Jean-Marc Dewaele
University College London, UCL Institute of Education, Department Member
- Multilingualism, Second Language Acquisition, Topics Related to Applied Linguistics and Communication, Teaching English as a Second Language, Pragmatics, Personality Psychology, and 9 moreTeaching English As A Foreign Language, Foreign Language Education, Psychology, Languages and Linguistics, Culture, Sociolinguistics, Identity (Culture), Facial Expressions and Emotions, and Nathalie Wourmedit
- Jean-Marc Dewaele (PhD in French language & literature, Free University of Brussels, 1993) is Emeritus Professor of A... moreJean-Marc Dewaele (PhD in French language & literature, Free University of Brussels, 1993) is Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism at Birkbeck, University of London. He does research on individual differences in Second Language Acquisition and Multilingualism. He is the former president of the International Association of Multilingualism (2016-2018), former Convenor of the AILA Research Network Multilingualism, former president of the European Second Language Association (2007-2011) and president of the International Association for the Psychology of Language Learning (2022-2024). He was General Editor of the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (2013-2018) and is now General Editor of the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development (2019- ). He won the Equality and Diversity Research Award from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2013), the Robert C. Gardner Award for Outstanding Research in Bilingualism (2016) from the International Association of Language and Social Psychology and the Distinguished Scholarship Award from the European Second Language Association (2022). He was awarded the International Francqui chair in the Humanities in Belgium for a period of 6 months in the academic year 2024-25.edit
- Professor Hugo Baetens Beardsmore (Free University of Brussels)edit
Administration/Dornyei-Dewaele/p/book/9781032364315?fbclid=IwAR3t26N-e09sefiX51CRiTNpPR7Atuf_VhpR0BvX_SGeIaD7w0jRsAu6_rY Book Description Questionnaires in Second Language Research is the first state-of-the-art methodological guide for... more
Administration/Dornyei-Dewaele/p/book/9781032364315?fbclid=IwAR3t26N-e09sefiX51CRiTNpPR7Atuf_VhpR0BvX_SGeIaD7w0jRsAu6_rY Book Description Questionnaires in Second Language Research is the first state-of-the-art methodological guide for producing and using questionnaires as reliable and valid research instruments in second language studies. Zoltán Dörnyei and Jean-Marc Dewaele provide a comprehensive, reader-friendly overview of the theory of questionnaire design, administration, and processing, made accessible with a detailed how-to guide and concrete, real-life applications. This new edition is thoroughly updated to reflect developments in the field and with recent example studies that focus on considerations, challenges, and opportunities raised at all stages of the research process by online questionnaires. There is also expanded, detailed guidance on how to use the IRIS database and how to clean, process, and analyze questionnaire data prior to determining and reporting findings. This is an invaluable resource to students and researchers of SLA, applied linguistics, psychology, and education who are interested in understanding and conducting quantitative L2 research using questionnaires and surveys.
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If you have any enquiries regarding this discount order form please do not hesitate to email us: info@multilingual-matters.com This volume provides fascinating insights into the complexity of emotions shaping language teachers' classroom... more
If you have any enquiries regarding this discount order form please do not hesitate to email us: info@multilingual-matters.com This volume provides fascinating insights into the complexity of emotions shaping language teachers' classroom practice, experiences and working lives. The editors have brought together a rich range of theoretical and empirical perspectives spanning a diversity of professional contexts. The book will be of value to all those concerned with understanding or researching the emotional dimension of language teaching. Ema Ushioda, University of Warwick, UK This timely anthology explores the foundational role of emotions in the professional lives and everyday practices of language teachers. Drawing on a wide range of theoretical, methodological and classroom-based approaches, the chapters open up new dimensions in our knowledge of the complexity and salience of language teacher emotions within and across multiple contexts. Cynthia J. White, Massey University, New Zealand A timely collection that advances new directions for investigating and reflecting on emotions in language education. Bringing various strands of contemporary emotion research to bear on diverse educational contexts across the globe, it provides essential insights into the affective realities that shape teachers' professional practices and impact their personal wellbeing. Matthew T. Prior, Arizona State University, USA This book focuses on the emotional complexity of language teaching and how the diverse emotions that teachers experience are shaped and function. The book covers a range of emotion-related topics on both positive and negative emotions, including emotional labour, burnout, emotion regulation, resilience, emotional intelligence and wellbeing.
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This book provides an overview of current theory, research and practice in the field of language anxiety and brings together a range of perspectives on this psychological construct in a single volume. Chapters show that language anxiety... more
This book provides an overview of current theory, research and practice in the field of language anxiety and brings together a range of perspectives on this psychological construct in a single volume. Chapters show that language anxiety can be viewed as a complex and dynamic construct and can be researched using different methods and frameworks. Review Much of the current research in SLA and the neurosciences points to the strong influence of affective factors on the process of language learning. With chapters from important experts in the field, this book makes a valuable contribution to understanding the research and theoretical proposals regarding anxiety and also makes useful suggestions for reducing its influence in the classroom.
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Raising a multilingual family can be both confusing and fulfilling. The authors, all multilingual parents and researchers on multilingualism, aim to provide advice and inspiration for multilingual families across the world. The latest... more
Raising a multilingual family can be both confusing and fulfilling. The authors, all multilingual parents and researchers on multilingualism, aim to provide advice and inspiration for multilingual families across the world. The latest research is used to provide a friendly, accessible guide to raising and nurturing happy multilingual children.
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If you have any enquiries regarding this discount order form please do not hesitate to email us: info@multilingual-matters.com With a decidedly positive outlook on applied linguistics stemming from positive psychology, this volume piques... more
If you have any enquiries regarding this discount order form please do not hesitate to email us: info@multilingual-matters.com With a decidedly positive outlook on applied linguistics stemming from positive psychology, this volume piques the interest of teachers and researchers alike by shedding light on language learning and empowerment, happiness, resilience, melody, stress reduction and enjoyment as well as success. No wonder that this book is a joy to read! Kata Csizér, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary This volume offers a refreshing perspective on the process of learning and teaching new languages, highlighting the diverse ways in which learners and teachers draw on the many positive aspects of the human condition in their development as users of a non-native language. Without understating the difficulties that trouble language learning, this book provides a well-grounded basis for future studies using theoretical perspectives from positive psychology, and inspires teaching practices that recognize the human potential to thrive and grow. Kimberley A. Noels, University of Alberta, Canada Second language learning is a new area for Positive Psychology and these authors have found that it is a surprising and remarkable aide. Martin Seligman, Director of the Penn Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, USA and author of Flourish: A New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being-and How To Achieve Them This book is about the dynamics of happiness in language learning, the ripples that interact with other ripples, not necessarily in unison, but providing a goal and resources for processes of development. The contributions aim to show the positive sides of language teaching and learning without ignoring or denying the negative ones. They strive to reach a balance that allows for human agency to frame existences and hopes. The authors aim to move beyond the 'Don't worry, be happy' level by using carefully defined concepts and rigorous methodology. Kees de Bot, University of Groningen, Netherlands This book explores theories in positive psychology and their implications for language teaching, learning and communication. Chapters examine the characteristics of individuals, contexts and relationships that facilitate learning and present several new teaching ideas to develop and support them.
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This book is based on the correspondence between Valentin Dewaele, a Belgian World War 1 volunteer, and his mother, a refugee in North Wales. It is complemented by extracts from his diaries and letters from friends and other family... more
This book is based on the correspondence between Valentin Dewaele, a Belgian World War 1 volunteer, and his mother, a refugee in North Wales. It is complemented by extracts from his diaries and letters from friends and other family members. It describes the extraordinary life in the trenches at the front in Western Flanders and Northern France. It a striking account of the long moments of boredom and discomfort, followed by episodes of intense drama. The letters and diaries continue to February 1919, when Valentin is demobilised. The correspondence with grows after the German capitulation as communication lines are re-established and people take stock of what has happened, seek out who has survived, gossip about who has collaborated with the Germans. Another important topic is the Dewaele family business, a prominent draper shop in Ostend, left in the hands of staff as the family fled to the UK before the Germans moved in.
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This is the first large-scale investigation on how multilinguals feel about their languages and use them to communicate emotion. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches, Jean-Marc Dewaele looks at the factors that... more
This is the first large-scale investigation on how multilinguals feel about their languages and use them to communicate emotion. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches, Jean-Marc Dewaele looks at the factors that affect multilinguals' self-perceived competence, attitudes, communicative anxiety, language choice and code-switching when expressing feelings, anger and when swearing. Nearly 1600 multilinguals from all over the world participated in the research. The results suggest that how and when a language was learnt determines future use and communicative anxiety. Aspects such as present use of the language, the total number of languages known, and the level of emotional intelligence also play an important role. Interviews with participants reveal the importance of cultural factors and show how the slow process of acculturation in a new community is accompanied by gradual changes in language preferences to communicate emotions.
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The current study considers the effects of the Chinese low arousal emotion Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM) and the medium-to-high arousal emotion of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) on the performance of 400 Chinese and 502... more
The current study considers the effects of the Chinese low arousal emotion Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM) and the medium-to-high arousal emotion of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) on the performance of 400 Chinese and 502 Moroccan English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The database consists of two merged datasets collected with the same instruments from learners with comparable profiles for English. The data on Chinese EFL learners was collected and used in Zhou et al. (Applied Linguistics Review, 2023a) while the data on Moroccan EFL learners was used in Dewaele and Meftah (Journal of the European Second Language Association, 2023); Dewaele et al. (Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 2023a). The comparison revealed that all students reported higher levels of FLE than FLPOM. Moroccan students scored significantly higher on FLPOM and FLE than their Chinese peers. They also had significantly higher scores on the FLE Personal dimension. Finally, FLPOM was more strongly associated with performance than FLE among the Moroccan EFL learners, confirming the pattern in Zhou et al. (Applied Linguistics Review, 2023a). FLPOM did explain slightly more variance in the performance of Chinese EFL learners. Pedagogical implications are presented.
