Learning, as it is being increasingly recognized, is centrally
predicated upon students' well-being. Research findings indicate that in
the instances of wounding and trauma, students' capacity and ability to
learn can be severely compromised. This understanding applies
particularly to the immigrant students in the language classroom, many
of whom are refugees bringing with them past experiences of privation,
violence, wounding and trauma. Since teachers often find themselves
wearing multiple hats, not only as instructors, but also as friends,
philosophers, guides, confidantes, and counsellors to their refugee and
immigrant learners, addressing those students' trauma with compassion,
and employing appropriate pedagogical practices to mitigate their
suffering should be of great relevance and inform the teachers' praxis
in the classroom. This book takes an interdisciplinary look at trauma
from the vantage points of critical language theories, neuroscience,
psychotherapy, and Buddhist psychology, and suggests pedagogies for
well-being and trauma healing that utilize contemplative ways of
education. The practical aim of this book is to support teachers in
addressing trauma in their classrooms.