The interplay between perceived teacher support, grit, and academic engagement among Chinese EFL learners

Abstract

Learning English as a foreign language (EFL) is a challenging, demanding, and lengthy process that puts a lot of pressure on learners. To deal successfully with these pressures, language learners should actively engage in the academic environments. As pointed out by the self-determination theory (SDT), learner academic engagement is an integral part of meaningful learning that may be influenced by inner motivational resources and classroom conditions. Drawing on this theory, several L2 researchers have studied language learners’ academic engagement in relation to classroom conditions and their inner motivational resources. To pursue this thread of research, the present quantitative study examined the association between classroom conditions (teacher support), inner motivational resources (grit), and academic engagement. This study also measured the role of teacher support and grit in predicting Chinese EFL learners’ academic engagement. In doing so, 313 Chinese EFL learners were conveniently selected from different educational institutions in China. Data were collected using three reliable measures of the variables. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated strong, positive association between perceived teacher support, grit, and learner academic engagement. The SEM outcomes also demonstrated that Chinese EFL learners’ academic engagement can be meaningfully predicted by both perceived teacher support and grit. The findings of this investigation may enrich the existing literature on the role of inner motivational resources and classroom conditions in English language learners’ academic behaviors, notably academic engagement.