Engaging Language Learners in Contemporary Classrooms

Mercer, Sarah; Dörnyei, Zoltán

doi:10.1017/9781009024563

Cited by 210 publications

(176 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

135

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…For instance, the committees can ask the teacher applicants about the strategies that they will employ to increase FLE in their language learners. As shown in previous research, one useful way to aid emergence of FLE in the classroom is teachers' conveying of support and friendliness to students (Mercer and Dörnyei, 2020). Therefore, the authorities in charge of recruiting effective language teachers can target those teachers who are aware of the significance of positive teacher-student relationships, positive emotional experiences, and positive environmental factors in students' enjoyment, effective performance, and success.…”

Section: Conclusion and Pedagogical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hiver et al (2021) conceptualized L2 engagement as the degree that a language learner is mentally or physically involved in doing a language learning task. Mercer and Dörnyei (2020) asserted that language learners' willing engagement is a desideratum for developing communicative language ability, which requires extensive communicative practice and involvement. Many language education stakeholders believe that a key factor to increasing L2 students' ultimate attainment and success is fostering their engagement (Mercer, 2019).…”

Section: Academic Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Researching and Practicing Positive Psychology in Second/Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: The Past, Current Status and Future Directions

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In addressing the recent special issue in Frontiers in Psychology, namely “Positive Psychology in Foreign and Second Language Education: Approaches and Applications,” calling language education researchers around the globe to study positive emotions, positive personality traits, and positive institutional tendencies and their implications for language education systems, stakeholders, and policy practices, the present conceptual review paper aims to acquaint language education researchers, practitioners, instructors, and learners with the main tenets of positive psychology and their application in second/foreign language (L2) education research. Accordingly, by drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, we explain how individuals' positivity can result in their flourishment and development in any aspect of life, including L2 learning and teaching. Then, we introduce and conceptualize seven instances of positive psychology variables, namely academic engagement, emotion regulation, enjoyment, grit, loving pedagogy, resilience, and well-being and explain how these positive factors contribute to desirable L2 learning and teaching experiences. Subsequently, potential theoretical and pedagogical implications are drawn to enhance the quality and effectiveness of language education systems and their respective stakeholders. In the end, the limitations of the studies in this area are explicated, and suggestions for future research are provided to expand the extant literature on positive psychology in the domain of L2 education.

show abstract

Section: Conclusion and Pedagogical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Academic Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Researching and Practicing Positive Psychology in Second/Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: The Past, Current Status and Future Directions

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Many teachers across the world, whether in language learning or other fields, have identified the challenges of keeping students engaged and focused on the solutions when they are faced with multiple distractions (Mercer and Dörnyei, 2020 ). Due to the potential of learners' engagement in resolving persistent instructive issues like a low accomplishment, high dropout rates, and high paces of learners' fatigue and aggression, there have been a bulk of investigations about engagement in the classroom in recent decades (Fredricks, 2015 ; Boekaerts, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fostering Students' Autonomy and Engagement in EFL Classroom Through Proximal Classroom Factors: Autonomy-Supportive Behaviors and Student-Teacher Relationships

Han

2021

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Language learning achievement depends on student engagement which is at the center of attention these days. To assist students to become autonomous and independent learners, providing a social and supportive context is beneficial through autonomy-supportive and interaction. When learners are given the freedom to make choices about their education, they are likely to feel more enthusiastic and engaged. Moreover, learners' academic and social practices are largely influenced by educators, who play a major role as social agents and the function of the educators as the most dominant figures is the cornerstone of the language classroom. As there is a dearth of studies that have considered teachers and student interactions among all other effective issues and their significant effect on students' autonomy and engagement from the perspective of self-determination theory (autonomy support), the present review endeavors to focus on teacher-student interaction from the social perspective and their effects on student engagement in EFL classrooms. Subsequently, some implications are presented to elucidate the practice of teachers, students, teacher educators, materials developers.

show abstract

“…In general, teachers want students to engage deeply in study activities because students' dedication and effort have a positive effect on learning success and achievement (Linnenbrink and Pintrich, 2003;Christenson et al, 2013;Mercer and Dörnyei, 2020). Teachers are in a position in which they can shape the engagement of students (Skinner and Pitzer, 2013) by creating a facilitative, motivating learning environment.…”

Section: Literature Review Academic Engagement In Tertiary Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Teachers are in a position in which they can shape the engagement of students (Skinner and Pitzer, 2013) by creating a facilitative, motivating learning environment. Mercer and Dörnyei (2020), for instance, recommend the "Socratic method" for teaching, that is asking questions to promote critical thinking, as well as getting students to prepare questions for each other, which leads to sustainable and transferrable learning outcomes. Another way to increase academic engagement is a discovery approach to generate curiosity by letting students find out answers to questions and solutions to problems by themselves "simply for the reward of the pleasure of knowing more" (Mercer and Dörnyei, 2020, p. 108).…”

Section: Literature Review Academic Engagement In Tertiary Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student Perceptions of Academic Engagement and Student-Teacher Relationships in Problem-Based Learning

Amerstorfer

Münster-Kistner

2021

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Students’ academic engagement depends on a variety of factors that are related to personal learner characteristics, the teacher, the teaching methodology, peers, and other features in the learning environment. Components that influence academic engagement can be cognitive, metacognitive, affective, social, task-related, communicative, and foreign language-related. Rather than existing in isolated spheres, the factors contributing to an individual’s academic engagement intertwine and overlap. The relationships students cultivate with others are prominent in several of these areas. Positive interpersonal relationships enhance individuals’ enthusiasm for learning (Mercer and Dörnyei, 2020), which benefits sustainable learning success and self-confidence. The relationships between students and teachers and the perceptions students have of their teachers seem to be particularly influential on students’ engagement in academic undertakings. Problem-based learning (PBL), a teaching approach particularly suitable for tertiary education, involves students in authentic problem-solving processes and fosters students’ self-regulation and teamwork. Intensive relationship-building is one of the key characteristics of this student-centered approach (Amerstorfer, 2020). The study reported in this article explores the connection between the academic engagement of 34 students and their perceptions of three instructors in a teacher education program for pre-service English teachers in Austria. An online questionnaire was used to investigate the participants’ perceived academic engagement (effort, dedication, learning success) in a university course that implements PBL as its underlying teaching methodology in comparison to conventional teaching approaches. The study further examines how the students perceived the course instructors’ caring, credibility, communication style, and feedback, which leads to new information about how PBL shapes student-teacher relationships. Due to Covid-19, the otherwise face-to-face course was taught online.

show abstract

Engaging Language Learners in Contemporary Classrooms

Cited by 210 publications

References 0 publications

Researching and Practicing Positive Psychology in Second/Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: The Past, Current Status and Future Directions

Researching and Practicing Positive Psychology in Second/Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: The Past, Current Status and Future Directions

Fostering Students' Autonomy and Engagement in EFL Classroom Through Proximal Classroom Factors: Autonomy-Supportive Behaviors and Student-Teacher Relationships

Student Perceptions of Academic Engagement and Student-Teacher Relationships in Problem-Based Learning

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About