YABANCI DİL OLARAK İNGİLİZCE SINIFINDA KEYİF VE KAYGININ ZAMAN İÇİNDE İZLENMESİ

Abstract

Son yıllarda ikinci ve yabancı dil eğitimine yönelik araştırmalar, duyguların sabit öğrenen özellikleri olmaktan ziyade dinamik ve bağlama duyarlı süreçler olduğunu vurgulamaktadır. Bu nitel çalışma, Yabancı Dil Keyfi (FLE) ve Yabancı Dil Kaygısının (FLA) bir İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil olarak öğrenme (EFL) sınıfında zaman içinde nasıl geliştiğini, etkileşime girdiğini ve değişim gösterdiğini incelemektedir. Çalışma, 5 hafta boyunca sürece katılan 4 öğrenci ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler, haftalık yapılandırılmış anlatı formları ve bir odak grup görüşmesi aracılığıyla toplanmış; böylece öğrencilerin tekrar eden sınıf deneyimleri boyunca duygusal süreçleri izlenebilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde tematik analiz kullanılmış ve duygusal değişimler, tetikleyiciler ve uyum süreçlerine ilişkin örüntüler belirlenmiştir. Bulgular, öğrenen duygularının bağlama bağlı ve değişken olduğunu göstermektedir. İkili ve grup çalışmaları keyfi artırırken kaygıyı azaltmış; tüm sınıf önünde konuşma ve belirsizlik durumları ise genellikle kaygıyı artırmıştır. Keyif ve kaygının sıklıkla birlikte ortaya çıktığı, destekleyici ortamlarda orta düzeyde kaygının performansı olumlu yönde etkileyebildiği görülmüştür. Bu çalışma, FLE ve FLA arasındaki dinamik etkileşime ilişkin boylamsal nitel bulgular sunarak dil eğitiminde duygu araştırmalarına katkı sağlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Duygusal değişim
• kaygı
• keyif
• öğrenen duyguları

TRACING ENJOYMENT AND ANXIETY IN THE EFL CLASSROOM OVER TIME

Abstract

Recent research in second and foreign language education emphasizes that emotions are dynamic, context-dependent processes instead of fixed learner traits. This qualitative study investigates how Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) develop, interact, and fluctuate over time within an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. The study involved 4 learners who participated over 5 weeks. Data were gathered through weekly structured narrative frames and a focus group interview, enabling monitoring of each learner’s emotional journey across repeated classroom experiences. A thematic analysis was used to identify patterns of emotional fluctuations, triggers, and adaptive changes. Findings showed that learners’ emotions were context-dependent and adaptable. Pair and group activities promoted enjoyment and reduced anxiety, while whole-class speaking and unpredictability typically heightened anxiety. Enjoyment and anxiety often co-occurred, and moderate anxiety in supportive settings sometimes improved performance. By providing longitudinal qualitative insights into the dynamic interplay of FLE and FLA, this study contributes to the growing body of emotion research in language education.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• enjoyment
• emotional change
• learner emotions

References

1. Boudreau, C., MacIntyre, P., & Dewaele, J. M. (2018). Enjoyment and anxiety in second language communication: An idiodynamic approach. Stud. Second Lang. Learn. Teach., 8, 149–170. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.1.7
2. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
3. Cameron, L., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (2007). Complex systems and applied linguistics. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17, 226–240. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-4192.2007.00148.x
4. Chen, T. H. (2023). Dynamic fluctuations in foreign language enjoyment during cognitively simple and complex interactive speaking tasks. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 13(3), 627–661. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.31194
5. de Bot, K., Lowie W., & Verspoor, M. (2007). A dynamic systems theory approach to second language acquisition. Bilingualism Language and Cognition, 10(1), 7–21.
6. Dewaele, J. M., & Botes, E. (2025). How the effects of foreign language enjoyment, anxiety, boredom and peace of mind on attitude/motivation change with skill level, academic achievement and age: A moderated mediation model. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 35 (4), 2010-2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12749
7. Dewaele, J. M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2014). The two faces of Janus? Anxiety and enjoyment in the foreign language classroom. Studies in second language learning and teaching, 4(2), 237–274.
8. Dewaele, J. M., Guedat‐Bittighoffer, D., & Dat, M. A. (2025). Foreign language enjoyment overcomes anxiety and boredom to boost oral proficiency in the first year of English foreign language learning. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 35(1), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12607