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The current study uses a pseudo-longitudinal design to investigate the trajectory of three lower-order dimensions of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE): FLE Teacher, FLE Personal and FLE Social (Botes et al., 2021) as well as 11... more
The current study uses a pseudo-longitudinal design to investigate the trajectory of three lower-order dimensions of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE): FLE Teacher, FLE Personal and FLE Social (Botes et al., 2021) as well as 11 items/scales reflecting attitudes and motivation in the mini-Attitudes/ Motivation Test Battery (Tennant & Gardner, 2004) of 85 Beginner, 322 Intermediate and 95 Advanced Moroccan English Foreign Language learners. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. Oneway ANOVAs revealed a significant but non-linear increase for the values of three FLE dimensions across skill levels. Further one-way ANOVAs showed that the values of seven positively oriented motivation scales increased significantly and that the two anxiety scales decreased significantly across skill levels (very small effect sizes). Scheffé post-hoc tests confirmed that the strongest increase happened between Beginner and Intermediate levels for the FLE dimensions before levelling off at an Advanced level. This non-linear pattern was less clear-cut for the motivation scales. Correlation analyses revealed stronger relationships between the FLE dimensions and motivation scales at higher skill levels. We argue that FLE and motivation gradually reinforce each other at high skill levels. Some pedagogical implications are formulated.
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Multilingual foreign language learners have been found to typically experience less Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and more Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) than their less multilingual peers. Since most existing research was... more
Multilingual foreign language learners have been found to typically experience less Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and more Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) than their less multilingual peers. Since most existing research was based on single databases, authors had to be careful to avoid sweeping generalisations about the positive effect of multilingualism. In order to increase validity, the current paper will investigate the link between the degree of multilingualism and two learner emotions using three different existing databases that contained relevant data but where multilingualism was not part of the research questions in the subsequent papers. Participants who contributed to the first database were 360 FL learners in a Kuwaiti university, the second database included data from 502 English Foreign Language (EFL) learners in secondary schools and universities in Morocco, and the third database included data from 181 pre-teen EFL learners in secondary schools in France. Separate statistical analyses of the three databases confirmed that multilingualism was linked to significantly higher FLE in all three databases and to lower FLCA in two out of the three databases. This suggests that knowing more languages contributes to more positive and fewer negative emotions in the FL class.
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Flow reflects an optimal balance of challenge and skill, which is exhilarating and addictive. The current study investigates the role of three learner emotions (enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom) on the proportion of class time in flow... more
Flow reflects an optimal balance of challenge and skill, which is exhilarating and addictive. The current study investigates the role of three learner emotions (enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom) on the proportion of class time in flow among 165 Arab and Kurdish English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in both in-person and online classes. Statistical analyses revealed that Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), and more specifically, the dimension Personal FLE, was a significant positive predictor of flow, while Foreign Language Boredom was a significant negative predictor. Contrary to previous research, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety had no significant negative effect on flow. Further analyses showed that students' nationality and their attitudes toward English and their English teacher had significant effects on their time in flow. It thus seems that flow becomes possible when the teacher manages to get learners in the right emotional mood, allowing those who enjoy themselves intensely to rise to a state of flow, both in in-person and online classes.
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This paper presents a critical analysis of the EMPATHICS model of language learner well-being proposed by Oxford (2016) as a prerequisite first step to validate this model. The analysis was guided by the theories in the field of language... more
This paper presents a critical analysis of the EMPATHICS model of language learner well-being proposed by Oxford (2016) as a prerequisite first step to validate this model. The analysis was guided by the theories in the field of language learning and teaching as well as by some elaborations and suggestions originally made by Rebecca Oxford herself. The massive overlap between the dimensions in the EMPATHICS and the absence of operationalization in the literature indicate that the model is acronym-driven rather than theory-based. A thorough revision of the model is needed to eliminate overlap between the dimensions. We argue that empathy, emotions, emotional intelligence, engagement, motivation, and character strengths of language learners (E4MC) lie at the heart of the EMPATHICS model and that all the other dimensions are theoretically interrelated with these more limited number of dimensions. A revised, trimmed-down E4MC model of language learner well-being would allow the operationalization of the construct and could lead to the future development of an instrument that could be further validated.
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This is a conversation about a life of research in applied linguistics, with good advice for young researchers
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The sudden shift to online foreign language (FL) learning due to the pandemic offered researchers the unique possibility to explore the role of learner emotions in different teaching modalities. This mixed methods paper investigates... more
The sudden shift to online foreign language (FL) learning due to the pandemic offered researchers the unique possibility to explore the role of learner emotions in different teaching modalities. This mixed methods paper investigates differences in 437 English as a foreign language (EFL) students' levels of FL enjoyment (FLE) in pre-pandemic in-person EFL classes and their online classes after the switch to emergency remote teaching (ERT) based on a convergent research design. Statistical analysis of quantitative data gathered with a web survey showed a significant drop in learners' FLE in ERT, based on a 9-item scale. The sharpest drop was observed for the scales' subdimensions Personal and Social Enjoyment while Teacher appreciation decreased less. Qualitative content analysis of 21 in-depth interviews revealed that enjoyable aspects were mentioned more frequently for ERT than for in-person classes. The nature of FLE was found to shift with teaching modality: FLE was linked to rich social interactions in in-person classes, while it was linked to the convenience and comfort of working from home and an increase in learner autonomy in ERT. Additionally, learners reported that despite the physical isolation, they managed to establish good social connections in ERT classes. This shows that FLE can flourish in challenging circumstances. Its intensity might differ from in-person classes but it feeds generally on similar nutrients, namely interesting learning materials, friendly and professional teachers and stimulating interactions with peers in order to develop social bonds.
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Reflections on research
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This cross-sectional study seeks to compare levels of emotional resonance in Arabic and English and identify the effects of sociobiographical factors, the history of English language learning and the current use of English on the... more
This cross-sectional study seeks to compare levels of emotional resonance in Arabic and English and identify the effects of sociobiographical factors, the history of English language learning and the current use of English on the development of emotional resonance of English among 141 bi-and multilingual Arab pupils and students in Saudi Arabia. Arabic was found to have a significantly stronger emotional resonance than English. Higher scores on emotional resonance in English were found among female participants, participants who had attended English-speaking primary (but not secondary schools), and participants who were using English intensely and frequently at the time of the data collection. We argue that all these factors contribute directly and indirectly to higher proficiency and increased embodiment of English.
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This multiple case study focuses on the fluctuations of seven beginner learners’ emotions in five successive French as a foreign language classes over a three-week period. The teacher used a language learning method based on the emotional... more
This multiple case study focuses on the fluctuations of seven beginner learners’ emotions in five successive French as a foreign language classes over a three-week period. The teacher used a language learning method based on the emotional commitment of the interlocutors (teacher and learners) during oral interactions. The learners of different ages and cultures provided quantitative and qualitative data through a questionnaire about the enjoyment, anxiety and boredom that they had experienced right after class. The originality of this study lies in the longitudinal approach over a short period, the combination of quantitative and qualitative data from a small group of learners, complemented by direct observations in class and by a semi-structured interview with the teacher that allow a better understanding of the causes of the fluctuations.
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This study is part of a growing wave of interest in foreign language learners' emotions, their sources, and their effects. Previous studies have confirmed that there is a clear relationship between the emotions of Foreign Language... more
This study is part of a growing wave of interest in foreign language learners' emotions, their sources, and their effects. Previous studies have confirmed that there is a clear relationship between the emotions of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), Foreign Language Boredom (FLB), and FL performance. However, the relative importance of each emotion as a predictor of FL performance has yet to be examined, and as different teaching and learning strategies can elicit different emotions, it is difficult to determine whether FL teachers and learners should prioritize a specific emotion in course design and study. We, therefore, utilized structural equation modeling and latent dominance analysis on a sample of 502 Moroccan EFL learners in order to examine the relative importance of each emotion in predicting FL performance. We argue that it is crucial to use sophisticated statistical analyses and to collect samples from outside Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries. The latent dominance analysis revealed that FLCA had the strongest (negative) effect on English test scores. FLB had a significant-but slightly weaker-negative effect and FLE had a significant-but weaker still-positive effect. As such, it is vital that FL teachers and learners not underestimate the impact of anxiety on language learning.
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Background It is a bit of a truism to state that there are as many individual differences (IDs) as there are foreign language learners. Indeed, no two learners are identical as they all have their unique psychological, emotional,... more
Background It is a bit of a truism to state that there are as many individual differences (IDs) as there are foreign language learners. Indeed, no two learners are identical as they all have their unique psychological, emotional, attitudinal, motivational, and cognitive characteristics combined with an equally unique lifelong exposure to languages. The journey of foreign language acquisition could be compared to walking the 4,270 kilometer-long Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, ranging in altitude from near sea level to more than 4,000 meters high and taking four to six months. Cheryl Strayed describes her journey on part of this trail in the spell-binding book Wild (2012). The journey is long, tortuous, occasionally breath-taking and it poses a wide range of challenges linked to the hiker's body and mind, linked to weather, terrain, and finances. As such, no two hikers who have completed the same trail will have had the same experience. Those who started and lacked fitness may have given up early. Otherslike Cheryl-may have become gradually fitter and ended up walking twenty miles a day. Blisters may have pushed some to give up, days of unrelenting heat, rain, or snow may have weakened the resolve of some of the most committed hikers. They may have decided to postpone or to abandon the journey. Some unlucky hikers may have twisted an ankle making further walking impossible. Others may have had to be carried off because of a snake bite or a too-close encounter with a grizzly bear. Running out of food, money or time could equally account for abandonment. We could imagine applied linguists interested in IDs as members of a team gathered at regular intervals of the Pacific Crest Trail armed with scales, notebooks, and cameras to assess the characteristics of the hikers in order to discover the profile of those who made it to the end. It would require quite a large amount of data to collect because the hikers' equipment would also have to be taken into account-a whistle could scare off the grizzly, a sufficiently large water container could allow surviving dry patches, a book of poetry might keep the mind satisfied, a cape might keep the hiker dry, a large enough quantity of food is needed to reach the next point. But how much does all this weigh? And what would be the effect of some essential item missing, like crampons on icy terrain, something breaking or tearing apart, or the loss of a shoe? The team members would also need to interview the hikers about the experience, including what motivated them, what their objective was, how they tackled the challenges, how transformative the experience was, how much solidarity they felt with fellow hikers, how proud they were of their own achievements so far and what they felt about the beauty of the wilderness and the animals. The intriguing question that has haunted applied linguists for generations is which IDs are the best predictors of progress and eventual outcome. The issues of measurement, data collection, and analysis are thus fundamental in this quest for understanding.
