DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL REGULATION SKILLS IN ESP CLASSROOM

Abstract

In modern education, especially under conditions of instability and crisis, developing students’ emotional regulation skills is increasingly important for ensuring academic persistence, psychological well-being, and professional readiness. This paper addresses the growing need to integrate emotional regulation development into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction and presents a pedagogical framework designed for this purpose. The relevance of such an approach is particularly evident in crisis-affected environments, such as wartime teaching in Ukraine, where students face heightened anxiety and cognitive fatigue that interfere with learning. The literature review demonstrates that emotional regulation is closely connected with cognitive flexibility, resilience, and goal-oriented behaviour, all essential for academic and professional success. Researchers emphasise that these skills can be effectively developed through both direct and indirect strategies embedded in classroom activities. The proposed framework categorises emotional regulation strategies as direct (mindfulness exercises, reflective writing, critical incident analysis) and indirect (role-play simulations, case studies, peer feedback). Applied within scaffolded ESP instruction, these strategies help students build emotional awareness and practise regulating emotions in realistic communicative contexts. The paper also acknowledges limitations related to classroom dynamics, educators’ competencies, and institutional conditions. Further research should focus on long-term outcomes, cultural adaptability of the framework, and the role of digital resources in supporting emotional regulation in diverse and crisis-affected educational settings.