Delving into the role of mindfulness on the relationship among creativity, anxiety, and boredom of young EFL learners

Anxiety may contribute to agitation and distress in learners that can influence learning. Along with anxiety, boredom has been the focus of many recent investigations in the context of second language (L2) learning involving young learners. Anxiety and boredom would limit learners' imagination power, and can deter creativity, one of the indispensable skills in the 21st century. Mindfulness is another construct that is in line with creativity and its perspective to control anxiety is assured in literature. The proposed programs of mindfulness can influence creativity positively in the moment and over time. This is made possible by enhancing the level of the person's attention on daily activities which yields creative outcomes. In a world where stress and, often, distress undermine creativity, mindfulness emerges as an essential contributor to learners' success in educational practice. The current review focuses on young English as a foreign language (EFL) learners given that many believe stress and anxiety are commonplace among youth, leading to a decrease in creativity. Research findings reveal that mindfulness enhances creativity. Therefore, the improvement of students' well-being can be achieved by gradually incorporating mindfulness into the educational domain. Considering the important role of these factors in the language learning process, the purpose of this review is to examine the possible interactional effect of mindfulness in relation to creativity, learners' anxiety, and boredom in the context of L2 education among young learners. This is followed by proposing some suggestions for future research, as well as pedagogical implications.