Emotions and Instructed Language Learning: Proposing a Second Language Emotions and Positive Psychology Model

Abstract

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.

Social psychological accounts of peer emotion transfer in EFL classrooms: A doubly latent multilevel analysis

“…When a student senses his/her peers' FL emotions on an individual basis, higher perceived peer enjoyment and lower perceived peer anxiety and boredom have positive influences on the student's control and value appraisals, which in turn result in higher levels of student enjoyment and lower levels of student anxiety and boredom (Shao et al, 2020a).…”

“…Mood was rated as better after exposure to the happy voice, but there were no corresponding effects of explicit registration of the other's expressed affect or awareness that affect had been influenced. On the other hand, Although these two perspectives have not been examined previously in the FL context, it seems likely that they are equally applicable in language classrooms (Shao et al, 2020a).…”

The Development and Validation of the Short Form of the Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale

“…While keeping these precautions in mind, it has been argued that short-form development through psychometrically sound methods will provide a valid and reliable alternative to the already existing 10-item measure in the case of FLE. The rising popularity of FLE as a research topic (Dewaele, Chen, et al, 2019;Dewaele & Li, 2020;Shao, Nicholson, Kutuk & Lei, 2020) has created a need for a validated measure that can be used as part of a battery of instruments where the trade-off between the number of items and the validity of the scale has been optimised. An additional benefit provided by the process of developing a short form of the 21-item FLES is that the dimensionality of the construct could also be examined further.…”

Exploring Chinese EFL Learners' Achievement Emotions and Their Antecedents in an Online English Learning Environment

“…The past three decades have witnessed an increasing number of studies focusing on emotions in second language (L2) teaching and learning (Dewaele and MacIntyre, 2014;Shao et al, 2020a). Apart from L2 anxiety which has been extensively studied since Horwitz et al (1986), researchers have also begun to present a holistic view of L2 emotions with the development of positive psychology .…”