Understanding Positive Psychological Factors for Sustainable EFL Learning

Authors

  • Xiaoyu Hu Faculty of Education, Languages, Psychology, and Music, SEGi University
  • Gurnam Kaur Sidhu Faculty of Education, Languages, Psychology, and Music, SEGi University
  • Noryati Alias Faculty of Education, Languages, Psychology, and Music, SEGi University
  • Fen Fu Faculty of Foreign Languages, Shaoyang University, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v8i23.4462

Keywords:

Foreign Language Enjoyment, Grit, Sustainable Language Learning, Positive Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between foreign language enjoyment, grit, and English language performance. This study adopted a descriptive correlational research design involving 388 Chinese EFL university students. Self-reported questionnaires and the College English Test-Band 4 were utilised to collect the data. The findings reported a moderate to high level of language enjoyment and grit among the students. No significant differences were found between male and female students regarding their language enjoyment and grit. Furthermore, the path analysis showed that language enjoyment and grit could significantly predict English language performance.

References

Bensalem, E. (2021). Classroom enjoyment and anxiety among Saudi undergraduate EFL students: does gender matter? Vigo International Journal of Applied Linguistics(18), pp. 9–34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35869/vial.v0i18.3363

Bougie, R., & Sekaran, U. (2019). Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. ser. PS Series. HarperCollins.

Dewaele, J.-M., & Alfawzan, M. (2018). Does the effect of enjoyment outweigh that of anxiety in foreign language performance? Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 8(1), 21-45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.1.2

Dewaele, J.-M., Chen, X., Padilla, A. M., & Lake, J. (2019). The flowering of positive psychology in foreign/second language teaching and acquisition research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02128

Dewaele, J.-M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2016). Foreign Language Enjoyment and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: The Right and Left Feet of the Language Learner. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783095360-010

In T. Gregersen, P. D. MacIntyre, & S. Mercer (Eds.), Positive psychology in SLA (pp. 215-236). Multilingual Matters.

Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and social Psychology, 92(6), 1087. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research, 18(1), 39-50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104

Guo, Y. (2021). Exploring the dynamic interplay between foreign language enjoyment and learner engagement with regard to EFL achievement and absenteeism: a sequential mixed methods study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.766058

Hodge, B., Wright, B., & Bennett, P. (2018). The role of grit in determining engagement and academic outcomes for university students. Research in Higher Education, 59(4), 448-460. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-017-9474-y

Hu, X., Sidhu, G. K., & Lu, X. (2022a). Exploring Positive Psychology Factors in the Quality of English as A Foreign Language Classroom Life: A Case Study. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 7(22), 17-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i22.4153

Hu, X., Sidhu, G. K., & Lu, X. (2022b). Relationship Between Growth Mindset and English Language Performance Among Chinese EFL University Students: The Mediating Roles of Grit and Foreign Language Enjoyment. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.935506

Jiang, Y., & Dewaele, J.-M. (2019). How unique is the foreign language classroom enjoyment and anxiety of Chinese EFL learners? System, 82, 13-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.02.017

Jin, Y., & Zhang, L. J. (2019). A comparative study of two scales for foreign language classroom enjoyment. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), 1024-1041. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0031512519864471

Khajavy, G. H., MacIntyre, P. D., & Hariri, J. (2021). A closer look at grit and language mindset as predictors of foreign language achievement. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 43(2), 379-402. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263120000480

Kramer, B., McLean, S., & Shepherd Martin, E. (2018). Student grittiness: A pilot study investigating scholarly persistence in EFL classrooms.

Lee, J. S. (2020). The role of grit and classroom enjoyment in EFL learners’ willingness to communicate. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2039677

Li, C., Dewaele, J.-M., & Jiang, G. (2020). The complex relationship between classroom emotions and EFL achievement in China. Applied Linguistics Review, 11(3), 485-510. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2018-0043

Li, C., & Wei, L. (2022). Anxiety, enjoyment, and boredom in language learning amongst junior secondary students in rural China: How do they contribute to L2 achievement? Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 1-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263122000031

Liu, E., & Wang, J. (2021). Examining the Relationship Between Grit and Foreign Language Performance: Enjoyment and Anxiety as Mediators. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666892

Padilla, A. M., Chen, X., & Lake, J. (2020). Editorial: Positive Psychology and Learning a Second or Third Language [Editorial]. 11(2719). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.599326

Seligman, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology. An introduction. The American Psychologist, 55 1, 5-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5

Teimouri, Y., Plonsky, L., & Tabandeh, F. (2020). L2 grit: Passion and perseverance for second-language learning. Language teaching research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820921895

Wang, X., Wang, Y., Yang, Y., & Wang, L. (2021). Investigating Chinese University Students’ Enjoyment in a Web-Based Language Learning Environment: Validation of the Online Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 00315125211041714. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00315125211041714

Wei, H., Gao, K., & Wang, W. (2019). Understanding the relationship between grit and foreign language performance among middle school students: The roles of foreign language enjoyment and classroom environment. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1508. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01508

Yang, P. (2021). Exploring the Relationship Between Chinese EFL Students' Grit, Well-Being, and Classroom Enjoyment. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.762945

Yin, X., Sidhu, G. K., Shamida, A., & Shuoteng, H. (2022). Relationship among Self-determination, Growth Mindset and EFL Students’ Language Proficiency. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 7(21), 73-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i21.3723

Downloads

Published

2023-03-24

How to Cite

Hu, X., Sidhu, G. K., Alias, N., & Fu, F. (2023). Understanding Positive Psychological Factors for Sustainable EFL Learning. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 8(23), 61–67. https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v8i23.4462

Issue

Section

Communications / Social Media Environment

Most read articles by the same author(s)