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Personality has been identified as a possible antecedent to emotions experienced in the foreign language (FL) classroom. However, contrasting results and differing personality models have resulted in ambiguous findings. This study set out... more
Personality has been identified as a possible antecedent to emotions experienced in the foreign language (FL) classroom. However, contrasting results and differing personality models have resulted in ambiguous findings. This study set out to delve deeper into the role of personality as a predictor of FL emotions through a series of increasingly restrictive statistical models on a sample of n=246 FL learners. The relationships between personality-operationalised as global and lower-order factors in the Five Factor Model-and the FL emotions of Foreign Language Enjoyment, Anxiety, and Boredom were examined. The global factors of Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness, and the lower-order factors of Trust, Dutifulness, and Cheerfulness were significant predictors of FL emotions. However, the complexity of personality as a predictor variable is demonstrated in the intricacy of the results and as such the inclusion of personality in explanatory models of FL emotions ought to be approached with caution.
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The current study is based on a pseudo-longitudinal design to investigate the trajectory of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), Foreign Language Boredom... more
The current study is based on a pseudo-longitudinal design to investigate the trajectory of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), Foreign Language Boredom (FLB) among a total of 502 Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced English Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Morocco who filled out a single online questionnaire. Statistical results showed that motivation remained unchanged across skill levels but that positive emotions increased significantly and negative emotions dropped significantly, with the transition from Beginner to Intermediate skill levels showing the biggest change. The direction of relationships between the dependent variables remained similar although their strengths varied slightly across skill levels, reflecting the dynamic nature of FL learners' emotions and motivation.
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Discussion of research on three popular learner emotions: Anxiety, Enjoyment and Boredom
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In this chapter, researchers preparing to broach emotionally loaded and sensitive topics will find practical examples of mixed methods approaches tailored to such contexts. Dr Sally Cook outlines the stages of a qualitative mixed-methods... more
In this chapter, researchers preparing to broach emotionally loaded and sensitive topics will find practical examples of mixed methods approaches tailored to such contexts. Dr Sally Cook outlines the stages of a qualitative mixed-methods approach project combining Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Ethnography, to explore the meaning which survivors of torture ascribe to using a second language in their healing journey. Dr Louise Rolland describes how carefully selected interviews can shed light on quantitative findings from an international web survey. She also advocates for researchers to consider language as part of their methodology, translating lessons from her research – the role of languages in mediating multilinguals’ expression of emotions and identity in psychotherapy – into academic practice. Both authors weave self-care into their stories, ensuring that the ethics of researching within a sensitive context include consideration of the researcher as well as the participants. Professor Dewaele and Dr Costa add a meta-perspective on methodological choices – as earlier supervisors and mentors, and based on their well-established authority in the field of multilingual therapy and mixed methods research.
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The last decade has seen a proliferation of studies about emotions in FL teaching and learning. The present study examined three of the most researched and well-known FL emotions, anxiety, boredom and enjoyment, and their relationship... more
The last decade has seen a proliferation of studies about emotions in FL teaching and learning. The present study examined three of the most researched and well-known FL emotions, anxiety, boredom and enjoyment, and their relationship with learners’ engagement in EFL class and EFL test scores for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. One-hundred-and-eleven Primary 3-4 EFL children completed a questionnaire and FL tests. Various statistical analyses (correlation, hierarchical multiple regression, and path analysis) revealed that all five variables are significantly correlated, enjoyment was the strongest predictor of engagement and proficiency, followed by boredom. The path analysis evidenced that the hypothetical path of emotions→engagement→proficiency does not exist; rather, only two direct relationships were found in the model, namely enjoyment→engagement and enjoyment→proficiency, highlighting the significant role of enjoyment in FL teaching and learning.
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This critical overview examines the body of literature on language instructors' emotion labour, with the aim of providing insights into the aspects of teachers' work that positively and negatively impact their emotional well-being, as... more
This critical overview examines the body of literature on language instructors' emotion labour, with the aim of providing insights into the aspects of teachers' work that positively and negatively impact their emotional well-being, as well as possible strategies to help them flourish. Research in this novel area was divided into three broadly chronological categories for analysis: pioneering studies, qualitative studies with a specific focus, and more methodologically diverse studies. The findings indicated that societal attitudes influenced the institution, resulting in differing levels of pressure or support experienced by the teachers. Emotion labour was found to stem from teachers' beliefs conflicting with those held at an institutional level or beyond, as well as from interactions with the learners, and could have positive and/or negative outcomes. One of the worst possible outcomes is burnout. Agency, empathy, and reflection were among the strategies to emerge with the potential to neutralise negative outcomes. The article concludes with suggestions for further research.
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This book could be compared to the gleaming scarlet steam engine that appears halfway through J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone (1997). The Hogwarts Express that carries students to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft... more
This book could be compared to the gleaming scarlet steam engine that appears halfway through J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone (1997). The Hogwarts Express that carries students to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the start of term is a revelation to the first-year students who may have heard about it from their parents and older siblings but never actually sat in its carriages, heard its whistle or tasted Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from the food trolley. One could argue that task-based language teaching researchers were in need of a bit of magic and Craig Lambert, Scott Audrey and Gavin Bui have done a great job of inviting them to Platform 9 ¾ to board the train that will allow them to explore and expand their understanding of the role of emotion in TBLT. The comparison of magic and emotion could be expanded further. In chapter 1, Lambert and colleagues acknowledge that TBLT researchers have been rather slow in understanding that the cogs that turn during pedagogic task performance can only do so when they are well-oiled. In other words, the best task will fail if the students are not in the right emotional state. We joked in Dewaele, Botes and Greiff (2022) that teachers that can boost learners' levels of enjoyment, control their anxiety and banish their boredom may indeed appear to possess magical powers in the eyes of students.
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The current chapter looks into the tortured history of the psychology of foreign language learning where initial exaggerated expectations about the role of personality traits were never quite met by the cold, hard facts. This led to... more
The current chapter looks into the tortured history of the psychology of foreign language learning where initial exaggerated expectations about the role of personality traits were never quite met by the cold, hard facts. This led to disappointment among applied linguists about the potential of psychology to shed light on the mechanisms of foreign language (FL) learning and performance. The situation has evolved considerably since 2010. Firstly, increased interdisciplinary collaborations between applied linguists and psychologists led to more high quality research. Secondly, the advent of Dynamic System Theory contributed to the abandonment of a search for simplistic one-to-one relationships and a growing acceptance that psychological, emotional, motivational and linguistic variables are interconnected in complex and dynamic ways. Thirdly, learner emotions turned out to be a fertile intermediate layer of variables that were connected upwards with personality traits and downwards with FL learning and performance. Fourthly, the growing influence of the psychological constructionist approach and the rejection of a static and essentialist view of emotions offered a better lens to consider messy classroom data and influenced educational psychology. Finally, the emergence of Positive Psychology offered both researchers and teachers a fresh and more positive perspective on the phenomenon of FL learning.
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The present study is among the first to investigate how three foreign language (FL) emotions, namely FL enjoyment (FLE), anxiety (FLCA) and boredom (FLB) are related to each other. It is the first study to consider how the three FL... more
The present study is among the first to investigate how three foreign language (FL) emotions, namely FL enjoyment (FLE), anxiety (FLCA) and boredom (FLB) are related to each other. It is the first study to consider how the three FL emotions are shaped by one learner-internal variable (attitude toward the FL), by two perceived teacher behaviours (frequency of use of the FL in class and unpredictability) and how all these variables jointly affect leaners' FL achievement. Participants were 332 FL learners from all over the world studying a wide variety of FLs who filled out an online questionnaire. A close-fitting structural equation model revealed associations between FLE, FLCA, and FLB. Teacher behaviours positively affected FLE, with no discernible effect on FLB or FLCA. Only FLCA was found to have a (negative) effect on academic achievement. The study confirms the complex relationship between teacher behaviours and positive emotions in the FL classroom.
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With the flourishing of positive psychology (PP) in foreign and second language teaching research, interest has grown in a range of positive psychological variables including the new concept of foreign language teaching enjoyment (FLTE)... more
With the flourishing of positive psychology (PP) in foreign and second language teaching research, interest has grown in a range of positive psychological variables including the new concept of foreign language teaching enjoyment (FLTE) that mirrors that of learners' Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE). The present study investigates how positive psychological and personality-based variables like resilience, well-being, and L2 grit shape the FLTE of 450 Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. The participants completed four electronic surveys, and the collected data were analyzed through Mplus. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that EFL teachers' resilience, well-being, and L2 grit significantly influenced their FLTE. In addition, teacher L2 grit was the strongest predictor of FLTE among Iranian EFL teachers. It thus seems that gritty, resilient, and happy teachers are more likely to enjoy the teaching experience in the classroom. Finally, implications and suggestions for future research are offered.
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The present study examines the direct and indirect relationships between classroom environment (CE), L2 (second/foreign language) learner emotions (i.e. enjoyment, anxiety and boredom), and their willingness to communicate (WTC) in... more
The present study examines the direct and indirect relationships between classroom environment (CE), L2 (second/foreign language) learner emotions (i.e. enjoyment, anxiety and boredom), and their willingness to communicate (WTC) in classes for English as a foreign language (EFL). Participants were 2,268 university students in China. Pearson correlation analyses showed significant correlations between CE, L2 emotions, and WTC, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. In addition, the three L2 emotions were found to mediate the relationship between CE and WTC in parallel, with enjoyment having the largest mediating effect, followed by anxiety and boredom. The findings offer insights into how to improve students' WTC in an L2.
