The emergence of gratitude in L2 group discussion: A small-lens study

Abstract

In light of MacIntyre and Mercer's (2014) demarcation of key areas in positive psychology for second language (L2) learning, this paper concentrates on gratitude. As part of wider practitioner research with Japanese undergraduates in an L2 discussion course, data were collected via introspective journals and videorecording of classroom action. Through initial interactions with this data, the author became aware of the significance of gratitude for students. Adopting Ushioda's (2016) “small-lens” approach to classroom research, the study explored the wider extent, foci, and functions of gratitude referenced by learners over a semester, as well as integrating a finer focus on the ways in which gratitude emerged in one group. The paper utilizes qualitative multiple threading (Davis & Sumara, 2006; Sampson, 2021) to display the widespread degree of gratitude (noted in 72% of journal entries), explicit and implicit foci, and the ways in which participants recognized their own considerate actions. The potential functional role of gratitude in the development of binding relationships between students over the semester is also highlighted. Finally, multimodal analysis of video data (Norris, 2020) visually illuminates the subtle turns via which gratitude evolved and had significant and specific meaning for individuals in one discussion group.