This study examined 510 Chinese students' emotional intelligence (EI) and English classroom learning anxiety at three universities in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. Results obtained from the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire–Short Form (TEIQue–SF) and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) showed the following results: (a) More than half of the Chinese college students possessed a middle to high level of EI and at least one third experienced language anxiety in English class; (b) Moderate to relatively strong associations were found among students' EI, foreign language anxiety (FLA), English achievement, and self‐rated English proficiency; (c) FLA had a significant and partial mediating effect on EI in predicting students' English achievement; and (d) FLA also significantly and partially mediated the relationship between EI and self‐rated English proficiency. Results and implications are discussed in the context of the importance of emotional factors affecting the learning of English.
Although emotion research and positive psychology (PP) have recently gained strong momentum in the field of second language acquisition (SLA), theoretical models linking language emotion and PP research, which offer insights for both research and intervention practice are lacking. To address this gap, the present article first introduces the origin, concept, and research around PP. Next, it summarizes recent research on PP and emotions in SLA. Finally, by triangulating emotion theories and research in the fields of psychology, education, and SLA, we propose a new model, which merges the three pillars of PP (positive institutions, positive characteristics, and positive emotions) with the antecedents, outcomes, and interventions of second language (L2) emotions (the L2EPP model). The value of the model to L2 pedagogy and research is highlighted in the context of the importance of integrating PP into the area of emotions and instructed SLA.
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