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Previous research on the foreign language (FL) learner has yielded a rich body of knowledge on personality, individual differences, and conceptions of the self as a measure of motivation. While these contributions have greatly enriched... more
Previous research on the foreign language (FL) learner has yielded a rich body of knowledge on personality, individual differences, and conceptions of the self as a measure of motivation. While these contributions have greatly enriched our understanding of learner psychology, the current paper proposes an analytical framing of language learning based on relational theory, which positions human relationships with others as the main driver of the psyche and behavior. As human beings are relationally dependent from birth, according to this theory, the self can only be conceptualized in relation to others. Applied to language learning, this perspective shifts the focus from the attainment of knowledge as an individual, private endeavor, to a relational process in which students and teacher are interwoven perforce. As part of a larger study on student perceptions of teacher emotion, qualitative data were collected as case studies from eight adult learners and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results support the power of the teacher-student relationship to influence and motivate students both positively and negatively, affirming the notion of FL learning as a relational process in accordance with Gergen's (2009) notion that relationships are not merely the self interacting with the other but a true confluence.
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Humor can provide a multitude of benefits for language learners, including improvement of classroom atmosphere (Dewaele et al., 2018) and a reduction of anxiety (Tarone, 2000). Moreover, the integration of humor into language lessons has... more
Humor can provide a multitude of benefits for language learners, including improvement of classroom atmosphere (Dewaele et al., 2018) and a reduction of anxiety (Tarone, 2000). Moreover, the integration of humor into language lessons has been strongly endorsed by both students and instructors (Askildson, 2005; Azizinezhad & Hashemi, 2011). What is less clear is which types of humor strategies are seen to be most effective, as well as the degree to which learner characteristics affect their responses to humor. This study examines the influence of L2 proficiency, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and attitudes about humor language learning on L2 learners' (N=243) reactions to a variety of humor strategies used in the language classroom. Regression analysis revealed that proficiency had little bearing on learner preferences, whereas FLE, and especially attitude towards in-class humor, had a much greater influence on preferred strategies. Overall, spontaneous humor, memes and cartoons were the most strongly endorsed strategies.
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The present study adopted a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel design to focus on the role that positive and negative emotions have in the Foreign Language (FL) classroom on the ontogenesis of positive flow. Participants... more
The present study adopted a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel design to focus on the role that positive and negative emotions have in the Foreign Language (FL) classroom on the ontogenesis of positive flow. Participants were 1044 FL learners from around the world. They provided quantitative and qualitative data on FL enjoyment (FLE), classroom anxiety (FLCA) and experience of flow via an on-line questionnaire (Dewaele and MacIntyre 2014). FLE was a significantly stronger predictor of frequency of flow experience than FLCA. Further statistical analyses revealed that flow experiences are typically self-centred, infrequent and short-lived at the start of the FL learning journey and when the perceived social standing in the group is low. They become an increasingly shared experience, more frequent, stronger and more sustained as learners reach a more advanced level in their FL. What starts as an occasional individual spark can turn into a true fire that extends to other group members. The findings are illustrated by participants’ reports on enjoyable episodes in the FL classroom in which some reported complete involvement in an individual or collective task, merging of action and awareness, joyful bonding with classmates, intense focus and joy, loss of self-consciousness, sense of time and place.
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Studies examining the positive emotion of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) have recently increased exponentially, as researchers are applying the tenets of positive psychology in applied linguistics. It is therefore an appropriate time to... more
Studies examining the positive emotion of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) have recently increased exponentially, as researchers are applying the tenets of positive psychology in applied linguistics. It is therefore an appropriate time to take stock of the current literature and conduct a preliminary meta-analysis. The relationships between FLE and four variables, namely, foreign language anxiety (FLA), willingness to communicate (WTC), academic achievement, and self-perceived achievement were examined. A total of k = 96 effect sizes were analyzed with an overall sample size of N = 28,166 in random-effects models with correlation coefficients. There was a moderate negative correlation between FLE and FLA. In turn, moderate positive correlations were found between FLE and WTC, FLE and academic achievement, and FLE and self-perceived achievement. These positive associations confirm the value of
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The present study focuses on the experience of flow among 168 Arab and Kurdish English Foreign Language (EFL) learners in both in-person and emergency remote teaching (ERT) classes. Statistical analyses of questionnaire data revealed that... more
The present study focuses on the experience of flow among 168 Arab and Kurdish English Foreign Language (EFL) learners in both in-person and emergency remote teaching (ERT) classes. Statistical analyses of questionnaire data revealed that learners did experience flow in their ERT classes but for a significantly shorter time than in the pre-pandemic in-person classes. Those who experienced flow in in-person classes were also more likely to experience it in ERT classes. In the in-person classes, the proportion of time in flow was linked to age, self-rated proficiency, attitudes toward English, attitudes toward the teacher, and the teacher frequency of use of English. In contrast, in ERT classes, the proportion of time in flow was only linked to attitude toward the teacher. This is interpreted as evidence that the ERT does not just cause physical and social isolation but also mental isolation.
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The current study contributes to the recent debate on the question whether learner emotions can be intrinsically motivating or whether they are no more than diffuse action tendencies (Dörnyei 2020). Adopting a longitudinal approach, we... more
The current study contributes to the recent debate on the question whether learner emotions can be intrinsically motivating or whether they are no more than diffuse action tendencies (Dörnyei 2020). Adopting a longitudinal approach, we combined repeated ANOVAs and mixed effects modeling to capture interactions between Language Enjoyment (FLE) and its three dimensions, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and Attitudes/Motivation (AM) and its four dimensions over the course of one semester. Participants were 360 FL learners of English, German, French and Spanish in a Kuwaiti university. FLE (and the dimensions FLE Personal and FLE Social) and FLCA remained stable over time but FLE Teacher decreased significantly. Levels of AM also decreased significantly and, more specifically, the dimensions Motivation and Attitudes toward the Learning Situation. Mixed effects modeling analyses revealed that FLE (including FLE Personal and FLE Social) and FLCA had medium effects on the AM dimensions. Significant interaction effects were found for FLE Teacher and Time for the AM dimensions. We argue that high FLE can act as a buoy for sagging motivation and thus become intrinsically motivating.
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This paper explores differences in 437 learners’ foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) in in-person and online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes before the outbreak of the pandemic and during the first lockdown in spring... more
This paper explores differences in 437 learners’ foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) in in-person and online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes before the outbreak of the pandemic and during the first lockdown in spring 2020. Statistical analyses of data gathered with a web survey revealed a slight, yet significant drop in learners’ overall FLCA in emergency remote teaching. In order to obtain a more granular view, item-level analyses revealed that learners in online classes were significantly less worried about being outperformed by peers, suffered less from physical symptoms of anxiety when called on in class and were less anxious when they were in fact well-prepared. Feeling embarrassed to volunteer answers was significantly higher in online classes. Interviews with 21 participants revealed that the interviewees mentioned anxiety-provoking aspects of the class considerably more frequently in online than in in-person classes. However, the sources of anxiety in online classes differed from the ones in classes taught on site. Thus, it seems that the newness of the setting foregrounded anxiety-provoking aspects specific to emergency remote teaching, making others fade in the background at the beginning of the pandemic.
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The present mixed-method study focuses on levels of foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and foreign language boredom (FLB) among 168 Arab and Kurdish English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in... more
The present mixed-method study focuses on levels of foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and foreign language boredom (FLB) among 168 Arab and Kurdish English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in both in-person and emergency remote teaching (ERT) classes. Statistical analyses revealed that learners experienced significantly more FLE, more FLCA, and less FLB in in-person classes than in ERT classes. The qualitative data revealed a more nuanced picture about the things learners appreciated and disliked in both contexts. Sitting at home in front of their computer, many learners did feel more isolated, disengaged, distracted, and missed the interactions with peers and teacher. Yet, some participants felt that ERT did allow relationship-building, lessened their fear of making errors and pushed them to develop new coping strategies. The main sources of FLCA in ERT turned out to be issues with internet connection rather the anxiety of making errors in front of everybody. Boredom arose mostly from a lack of exciting social interactions and monotony in delivery which could induce disengagement. Some pedagogical implications are presented.
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Research on multilinguals voice-hearing, sometimes termed auditory-verbal hallucinations, is dominated by psychiatrists reports, skewing toward etic over emic approaches. Most also predates developments in both voice-hearing and... more
Research on multilinguals voice-hearing, sometimes termed auditory-verbal hallucinations, is dominated by psychiatrists reports, skewing toward etic over emic approaches. Most also predates developments in both voice-hearing and multilingualism research which highlight the complexity and dynamic nature of both phenomena and shows little cross-fertilisation between the two fields. This paper sits within this gap, presenting results from an in-depth interview study with ten UK-resident multilingual voice-hearers analysed via constructionist reflexive thematic analysis. A high proportion of participants described hearing voices they did not (fully) understand, challenging the dominance of the hypothesis that voice-hearing originates from misattributed inner speech. This set of experiences is presented along a spectrum with a complex array of associated emotions and subtle experiential distinctions. The relationship between language experiences, voices languages, and associated emotions was similarly complex and individual: participants described voices both reflecting and distorting or shifting the contexts, domains, interlocutors and feelings associated with their various languages. This has implications for therapeutic and peer support for those who are distressed by their voices, as well as opening up new avenues in voice-hearing phenomenology and aetiology.
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The present study focused on differences in intensity of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), and proportion of time in a state of flow among 761 English FL learners and 825 FL learners of Languages... more
The present study focused on differences in intensity of Foreign
Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), and proportion of time in a state of flow among 761 English FL learners and 825 FL learners of Languages Other Than English (LOTE). Participants in the LOTE group reported significantly higher levels of FLE and a higher proportion of class time in a state of flow, as well as lower levels of FLCA than the EFL group – although the effect size was very small. This suggests that the global status and prestige of English does not mean that learners around the world enjoy the classes more, spend more time in a state of flow or experience less anxiety. The relationships between FLE, FLCA and proportion of class time in a state of flow were also found to be higher in the LOTE group, suggesting stronger emotional involvement.
Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), and proportion of time in a state of flow among 761 English FL learners and 825 FL learners of Languages Other Than English (LOTE). Participants in the LOTE group reported significantly higher levels of FLE and a higher proportion of class time in a state of flow, as well as lower levels of FLCA than the EFL group – although the effect size was very small. This suggests that the global status and prestige of English does not mean that learners around the world enjoy the classes more, spend more time in a state of flow or experience less anxiety. The relationships between FLE, FLCA and proportion of class time in a state of flow were also found to be higher in the LOTE group, suggesting stronger emotional involvement.
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The world of applied linguistics and the profession of foreign language teaching needs to finally sweep away the notion of "Native Speaker" (NS) and the deficit perspective surrounding foreign language learners. We argue that Positive... more
The world of applied linguistics and the profession of foreign language teaching needs to finally sweep away the notion of "Native Speaker" (NS) and the deficit perspective surrounding foreign language learners. We argue that Positive Psychology is a source of inspiration for a new and more positive perspective on foreign language learners and users. Rather than obsessing about negative aspects of life, Positive Psychologists defend a more holistic perspective. By transforming the view of learners as failed "NS" of the target language to that of increasingly competent and happy users of a foreign language would lift a huge burden from the shoulders of foreign language learners and their teachers alike. We argue that the unexpected longevity and ubiquity of the NS in the foreign language teaching profession have deep historical roots in linguistics and culture, and that only a radical paradigm shift can dislodge it.
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The current study investigates how Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and Attitude/motivation (AM) of 360 learners of English, German, French and Spanish in a Kuwaiti university was shaped over the... more
The current study investigates how Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and Attitude/motivation (AM) of 360 learners of English, German, French and Spanish in a Kuwaiti university was shaped over the course of one semester by three teacher behaviours: frequency of using the FL in class, predictability and frequency of joking. Linear mixed modelling revealed a positive relationship between the three teacher behaviours and FLE as well as AM, but no significant relationship emerged with FLCA. Multiple comparison analyses showed that levels of FLE dropped significantly among students whose teacher joked very infrequently and infrequently. It thus seems that the absence of teacher jokes had a delayed cumulative effect on FLE. No interaction effects were found with time for FLCA and for AM. We conclude that teacher behaviours affect both AM and FLE, and that teachers' absence of joking actually drains FLE over time.
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The present study focused on differences in intensity of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), and proportion of time in a state of flow among 761 English FL learners and 825 FL learners of Languages... more
The present study focused on differences in intensity of Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA), and proportion of time in a state of flow among 761 English FL learners and 825 FL learners of Languages Other Than English (LOTE). Participants in the LOTE group reported significantly higher levels of FLE and a higher proportion of class time in a state of flow, as well as lower levels of FLCA than the EFL group – although the effect size was very small. This suggests that the global status and prestige of English does not mean that learners around the world enjoy the classes more, spend more time in a state of flow or experience less anxiety. The relationships between FLE, FLCA and proportion of class time in a state of flow were also found to be higher in the LOTE group, suggesting stronger emotional involvement.
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Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) is a popular construct in applied linguistics research, traditionally measured with the 33-item Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). However, recent studies have started utilising the... more
Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) is a popular construct in applied linguistics research, traditionally measured with the 33-item Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). However, recent studies have started utilising the 8-item Short-Form Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (S-FLCAS). There is therefore a need, which this study addressed in five sequential steps, to validate the S-FLCAS in order to ensure the validity and reliability of the scale. A sample of n = 370 foreign language learners was utilised in the validation efforts, which included exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the establishment of convergent and discriminant validity, and invariance testing. The S-FLCAS was found to have a unidimensional structure with the 8 items loading on a single latent variable. Evidence was provided of the internal consistency and the convergent and discriminate validity of the S-FLCAS. In addition, the measure was found to be fully invariant across age, gender, educational levels, and L1 groups. It is therefore with some considerable confidence that we can recommend the future use of the S-FLCAS in peer-reviewed research.
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The recent and still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of an education system built around indoor teaching. Worldwide, schools closed down to reduce the spread of the virus and where it was possible students and... more
The recent and still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of an education system built around indoor teaching. Worldwide, schools closed down to reduce the spread of the virus and where it was possible students and teachers were forced to switch to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), described as "a temporary shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode due to crisis circumstances" (Hodges,
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The present study explores the relationship between learner-internal variables and enjoyment and anxiety in English Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Participants were 207 EFL learners from Spain who filled out an online questionnaire with... more
The present study explores the relationship between learner-internal variables and enjoyment and anxiety in English Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Participants were 207 EFL learners from Spain who filled out an online questionnaire with Likert scale items. Statistical analyses revealed that sociobiographical background variables such as age and multilingualism had no effect, while gender had a small effect on foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA). Further analyses showed that other foreign language learning variables were significantly linked with each other and with both foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and FLCA. More favorable attitudes toward English were linked to significantly higher levels of FLE and lower levels of FLCA. Attitudes toward the English teacher were also linked to significantly higher levels of FLE but had no significant effect on FLCA. We argue that foreign language attitudes undoubtedly affect classroom emotions but that the causality could also go the other way, with high FLE and low FLCA boosting foreign language attitudes. The results confirm and expand previous research that showed that a positive attitude toward the foreign language is a powerful predictor of FLE and that teachers play a crucial role in increasing FLE but have limited power in reducing learners’ FLCA (Dewaele et al., 2018).
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Recent research has confirmed the predictive effect of general foreign language (FL) achievement on Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA). However, few studies have examined the effect of... more
Recent research has confirmed the predictive effect of general foreign language (FL) achievement on Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA). However, few studies have examined the effect of domain-specific language achievement in shaping FL learning emotions. The present study thus aims to examine how FLE and FLCA are linked to overall FL achievement and self-perceived achievement in six different domains across listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. A total of 1, 415 Chinese senior secondary students participated in the questionnaire survey. Regression analyses showed that 1) both FLE and FLCA were predicted more by self-perceived general English proficiency, while less by actual English achievement; 2) perceptions of speaking and grammar competence were significant predictors of both emotions; 3) perceived reading competence predicted FLE significantly but not FLCA; and that 4) perceptions of listening, writing, and vocabulary competence predicted neither FLE nor FLCA. The implication is that domain-specificity should be taken into consideration in future explorations of FL emotions.
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Considering the multiplicity of factors that can affect language learning and communication processes, it is possible to affirm that the role of emotions has been underestimated. In fact, although they play a prominent role in most... more
Considering the multiplicity of factors that can affect language learning and communication processes, it is possible to affirm that the role of emotions has been underestimated. In fact, although they play a prominent role in most motivational processes, it has only been recently that researchers have begun to study how they operate in second language acquisition contexts. Among the emotions that have been studied, the one that has received most attention has undoubtedly been anxiety. However, positive emotions, such as enjoyment, have not been studied as much, even though they are important in several ways. Therefore, the present study is based on a particularly powerful conceptualization of a positive emotional experience: the concept of flow of Csíkszentmihályi (1990, 2009). The purpose of this research is to contribute to the still limited scientific literature on flow in second language learning by empirically analyzing the conditions and correlations of positive flow and antiflow in an international sample of 232 language learners obtained through a questionnaire distributed over the internet. Among the main results, it can be stated that there is evidence that positive emotions are more frequent in language classrooms than the previous literature might suggest, although antiflow states such as apathy, worry, boredom and anxiety are also present. In general, the proportion of positive and negative experiences seems to be weighted in a favorable direction to facilitate learning. Among the factors conducive to the appearance of flow, we can highlight multilingualism and the relationship between peers. Older participants spent a greater proportion of time in positive flow and, contrary to expectations, the gender factor did not obtain significant results in this sample on the enjoyment of the learning experience.
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Willingness to communicate in a second or foreign language (L2 WTC) is an important individual difference variable that influences the target language learning process. To cultivate students’ communicative competence for sustainable... more
Willingness to communicate in a second or foreign language (L2 WTC) is an important individual difference variable that influences the target language learning process. To cultivate students’ communicative competence for sustainable development and help them become active citizens of the global world, language teachers and educators need to understand L2 WTC and find ways to promote it. The present study explores the effects of teachers and teaching styles (TTS) on L2 WTC of Chinese learners of English, through a comparison of a group of 148 students in mainland China and 73 Chinese students abroad. Respondents filled out online questionnaires concerning their attitudes and perceptions of TTS and self-reported L2 WTC inside and outside classrooms. Eight of them also participated in interviews. Results revealed significant differences in TTS between the two groups and a generally low WTC among them. TTS were linked more strongly to L2 WTC in the group in mainland China. The differences are attributed to the discrepancy in social expectations, culture of learning and the opportunity to use English outside the classroom while abroad. This study may provide insights into English language teaching pedagogy from the perspective of English as a pluricentric language.
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The aim of the present study is to partially replicate the study in Dewaele (2013). We want to determine whether the independent variables linked to the preference of the first (L1) or second language (L2) for the communication of anger... more
The aim of the present study is to partially replicate the study in Dewaele (2013). We want to determine whether the independent variables linked to the preference of the first (L1) or second language (L2) for the communication of anger among a large heterogeneous group of long-time multilinguals from all over the world (Dewaele 2013) have similar effects in one relatively homogeneous linguistic and cultural group, namely 110 English-speaking Arabs living in London (UK). The analysis of quantitative and qualitative data showed that, in line with the findings in Dewaele (2013), L1 Arabic was preferred over L2 English for expressing anger at oneself, family, friends and at strangers. However, English was preferred to express anger in writing and occasionally in instances of divergence with Arabic-speaking interlocutors (Sachdev, Giles & Pauwels 2013). Frequency of use of English for anger was linked to lower age of onset of L2 learning, naturalistic or mixed L2 learning context, frequ...
