Abstract
Learners’ emotions in learning a foreign language are claimed to shape complicated dynamic associations contributing to their motivational and linguistic outcomes, as evidenced by recent research in this area. In order to advance this research area, this study sought to investigate the foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) as the predictors of ideal L2 self in Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. The total number of 195 English-major students from various universities completed an online survey containing the three scales in question. The measurement models were first verified using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Then, the structural model for the relations among the variables was tested employing structural equation modeling (SEM). The SEM results showed that although FLE and FLCA significantly predicted ideal L2 self, FLE was a stronger predictor of ideal L2 self than FLCA. This study provides significant pedagogical implications for EFL practitioners.
Highlights
Research into the field of teaching and learning has shown an outstanding shift from teachercentered toward student-centered education (Blumberg and Pontiggia, 2011)
Before running structural equation modeling (SEM) for testing the structural model, the results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated the validity of the measurement models
It can be concluded that foreign language enjoyment (FLE) was a stronger predictor of ideal L2 self than foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA)
Summary
Research into the field of teaching and learning has shown an outstanding shift from teachercentered toward student-centered education (Blumberg and Pontiggia, 2011). In light of this paradigm shift, there has been a dramatic change of attention from teachers toward students. With growing enthusiasm in the role of learners in language learning, it is crucial to understand what factors drive different experiences for different students. In association with factors influencing learning, various learner variables, such as attitudes (Petrides, 2006), anxiety, and motivation (Khodadady and Khajavy, 2013), foreign language enjoyment (FLE; Jin and Zhang, 2018), and ideal L2 self (Dörnyei, 2010) are believed to play a significant role in foreign language (FL) achievement
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