A Contemplative Inquiry Resource for Children with Limited Language

• In Event: Contemplative inquiry, holistic learning, and compassionate dialogues across differences

Proposal

This proposal is to share a much needed resource that offers access to contemplative inquiry practices to children with limited language. That is, a booklet, which primarily uses images and symbols to guide users through five unique contemplative strategies with the goal of reducing stress and anxiety. The strategies are organized starting with grounding exercises and moving toward deep meditation practices. The five strategies in order are: Deep Breathing, 4 Senses, Mind Clearing, Body Scan, and One-with-Nature. Each strategy has been adapted for our target audience, children with limited language. We define limited language as not having literacy in the predominant language of the setting, whether because of using a different primary language or having a comprehension affecting disability.
This resource aligns with “the power of protest” theme of CIES 2024 because it pushes back against current trends in learning which overemphasize the mind and underemphasize all other parts of being human (body, spirit, soul, etc.). Additionally, the booklet is a resource that targets marginalized and underserved populations, inviting them into contemplative inquiry.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Jing Lin, we have become exceedingly aware of the need for resources to aid all learners using contemplative inquiry. Through her course “Contemplative Inquiry and Holistic Education” we had the opportunity to learn firsthand the benefits of creating balance between the mind, body, and spirit, particularly in academic spaces. We learned about and practiced multiple techniques for several contemplative practices such as tai chi, yoga, meditation, reciting mantras, journaling, story telling, and more. Beyond our first hand experiences, we learned about how these practices are improving education by reading the research of top scholars in the field. Literature such as “Mindfulness in Moments of Crisis” by Deb Bearance in The Journal of Educational Thought , “Mindfulness for children and youth: A review of the literature with an argument for school-based implementation” by Kim D. Rempel written in the Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy , and the book “Contemplative Pedagogies for Transformative Teaching, Learning, and Being” all support the argument for the effectiveness of contemplative inquiry in formal education settings.
Through our experience as practitioners and researchers, we found a scarcity of resources available that bring contemplative inquiry to children with limited language, especially without the reliance on a teacher or expert. Thus, we were inspired to create a versatile resource that can be used by anyone without assistance. We have focused on the setting of formal education, but hope that this booklet will make its way into many other spaces such as medical/dental offices, refugee camps, daycares, and homes, as it has value across a range of linguistic, national, and geo-political contexts.
Our hope is to create embodied learning using the framework of first person, second person and third person learning. Though we have not yet conducted any formal research with this booklet, we have received great feedback on its potential from both experts and laypeople. This resource contributes to the growing efforts to bring contemplative inquiry into formal education settings.

Authors

• Melissa Drobish, International Education Policy Department, University of Maryland, College Park

• Mindy Feldman, Consultant/Self-employed