Abstract
BACKGROUND: Socio-emotional competence (SEC) is essential in language teaching, where classroom interactions, pedagogical choices, and student engagement are deeply shaped by emotional dynamics. While teacher emotions have been studied quantitatively, little is known about how pre-service EFL teachers develop SEC during a practicum. This gap calls for qualitative inquiry into their emotional experiences and professional growth. OBJECTIVE: To probe how an SEC-infused practicum course influences EFL pre-service teachers' awareness of the role of emotions in English language teaching during a practicum course lasting for 12 weeks in the Turkish context. DESIGN: Designed as an exploratory case study, the data come from reflective reports, narratives from weekly mentoring meetings, and lesson plans of practice teaching. The study participants are 12 pre-service EFL teachers enrolled in a practicum course during the 2023/24 academic year fall semester. RESULTS: Incorporating SEC in the practicum processes significantly enhanced pre-service EFL teachers' ability to recognize, reflect on, and incorporate emotional and social factors into their teaching. This awareness influenced their lesson design, classroom management, and perceptions of English as a global, emotionally charged medium of communication. CONCLUSION: Language teacher education programs are advised to emphasize the role of emotions by implementing socio-emotional competency-based principles and practices throughout the curriculum.