Factors in Becoming an Emotionally Positive English User in University Freshman Classes

Abstract

English education in Japan has recently been changing to focus on communication skills. The purpose of this research was to identify how the emotional (foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety) and psychological (motivation and self-confidence) factors might differentially stimulate students’ attainment of higher English proficiency in student-centered communicative lessons. The classes included pair/group work with a point-addition system. A questionnaire was filled in by 108 EFL freshmen. A multiple linear regression analysis was calculated, and the results of the questionnaire exhibited that the students who had stronger motivation, self-confidence, and enjoyment could expect to receive higher TOEIC IP scores. The students' essay reports showed that the point-addition system introduced during the research might be a culprit for increasing the anxiety of even students with high English proficiency. Along with devising ways to lower students' anxiety (e.g. not using a stressful point-addition system), teachers are advised to use teaching methods that promote students’ positive emotions (FLE) that create more self-confidence and motivation through more communicative EFL activities.