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Interest in the role of learners' personality, emotions and the learning environment in foreign language (FL) learning has grown exponentially in the past decade. The introduction of personality psychology in the field of applied... more
Interest in the role of learners' personality, emotions and the learning environment in foreign language (FL) learning has grown exponentially in the past decade. The introduction of personality psychology in the field of applied linguistics has led to the inclusion of a set of personality dimensions in research designs like resilience and grit, which have been shown to be significant predictors of FL achievement. The abrupt emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 forced universities around the world to move their courses online, which has been named Emergency Remote Teaching. The sudden change in FL learning environment offers a unique opportunity to researchers to investigate whether the relationships between learners' personality and classroom emotions in traditional 'in-person' classes, and the predictors of those emotions, also exist in the new online environments. The present study examined the foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) of Chinese secondary students at different instruction levels and its links with learner-internal and external factors, namely general grit and the classroom environment (CE) of the online English classes. A total of 1,526 Chinese secondary students completed an online questionnaire. Pearson correlation analyses and regression analyses revealed that general grit and CE predicted FLCA either independently or jointly. The findings are discussed and interpreted in the light of existing research on person-environment interaction. We identify avenues for further research and propose a number of pedagogical implications for optimizing online FL teaching.
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This paper analyses foreign language anxiety in the French L2 and English L3 speech production of 100 Flemish students. The f indings suggest that foreign language anxiety is not a stable personality trait among experienced language... more
This paper analyses foreign language anxiety in the French L2 and English L3 speech production of 100 Flemish students. The f indings suggest that foreign language anxiety is not a stable personality trait among experienced language learners. The societal as well as the individual contexts were found to determine levels of communicative anxiety. The perception of French as the former prestige language in Flanders and its function as a social marker was found to be linked to the participants’ social class, which was, in turn, linked to levels of anxiety in French — but not in English. This social effect appeared to be a stronger predictor of communicative anxiety in French than three personality variables (extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism). Psychoticism, extraversion, and, to a lesser extent, neuroticism did however significantly predict levels of communicative anxiety in English L3 production. Students who scored high on the extraversion and psychoticism scales reported s...
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A new concept of formality of linguistic expressions is introduced and argued to be the most important dimension of variation between styles or registers. Formality is subdivided into "deep" formality and "surface"... more
A new concept of formality of linguistic expressions is introduced and argued to be the most important dimension of variation between styles or registers. Formality is subdivided into "deep" formality and "surface" formality. Deep formality is defined as avoidance of ambiguity by minimizing the context-dependence and fuzziness of expressions. This is achieved by explicit and precise description of the elements of the context needed to disambiguate the expression. A formal style is characterized by detachment, accuracy, rigidity and heaviness; an informal style is more flexible, direct, implicit, and involved, but less informative. An empirical measure of formality, the F-score, is proposed, based on the frequencies of different word classes in the corpus. Nouns, adjectives, articles and prepositions are more frequent in formal styles; pronouns, adverbs, verbs and interjections are more frequent in informal styles. It is shown that this measure, though coarse-grai...
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This contribution focuses on the crucial importance of multilingualism in shaping identity and personality. After a short look at the key issues in the field, it considers research on language learner classroom emotions before looking at... more
This contribution focuses on the crucial importance of multilingualism in shaping identity and personality. After a short look at the key issues in the field, it considers research on language learner classroom emotions before looking at the challenges that foreign language users face in communicating their emotions appropriately. Attention is also paid to research in Psychology and Applied Linguistics on the effects of socialisation and emotional acculturation. It concludes with a brief reflection on the development of the field of emotion and multilingualism, and on the impact it might have on academia and on society in general.
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This study presents a new positive emotion construct, 外语平和心态 (waiyu pinghe xintai) or Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM), drawn from the Chinese cultural tradition. It is a low-arousal positive (LAP) emotional state (e.g., calmness,... more
This study presents a new positive emotion construct, 外语平和心态 (waiyu pinghe xintai) or Foreign Language Peace of Mind (FLPOM), drawn from the Chinese cultural tradition. It is a low-arousal positive (LAP) emotional state (e.g., calmness, peacefulness) and a state of internal harmony. Three sub-studies were conducted. In Study 1, a measurement scale of FLPOM was developed and validated. In Study 2, the FLPOM scale was administered to Chinese English as a Foreign Language learners along the Chinese Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) scale which can potentially reflect slightly more high-arousal positive (HAP) states (e.g., joy, enthusiasm) to test the discriminability of FLPOM from FLE. Study 3 examined the extents to which FLPOM and FLE predict Chinese learners’ language proficiency. Correlation and discriminant validity analysis confirmed that FLPOM and FLE were related but discriminable emotion constructs. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that FLPOM was a stronger predictor of Chinese learners’ self-perceived FL proficiency than FLE. Possible implications on FL teaching and learning in the Chinese context were provided.
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This paper investigates the perception of emotional force of swearwords and taboo words (S-T words) among 1039 multilinguals. It is based on data drawn from a large database collected through a web questionnaire on bilingualism and... more
This paper investigates the perception of emotional force of swearwords and taboo words (S-T words) among 1039 multilinguals. It is based on data drawn from a large database collected through a web questionnaire on bilingualism and emotions. t-Tests revealed that the perceived emotional force of S-T words is highest in the L1 and gradually lower in languages learned subsequently. Self-reported L1 attriters were found to judge S-T words in their L1 to be less powerful than those who are still dominant in their L1. Participants who learned their language(s) in a naturalistic—or partly naturalistic—context gave higher ratings on emotional force of S-T words in that language than instructed language learners. Self-rated proficiency in a language and frequency of use of language significantly predicted perception of emotional force of S-T words. Age of onset of learning was found to only predict perception of emotional force of S-T words in the L2.
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An analysis of 100 Flemish high-school students' attitudes towards French and English (both foreign languages) revealed complex links etween personality factors, gender, politicocultural identity, communicative behaviour and foreign... more
An analysis of 100 Flemish high-school students' attitudes towards French and English (both foreign languages) revealed complex links etween personality factors, gender, politicocultural identity, communicative behaviour and foreign language attitudes. Attitudes towards English were found to be much more positive than those towards French, despite the fact that the participants had enjoyed a longer and more intense formal instruction in French (it being their second language). The independent variables were found to have stronger effects for French than for English, with the exception of politicocultural identity of the participant, which had a strong effect on attitudes towards French but not English. Overall, it seems that social factors, including exposure to the foreign languages, are linked with lowerlevel personality dimensions and thus shape attitudes towards these languages.
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Positive Psychology is needed to counter the deficit perspective in the foreign language teaching profession
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Twenty-one tips on how to become a successful researcher
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About the positive and negative psychological consequences of the detachment effect of the foreign language in mental health contexts
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Differences between L1 and LX users of English in perceived offensiveness and use of English taboo words
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Why it is perfectly possible to raise children with multiple languages from birth
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Adele swearing in front of an audience at a concert did not mean to offend her fans but to show solidarity and authenticity.
http://blogs.bbk.ac.uk
http://blogs.bbk.ac.uk
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Dear colleagues and friends, If you have used a foreign language in a romantic relationship at least once, please fill out this questionnaire by my BA student Lora Salomidou! Forwarding it to friends who fit the profile would be much... more
Dear colleagues and friends,
If you have used a foreign language in a romantic relationship at least once, please fill out this questionnaire by my BA student Lora Salomidou! Forwarding it to friends who fit the profile would be much appreciated!
http://goo.gl/forms/6dFj97aScb
Thank you !
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele
If you have used a foreign language in a romantic relationship at least once, please fill out this questionnaire by my BA student Lora Salomidou! Forwarding it to friends who fit the profile would be much appreciated!
http://goo.gl/forms/6dFj97aScb
Thank you !
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele
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Professor Peter MacIntyre (Cap Breton University, Canada) and myself are starting new research on emotions and personality in foreign language learning. We would be most grateful if you could forward this call for participation in a... more
Professor Peter MacIntyre (Cap Breton University, Canada) and myself are starting new research on emotions and personality in foreign language learning. We would be most grateful if you could forward this call for participation in a short online questionnaire to all the FL learners you know! We received ethical clearance at Birkbeck, University of London.
http://bit.ly/LearningForeignLanguages
Many thanks in advance!
http://bit.ly/LearningForeignLanguages
Many thanks in advance!
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The ability to recognise the emotional state of an interlocutor is a crucial skill in social encounters. Children learn it from the cradle, observing family members around them. Recognizing emotions in spontaneous speech in a foreign... more
The ability to recognise the emotional state of an interlocutor is a crucial skill in social encounters. Children learn it from the cradle, observing family members around them. Recognizing emotions in spontaneous speech in a foreign language can be challenging as it is expressed simultaneously through the choice of words and expressions, the prosody, the tone of voice, the volume but also through body language and facial expressions. In fact, some people struggle even to recognise emotions in their first language! Misreading the emotions of (foreign) interlocutors has both human and economic consequences: the receptionist, the negotiator, the head of human resources, the psychotherapist need to be able to gauge the emotional state of their interlocutor in order to react appropriately and adapt their strategy if necessary. In this talk I will report on a number of recent studies that I carried out on Emotion Recognition Ability (ERA) of first and foreign language users of English watching (or just listening to) video clips of a British actress displaying six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise and disgust).
I will show how ERA is linked to a combination of cultural, linguistic and psychological factors.
Reference
Lorette, P. & Dewaele, J.-M. (2015) (2015) Emotion recognition ability in English among L1 and LX users of English. International Journal of Language and Culture 2 (1): 62–86. DOI 10.1075/ijolc.2.1.03lor
I will show how ERA is linked to a combination of cultural, linguistic and psychological factors.
Reference
Lorette, P. & Dewaele, J.-M. (2015) (2015) Emotion recognition ability in English among L1 and LX users of English. International Journal of Language and Culture 2 (1): 62–86. DOI 10.1075/ijolc.2.1.03lor
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Recent research developments in Emotions & multilingualism. Plenary presentation at the “Jornada de Investigación” (2015) at the UNED, Madrid.
