Healing through Language: Psychological Rehabilitation of Trauma-Affected EFL Learners in Pakistan

Abstract

Exposure to trauma significantly affects the cognitive, affective, and linguistic responses of learners, posing a barrier to effective second language acquisition. In the Pakistani context, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners often face psychosocial stressors such as poverty, domestic instability, educational inequity, displacement, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mainstream EFL pedagogy, however, largely prioritizes exam performance over learners’ psychological wellbeing, despite evidence that affective barriers critically influence language learning. This quantitative study examined the correlation between trauma symptoms and EFL performance and evaluated the effectiveness of trauma-informed pedagogy. Using a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design, data were collected from 60 secondary and tertiary learners across Punjab and Sindh, measuring trauma symptoms, language anxiety, resilience, and English proficiency. Results indicated a strong negative correlation between trauma severity and EFL performance, while trauma-informed instruction significantly enhanced resilience, reduced anxiety, and improved English proficiency, supporting the integration of trauma-responsive pedagogy in Pakistani EFL classrooms.