THE STRENGTH OF SOFT SKILLS IN ADULT FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING
Anna Hainoja
Pages: 154-162
Received: 30 Jul 2025
Revised: 20 Jan 2026
Published: 2 Mar 2026
DOI: 10.62991/LIS1997520525
Views: 417
Downloads: 57
Abstract: In contemporary education, soft skills have become central to fostering resilience, adaptability, and leadership in learners. This article explores the intersection of soft skill development and foreign language instruction, focusing on adult learners aged 30 and above who return to language learning as beginners. Drawing on spontaneous feedback collected over three academic years from Russian language courses taught at the Estonian Military Academy, the study identifies six core soft skills emerging through the learning process: leadership and self-management, teamwork, communication, self-confidence, work ethic, and patience. Rather than being intentionally cultivated, these skills surfaced organically through learners’ reflections, suggesting a deep and often under-recognised alignment between language learning and broader personal growth. The paper situates these findings within current pedagogical frameworks and proposes that soft skills can be treated not as incidental outcomes, but as integral, and potentially observable, goals of language education.
Keywords: soft skills, language learning, adult education, communicative teaching, self-management, teamwork, confidence, leadership
Cite this article: Anna Hainoja. THE STRENGTH OF SOFT SKILLS IN ADULT FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Language, Individual & Society 19, 154-162 (2026). https://doi.org/10.62991/LIS1997520525
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