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In this lecture I will present an overview of the recent surge of interest in the field of emotion and multilingualism. I will show how cognitive psychologists, anthropologists and applied linguists collaborate using a combination of... more
In this lecture I will present an overview of the recent surge of interest in the field of emotion and multilingualism. I will show how cognitive psychologists, anthropologists and applied linguists collaborate using a combination of different research methodologies in order to answer common research questions. I will look at emotion words and expressions (swearwords, anger, declarations of love), which are generally perceived to be more emotional in multilinguals’ first language. However, in some cases it is the foreign language that becomes more emotional. I will also consider the effect of foreign language instruction on the communication of emotion and on affective variables in the foreign language.
References
Dewaele, J.-M. (2008) The emotional weight of ‘I love you’ in multilinguals’ languages. Journal of Pragmatics, 40, 1753–1780.
-(2008) Appropriateness in foreign language acquisition and use: Some theoretical, methodological and ethical considerations. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 46, 235–255.
- (2010) Emotions in Multiple Languages. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- (2011) The differences in self-reported use and perception of the L1 and L2 of maximally proficient bi- and multilinguals: A quantitative and qualitative investigation. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 208, 25-51.
- (2011) Reflections on the emotional and psychological aspects of foreign language learning and use. Anglistik, 22, 23-42.
See the full presentation on Youtube: http://youtu.be/RsqSqjsVa9s
References
Dewaele, J.-M. (2008) The emotional weight of ‘I love you’ in multilinguals’ languages. Journal of Pragmatics, 40, 1753–1780.
-(2008) Appropriateness in foreign language acquisition and use: Some theoretical, methodological and ethical considerations. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 46, 235–255.
- (2010) Emotions in Multiple Languages. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- (2011) The differences in self-reported use and perception of the L1 and L2 of maximally proficient bi- and multilinguals: A quantitative and qualitative investigation. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 208, 25-51.
- (2011) Reflections on the emotional and psychological aspects of foreign language learning and use. Anglistik, 22, 23-42.
See the full presentation on Youtube: http://youtu.be/RsqSqjsVa9s
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Professor Dewaele talks about how multilingualism can benefit children and societies and debunks some of the common myths about multilingual child-rearing. Professor Dewaele's new book, Raising Multilingual Children, is available now and... more
Professor Dewaele talks about how multilingualism can benefit children and societies and debunks some of the common myths about multilingual child-rearing.
Professor Dewaele's new book, Raising Multilingual Children, is available now and is published by Multilingual Matters.
To hear the interview, click on the link: Podcast https://soundcloud.com/birkbeck-podcasts/raising-multilingual-children-interview-with-professor-jean-marc-dewaele?in=birkbeck-podcasts/sets/birkbeck-voices
Professor Dewaele's new book, Raising Multilingual Children, is available now and is published by Multilingual Matters.
To hear the interview, click on the link: Podcast https://soundcloud.com/birkbeck-podcasts/raising-multilingual-children-interview-with-professor-jean-marc-dewaele?in=birkbeck-podcasts/sets/birkbeck-voices
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Research Interests:
A double interview with my daughter Livia and me about her trilingualism and multilingualism issues in general (in English and French versions)
http://bit.ly/2dxhqnG and http://bit.ly/2cOFWOJ
http://bit.ly/2dxhqnG and http://bit.ly/2cOFWOJ
Research Interests:
I was briefly interviewed by Nick Robinson on the Today program on BBC4 on Jose Mourinho's use of the phrase "filja de puta" to Eva Carneiro, the Chelsea team doctor. Check it out just after 1:43:00... more
I was briefly interviewed by Nick Robinson on the Today program on BBC4 on Jose Mourinho's use of the phrase "filja de puta" to Eva Carneiro, the Chelsea team doctor.
Check it out just after 1:43:00
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07dly5j#play
Check it out just after 1:43:00
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07dly5j#play
Research Interests:
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Radio Kaffeehaus Vienna
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Overview of recent developments in Language Education and Applied Linguistics
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Is there a link between degree of multilingualism and creativity?
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Hello. Everyone loves a good joke, and a dose of humour can make classroom learning more enjoyable (or, alternately, go off track). What works and what doesn't (and why) can be a bit of a mystery, though. To that end, we are embarking on... more
Hello. Everyone loves a good joke, and a dose of humour can make classroom learning more enjoyable (or, alternately, go off track). What works and what doesn't (and why) can be a bit of a mystery, though. To that end, we are embarking on a project to study the complex role that humour plays in language learning. We have created an online survey targeting language learners, including questions related to individual differences, effective and ineffective humour styles in the classroom, and respondents' views on how humour might enhance the learning process. The survey is in English but has been developed so that learners of any foreign language can respond. We would greatly appreciate it if you would pass the link to the survey landing page along to any current language learners you might teach or know (including yourself!) For most people the survey should take no more than 20 minutes.
https://survey.sogosurvey.com/Survey1.aspx?k=RRsQSWSRTsSsPsPsP&lang=0
https://survey.sogosurvey.com/Survey1.aspx?k=RRsQSWSRTsSsPsPsP&lang=0
Research Interests:
Dear participant, We would like to invite you to take part in a short and fun study on emotions and emotional expression in Spanish. To participate in the study, you must be aged 18 or over, native speaker of Spanish or current or... more
Dear participant,
We would like to invite you to take part in a short and fun study on emotions and emotional expression in Spanish.
To participate in the study, you must be aged 18 or over, native speaker of Spanish or current or former student of Spanish as a foreign language in classroom or immersion settings within the last 5 years.
There are two different questionnaires but you have to complete ONLY ONE.
If you were born on an even date of any month (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30), please use the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBrcLQmkpeCjHd30aSDmhoqFUgOnEHHE8J3dYClWP2ZhdPrQ/viewform
If you were born on an odd date of any month (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31), please use the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScW2xC60zKgbp85tlYx3Rkc0MpWjKPsZ17iJG-xyC14Ubvdfw/viewform
Please, read very carefully the instructions given (in both English and Spanish) in each section. The information you provide will be kept strictly confidential and used only for research purposes. It will not be used in any manner that would allow identification of your individual responses.
You are very welcome to discuss the project with us or to ask for more information if you wish before you decide on whether to take part in it.
Thank you very much for your collaboration!
Irini Mavrou (emavrou@nebrija.es) Department of Applied Languages (Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid; and Jean-Marc Dewaele (j.dewaele@bbk.ac.uk), Department of Applied Linguistics & Communication (Birkbeck, University of London). The study has received ethical approval by the Comité Ética y Calidad en Investigación (Universidad Antonio de Nebrija).
We would like to invite you to take part in a short and fun study on emotions and emotional expression in Spanish.
To participate in the study, you must be aged 18 or over, native speaker of Spanish or current or former student of Spanish as a foreign language in classroom or immersion settings within the last 5 years.
There are two different questionnaires but you have to complete ONLY ONE.
If you were born on an even date of any month (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30), please use the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBrcLQmkpeCjHd30aSDmhoqFUgOnEHHE8J3dYClWP2ZhdPrQ/viewform
If you were born on an odd date of any month (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31), please use the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScW2xC60zKgbp85tlYx3Rkc0MpWjKPsZ17iJG-xyC14Ubvdfw/viewform
Please, read very carefully the instructions given (in both English and Spanish) in each section. The information you provide will be kept strictly confidential and used only for research purposes. It will not be used in any manner that would allow identification of your individual responses.
You are very welcome to discuss the project with us or to ask for more information if you wish before you decide on whether to take part in it.
Thank you very much for your collaboration!
Irini Mavrou (emavrou@nebrija.es) Department of Applied Languages (Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid; and Jean-Marc Dewaele (j.dewaele@bbk.ac.uk), Department of Applied Linguistics & Communication (Birkbeck, University of London). The study has received ethical approval by the Comité Ética y Calidad en Investigación (Universidad Antonio de Nebrija).
Research Interests:
Pernelle Lorette, a PhD student of mine, is looking for participants for her research on emotion recognition. No matter where you come from, which language(s) you can speak, absolutely ANYONE can participate! It takes only 15 mins and... more
Pernelle Lorette, a PhD student of mine, is looking for participants for her research on emotion recognition. No matter where you come from, which language(s) you can speak, absolutely ANYONE can participate!
It takes only 15 mins and it's such a fun survey. Please click on the link below and complete to survey! If you have any questions, please contact Pernelle Lorette: ploret01@mail.bbk.ac.uk
English version: http://survey.sl-services.be/index.php/321522?lang=en
简体中文版: http://survey.sl-services.be/index.php/321522?lang=zh-Hans
繁體中文版: http://survey.sl-services.be/index.php/321522?lang=zh-Hant-HK
Many thanks in advance for spreading this call!
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele, Birkbeck, University of London
It takes only 15 mins and it's such a fun survey. Please click on the link below and complete to survey! If you have any questions, please contact Pernelle Lorette: ploret01@mail.bbk.ac.uk
English version: http://survey.sl-services.be/index.php/321522?lang=en
简体中文版: http://survey.sl-services.be/index.php/321522?lang=zh-Hans
繁體中文版: http://survey.sl-services.be/index.php/321522?lang=zh-Hant-HK
Many thanks in advance for spreading this call!
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele, Birkbeck, University of London
Research Interests:
This is the questionnaire we currently use to measure Foreign language enjoyment and anxiety
Research Interests:
I have launched an anonymous online questionnaire with Sarah Mercer and Christina Gkonou to collect data from English as second/foreign language teachers and trainee teachers from all around the world. We are interested in relationships... more
I have launched an anonymous online questionnaire with Sarah Mercer and Christina Gkonou to collect data from English as second/foreign language teachers and trainee teachers from all around the world. We are interested in relationships between personality, English proficiency, motivation as a teacher, and self-reported classroom attitudes and practices. The questionnaire takes between 10 and 15 minutes to complete, including about 4 minutes for a 60-item English lexical decision task. We will be eternally grateful if you could participate and please forward our call to friends and colleagues! Please note that it is a voluntary questionnaire and no personally identifying details will be collected. To access the questionnaire, click here: http://goo.gl/forms/oGIxubEfrw MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE!
