A Study of Flow Theory in the Foreign Language Classroom

Abstract

This article focuses on the relationship between flow experiences and language learning. Flow Theory suggests that flow experiences (characterized by a balance between challenge and skills and by a person's interest, control, and focused attention during a task) can lead to optimal learning. This theory has not yet been tested in the area of foreign or second language learning. The purpose of the present study is twofold: first, to establish the foundation for a research stream addressing flow in language learning, and second, to investigate whether flow exists in foreign language (FL) classrooms. Findings suggest that flow does exist in the FL classroom and that Flow Theory offers an interesting and useful framework for conceptualizing and evaluating language learning activities.

Networked Flow: A Framework for Understanding the Dynamics of Creative Collaboration in Educational and Training Settings

“…The concept of flow is considered particularly relevant to the investigation of learning processes, and several scholars have investigated the specific factors fostering optimal experience in education [16,[20][21][22][23][24][25]. While Csikszentmihalyi investigated flow mainly at the individual level, Sawyer [11,15] extended this concept to the study of group collaboration, with the purpose of understanding which features facilitate optimal group experience and its relationship with creative performance.…”

An Investigation into the Optimal Experience in Reading Journalistic Texts in Light of Instructing Fairclough’s and Van Dijk’s Model

“…According to Egbert (2003) the participants who averaged 5.0 or above on any survey (equivalent to agree on all questions) are believed to have experienced flow. In this respect, previous research designates the flow experience as being above average on skill and challenge.…”

“…A few studies which have applied flow theory in language learning have confirmed the relationship between flow and classroom language learning (Egbert, 2003;Ghonsooly & Hamedi, 2014;McQuillan & Conde, 1996;Schmidt & Savage, 1992). As noted, among the classroom activities, reading is reported as a flow inducing task in that the recreation of the writer's intended meaning can be accomplished only when the reader integrates the textual information with his background knowledge (Haji Maibodi, 2008).…”

“…More importantly, Egbert (2003) specifies skill-challenge balance, attention, interest, and control as the fundamental flow dimensions.…”

“…Hence, the input just beyond the learners' current competence that is mostly comprehensible but still be challenged to make a progress (Brown, 1994) might be influential in generating flow experience in language classes at all levels. Nonetheless, Egbert (2003) contended that the students at the rudimentary levels might hardly gain flow as they lack the sufficient competence to be far immersed in the texts. Indeed, since language learning is a complex activity, the kinds of factors that might promote or prohibit flow experience are still shrouded in mystery, however, Egbert (2003) has depicted the relationship between optimal experience and language learning by highlighting the importance of the target language task as well as general environmental factors which might be practical in clarifying the issue with all its complexities ( Figure 1).…”