmed this student. The student returned to her seat, with tears flowing freely down her face; yet the other students and I could see that she was returning to her seat with a quiet confidence, previously unseen at the outset of her presentation. After class, I found myself musing over several key questions. Did my students and I observe a transformative experience? Or, was it the students and I who had a transformative experience? And if it were I and the students who encountered a transformative experience, were we transformed as a result of our lack of appreciation, ignorance, preconceptions and/or misperceptions towards the challenges that non-native speakers of English encounter while speaking English? I would ponder these questions for days to come, especially as I reflected on the obvious and dramatic change in my student's fluency of speech, pace, energy, focus and facial expression as she returned to her seat. Positive Psychology as described by Snyder and Lopez (2007) focuses on uncovering individual strengths and promoting positive functioning. As my story shows, my request to a student to speak in her native language was not only affirming; it uncovered impressive verbal and nonverbal behaviors, culminating in a deep-felt smile and confident walk. This change was not only perceptual in the student, but could also be seen on the faces of her listening audience, as well as in their voices, as they expressed their appreciation. …