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If you have any enquiries regarding this discount order form please do not hesitate to email us: info@multilingual-matters.com With a decidedly positive outlook on applied linguistics stemming from positive psychology, this volume piques... more
If you have any enquiries regarding this discount order form please do not hesitate to email us: info@multilingual-matters.com With a decidedly positive outlook on applied linguistics stemming from positive psychology, this volume piques the interest of teachers and researchers alike by shedding light on language learning and empowerment, happiness, resilience, melody, stress reduction and enjoyment as well as success. No wonder that this book is a joy to read! Kata Csizér, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary This volume offers a refreshing perspective on the process of learning and teaching new languages, highlighting the diverse ways in which learners and teachers draw on the many positive aspects of the human condition in their development as users of a non-native language. Without understating the difficulties that trouble language learning, this book provides a well-grounded basis for future studies using theoretical perspectives from positive psychology, and inspires teaching practices that recognize the human potential to thrive and grow. Kimberley A. Noels, University of Alberta, Canada Second language learning is a new area for Positive Psychology and these authors have found that it is a surprising and remarkable aide. Martin Seligman, Director of the Penn Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, USA and author of Flourish: A New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being-and How To Achieve Them This book is about the dynamics of happiness in language learning, the ripples that interact with other ripples, not necessarily in unison, but providing a goal and resources for processes of development. The contributions aim to show the positive sides of language teaching and learning without ignoring or denying the negative ones. They strive to reach a balance that allows for human agency to frame existences and hopes. The authors aim to move beyond the 'Don't worry, be happy' level by using carefully defined concepts and rigorous methodology. Kees de Bot, University of Groningen, Netherlands This book explores theories in positive psychology and their implications for language teaching, learning and communication. Chapters examine the characteristics of individuals, contexts and relationships that facilitate learning and present several new teaching ideas to develop and support them.
Research Interests:
Dear colleagues, students, friends, foreign language learners, Peter MacIntyre and myself have been collaborating on emotions in the foreign language classroom, focusing on individual differences in both positive (enjoyment) and negative... more
Dear colleagues, students, friends, foreign language learners,
Peter MacIntyre and myself have been collaborating on emotions in the foreign language classroom, focusing on individual differences in both positive (enjoyment) and negative (anxiety) emotions of foreign language learners (Dewaele & MacIntyre 2014, 2016, Dewaele, MacIntyre, Boudreau & Dewaele 2016).
The present questionnaire focuses on motivation in the learning of foreign languages and the potential link with a wider range of learners’ emotions. We hope to recruit as many learners as possible from all over the world. The only requirement is that they must have been enrolled in a foreign language class in the past few months. We’ll be eternally grateful if you know somebody who fits this profile and you forward them this call! We intend to leave the questionnaire online until mid September 2017.
The findings will find their way into our future conference presentations and papers which will appear here.
Many thanks in advance!
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele & Professor Peter MacIntyre
https://goo.gl/forms/H8Q1KC9aPNJuq2uG2
Peter MacIntyre and myself have been collaborating on emotions in the foreign language classroom, focusing on individual differences in both positive (enjoyment) and negative (anxiety) emotions of foreign language learners (Dewaele & MacIntyre 2014, 2016, Dewaele, MacIntyre, Boudreau & Dewaele 2016).
The present questionnaire focuses on motivation in the learning of foreign languages and the potential link with a wider range of learners’ emotions. We hope to recruit as many learners as possible from all over the world. The only requirement is that they must have been enrolled in a foreign language class in the past few months. We’ll be eternally grateful if you know somebody who fits this profile and you forward them this call! We intend to leave the questionnaire online until mid September 2017.
The findings will find their way into our future conference presentations and papers which will appear here.
Many thanks in advance!
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele & Professor Peter MacIntyre
https://goo.gl/forms/H8Q1KC9aPNJuq2uG2
Research Interests:
Dear colleagues, students, friends, foreign language learners, Peter MacIntyre and myself have been collaborating on emotions in the foreign language classroom, focusing on individual differences in both positive (enjoyment) and negative... more
Dear colleagues, students, friends, foreign language learners,
Peter MacIntyre and myself have been collaborating on emotions in the foreign language classroom, focusing on individual differences in both positive (enjoyment) and negative (anxiety) emotions of foreign language learners (Dewaele & MacIntyre 2014, 2016, Dewaele, MacIntyre, Boudreau & Dewaele 2016).
The present questionnaire focuses on motivation in the learning of foreign languages and the potential link with a wider range of learners’ emotions. We hope to recruit as many learners as possible from all over the world. The only requirement is that they must have been enrolled in a foreign language class in the past few months. We’ll be eternally grateful if you know somebody who fits this profile and you forward them this call! We intend to leave the questionnaire online until mid September 2017.
The findings will find their way into our future conference presentations and papers which will appear here.
Many thanks in advance!
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele & Professor Peter MacIntyre
https://goo.gl/forms/H8Q1KC9aPNJuq2uG2
Peter MacIntyre and myself have been collaborating on emotions in the foreign language classroom, focusing on individual differences in both positive (enjoyment) and negative (anxiety) emotions of foreign language learners (Dewaele & MacIntyre 2014, 2016, Dewaele, MacIntyre, Boudreau & Dewaele 2016).
The present questionnaire focuses on motivation in the learning of foreign languages and the potential link with a wider range of learners’ emotions. We hope to recruit as many learners as possible from all over the world. The only requirement is that they must have been enrolled in a foreign language class in the past few months. We’ll be eternally grateful if you know somebody who fits this profile and you forward them this call! We intend to leave the questionnaire online until mid September 2017.
The findings will find their way into our future conference presentations and papers which will appear here.
Many thanks in advance!
Professor Jean-Marc Dewaele & Professor Peter MacIntyre
https://goo.gl/forms/H8Q1KC9aPNJuq2uG2
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Aims and objectives: This study examines the language anxiety that occurs in immigrants’ daily lives when speaking the heritage language and the majority language, both in their host country and during visits to their home country. It... more
Aims and objectives: This study examines the language anxiety that occurs in immigrants’ daily lives when speaking the heritage language and the majority language, both in their host country and during visits to their home country. It compares the levels of heritage language anxiety and majority language anxiety across three generations of the Turkish immigrant community in the Netherlands and explores the link between immigrants’ language anxiety, and sociobiographical (i.e. generation, gender, education) and language background variables (i.e. age of acquisition, self-perceived proficiency, frequency of language use).
Design: A Likert scale-based questionnaire was administered to 116 participants across three generations who reported their language anxiety levels when speaking the heritage language and the majority language in three social contexts (i.e. family, friendship and speaking with native speakers).
Findings: Statistical analyses revealed that heritage language anxiety and majority language anxiety were prevalent in immigrants’ daily life, and that levels of both forms of anxiety differed across generations, and in different daily life situations. First- and second-generation immigrants typically experienced majority language anxiety, while second- and predominantly third-generation immigrants suffered from heritage language anxiety. Relationships emerged between language background variables and both forms of anxiety, but only in certain situations. These findings suggest that language background variables on their own may be insufficient to explain immigrant language anxiety in certain social contexts (i.e. within family). Rather than merely language background factors, a variety of other issues within social, cultural and national currents must be considered when examining language anxiety in the immigrant context.
Implications: Taking an interdisciplinary approach that combines language contact and foreign language anxiety/second language anxiety research, this study suggests that the concept of foreign language anxiety/second language anxiety should be expanded beyond the confines of the classroom in order to include daily interactions of immigrant or minority communities.
Originality: This study contributes to the limited body of evidence on the topic of language anxiety in immigrant contexts and presents a new construct ‘majority language anxiety’.
Key words: Language anxiety, immigrant context, minority context, majority language anxiety (MLA), heritage language anxiety (HLA), Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands, three generations, interdisciplinary approach.
Design: A Likert scale-based questionnaire was administered to 116 participants across three generations who reported their language anxiety levels when speaking the heritage language and the majority language in three social contexts (i.e. family, friendship and speaking with native speakers).
Findings: Statistical analyses revealed that heritage language anxiety and majority language anxiety were prevalent in immigrants’ daily life, and that levels of both forms of anxiety differed across generations, and in different daily life situations. First- and second-generation immigrants typically experienced majority language anxiety, while second- and predominantly third-generation immigrants suffered from heritage language anxiety. Relationships emerged between language background variables and both forms of anxiety, but only in certain situations. These findings suggest that language background variables on their own may be insufficient to explain immigrant language anxiety in certain social contexts (i.e. within family). Rather than merely language background factors, a variety of other issues within social, cultural and national currents must be considered when examining language anxiety in the immigrant context.
Implications: Taking an interdisciplinary approach that combines language contact and foreign language anxiety/second language anxiety research, this study suggests that the concept of foreign language anxiety/second language anxiety should be expanded beyond the confines of the classroom in order to include daily interactions of immigrant or minority communities.
Originality: This study contributes to the limited body of evidence on the topic of language anxiety in immigrant contexts and presents a new construct ‘majority language anxiety’.
Key words: Language anxiety, immigrant context, minority context, majority language anxiety (MLA), heritage language anxiety (HLA), Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands, three generations, interdisciplinary approach.
Research Interests: Multilingualism, Migration, Minority Studies, Migration Studies, Minority Languages, and 18 moreHeritage language studies, Turkish Language, Bilingualism and Multilingualism, Bilingualism, Language contact, Language Anxiety, Heritage Language Speakers, Dutch language, Turkish immigrants, Interdisciplinary Approach, Immigrant Communities, Cross-generational comparison, Immigrant Context, Minority Context, Majority Language Anxiety (MLA), Heritage Language Anxiety (HLA), Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands, and Turkis-Dutch language contact
International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 27(2), 555–563. Doi: 10.1111/ijal.12178