Levels of foreign language enjoyment, anxiety and boredom in emergency remote teaching and in in-person classes
Abstract
The present mixed-method study focuses on levels of foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and foreign language boredom (FLB) among 168 Arab and Kurdish English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in both in-person and emergency remote teaching (ERT) classes. Statistical analyses revealed that learners experienced significantly more FLE, more FLCA and less FLB in in-person classes than in ERT classes. The qualitative data revealed a more nuanced picture about the things learners appreciated and disliked in both contexts. Sitting at home in front of their computer, many learners did feel more isolated, disengaged, distracted and missed the interactions with peers and teacher. Yet, some participants felt that ERT did allow relationship-building, lessened their fear of making errors and pushed them to develop new coping strategies. The main sources of FLCA in ERT turned out to be issues with internet connection rather than the anxiety of making errors in front of everybody. Boredom arose mostly from a lack of exciting social interactions and monotony in delivery which could induce disengagement. Some pedagogical implications are presented.
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Sorted by citations
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Dewaele, J.-M., Albakistani, A., & Ahmed, I. K.
- Affiliations
- Birkbeck, University of London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Dewaele, Jean-Marc
- Venue
- The Language Learning Journal
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2022-08-16
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 117-130
- ISSN
- 0957-1736 (ISSN-L)
- 1753-2167
- OpenAlex
- W4291997197
- Cited by
- 78
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 6
- FWCI
- 59.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Language Learning Journal (publishedVersion)
- BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Social Sciences › Education › Foreign Language Teaching Methods
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › English Language Learning and Teaching
- Keywords
- foreign language enjoyment, foreign language classroom anxiety, emergency remote teaching, face-to-face teaching, EFL learners, Arabic-speaking learners, Kurdish learners, internet connectivity problems, student disengagement, social interaction in language learning, coping strategies, fear of making mistakes
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