Does the effect of enjoyment outweigh that of anxiety in foreign language performance?

Jean-Marc Dewaele,Mateb Alfawzan

doi:10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.1.2

Abstract

Interest in the effect of positive and negative emotions in foreign language acquisition has soared recently because of the positive psychology movement (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014, 2016; MacIntyre, Gregersen & Mercer, 2016). No work so far has been carried out on the differential effect of positive and negative emotions on foreign language performance. The current study investigates the effect of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) on foreign language performance in a group of 189 foreign language pupils in two London secondary schools and a group of 152 Saudi English as a foreign language learners and users of English in Saudi Arabia. Correlation analyses showed that the positive effect of FLE on performance was stronger than the negative effect of FLCA. In other words, FLE seems to matter slightly more than FLCA in foreign language (FL) performance. Qualitative material collected from the Saudi participants shed light on the causes of FLCA and FLE and how these shaped participants’ decisions to pursue or abandon the study of the FL.

Highlights

A Spearman correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and test results (Rho = .34, p < .0001, r2 = 11.6) and a negative relationship between foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and test results (Rho = -.30, p < .0001, r2 = 9.0)
Study 2 The relationship between FLE, FLCA and test results Spearman Rho correlation analyses revealed that FLE and FLCA were both associated with proficiency in English as a foreign language (FL), though only the relationship with FLE was significant (Rho = 0.242, p < 0.003, r2 = 5.8)
The present study investigated the effect of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) on self-reported results in an FL test among 189 foreign language pupils in two London schools and actual performance in a group of 152 current and former Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) undergraduate students

Summary

Introduction

While the negative role of foreign language anxiety (FLA) on learners’ progress and performance in a foreign language (FL) is well established (Gkonou, Daubney, & Dewaele, 2017; Horwitz, 2010; Liu & Jackson, 2008; MacIntyre, 1999; MacIntyre & Gregersen, 2012a, 2012b; Saito, Garza, & Horwitz, 1999), no research so far has compared its effect with that of positive emotions such as foreign language enjoyment (FLE) (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014, 2016; MacIntyre, Gregersen, & Mercer, 2016). Rather than combatting the negative, they argue to try and boost the positive by fostering greater engagement, increasing the appreciation of meaning in life and its activities (MacIntyre & Mercer, 2014) This has been interpreted in applied linguistics as a call for a more holistic view on the range of emotions that learners experience in the classroom (Dewaele, 2017; Dewaele, & Dewaele, 2017; Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014, 2016; Dewaele, Witney, Saito, & Dewaele, 2017; MacIntyre & Gregersen, 2012a, 2012b; Oxford, 2015; Pishghadam, Zabetipour, & Aminzadeh, 2016). Teachers widely recognise the vital role played by positive classroom dynamics amongst learners and teachers, especially in settings in which communication and personally meaningful interactions are foregrounded. (p. 156)

Results

Discussion

Conclusion