Exploring Enjoyment and Flow among Monolingual and Bilingual Learners of English

Abstract

Emotions play a prominent role in foreign language learning, with positive emotions, such as enjoyment, gaining significant attention in recent years. Enjoyment has been identified as a strong predictor of flow experiences as learners progress to more advanced levels in their language studies (Dewaele and MacIntyre 2022). This study aims to explore the factors that trigger enjoyment, which also serve as components of flow as originally defined by Csikszentmihályi (1975). Adopting a qualitative approach within the framework of positive psychology and flow theory, we empirically examined the antecedent conditions of flow in an online sample of 216 language learners from three different settings: two monolingual contexts (Hungary and Poland) and one bilingual context (Transylvania, Romania). We investigated whether there are differences in the experiences of enjoyment and flow between monolingual and bilingual students. Data were collected through online surveys where participants recounted memorable and enjoyable English language learning experiences. Using content analysis, we explored the close connection between enjoyment and flow in learners’ narratives. We described patterns of flow components, which further emphasize the role of enjoyment in language learning. The findings, illustrated by participants’ reports, highlight factors that align with flow states, including a sense of complete involvement in tasks, intense focus, joy, loss of sense of time/place, and spontaneous connection with peers and teachers. The results suggest that while enhanced enjoyment and flow are significant in foreign language learning, they are not necessarily linked to being a bilingual language learner.