9. Dewaele, J. M., & Li, C. (2021). Teacher enthusiasm and students’ social-behavioral learning engagement: The mediating role of student enjoyment and boredom in Chinese EFL classes. Language Teaching Research, 25(6), 922-945. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211014538
10. Dewaele, J. M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2019). The predictive power of multicultural personality traits, learner and teacher variables on foreign language enjoyment and anxiety. In Sato M., Loewen S. (Eds.), Evidence-based second language pedagogy: A collection of instructed second language acquisition studies (pp. 263–286). Routledge.
11. Dewaele, J. M., Witney, J., Saito, K., & Dewaele, L. (2018). Foreign language enjoyment and anxiety: The effect of teacher and learner variables. Language Teaching Research, 22(6), 676–697. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168817692161
12. Elahi Shirvan, M., & Talebzadeh, N. (2018). Exploring the fluctuations of foreign language enjoyment in conversation: An idiodynamic perspective. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 47(1), 21–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2017.1400458
13. Elahi Shirvan, M., & Taherian, T. (2021). Longitudinal examination of university students’ foreign language enjoyment and foreign language classroom anxiety in the course of general English: Latent growth curve modeling. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 24, 31–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2018.1441804
14. Elahi Shirvan, M., Shahnama, M., Pawlak, M., & Kruk, M. (2024). Boredom and English language conversational topics: An idiodynamic approach. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2024.2388652
15. Fang, F., & Tang, X. (2021). The relationship between Chinese English major students' learning anxiety and enjoyment in an English language classroom: A positive psychology perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 705244. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.705244
16. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218
17. Gao, M. (2026). A latent profiling approach to foreign language enjoyment and L2 achievement. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 47(1), 191–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2024.2380391
18. He, X., Zhou, D., & Zhang, X. (2021). An empirical study on Chinese university students’ English language classroom anxiety with the idiodynamic approach. Sage Open, 11(3), 21582440211037676. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211037676
19. Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. Modern Language Journal, 70, 125–132.
20. Jiang, Y., & Dewaele, J. M. (2019). How unique is the foreign language classroom enjoyment and anxiety of Chinese EFL learners?. System, 82, 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.02.017
21. Jin, Y. (2024). Motivating students to actively engage in EFL classrooms: Exploring the role of L2 grit and foreign language enjoyment. Learning and Motivation, 85, 101960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2024.101960
22. Jin, Y., MacIntyre, P. D., Jiang, N., & Ren, J. (2025). Understanding pre-adolescent learners’ foreign language enjoyment: A mixed-methods study on Chinese primary school students of English. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 46(4), 1059–1080. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2023.2221676
23. Khajavy, G. H., & Lüftenegger, M. (2025). Pride in foreign language learning: A conceptual framework and empirical evidence. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 19(4), 379–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2024.2361652
24. Kruk, M., Pawlak, M., Elahi Shirvan, M., Taherian, T., & Yazdanmehr, E. (2025). A longitudinal study of foreign language enjoyment and boredom: A latent growth curve modeling. Language Teaching Research, 29(3), 1007–1038. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211014538
25. Li, C. (2025). Foreign language learning boredom and enjoyment: The effects of learner variables and teacher variables. Language Teaching Research, 29(4), 1499-1524. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688221090324
26. Li, C., Jiang, G., & Dewaele, J. M. (2018). Understanding Chinese high school students’ foreign language enjoyment: Validation of the Chinese version of the foreign language enjoyment scale. System, 76, 183–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.06.004
27. Li, C., & Wei, L. (2023). Anxiety, enjoyment, and boredom in language learning amongst junior secondary students in rural China: How do they contribute to L2 achievement?. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 45(1), 93-108. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263122000031
28. Lin, P.Y. (2023). Qualitative longitudinal research. In: Okoko, J.M., Tunison, S., & Walker, K.D. (Eds) Varieties of qualitative research methods. Springer texts in education (pp. 401–406). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04394-9_62
29. MacIntyre, P.D. (2017). An overview of language anxiety research and trends in its development. In Gkonou C., Daubney M., Dewaele J.-M. (Eds.), New insights into language anxiety: Theory, research and educational implications (pp. 11–30). Multilingual Matters.
30. MacIntyre, P. D., & Mercer, S. (2014). Introducing positive psychology to SLA. Stud. Second Lang. Learn. Teach. 4, 153–172. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.2.2
31. Özer-Altınkaya, Z., & Yetkin, R. (2025). Exploring the Dual Dynamics of Language Anxiety and Enjoyment in EFL Learners. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 14(2), 405–415. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1433254
32. Pan, C., & Zhang, X. (2023). A longitudinal study of foreign language anxiety and enjoyment. Language Teaching Research, 27(6), 1552–1575. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168821993341
33. Pawlak, M., Kruk, M., & Zawodniak, J. (2022). Investigating individual trajectories in experiencing boredom in the language classroom: The case of 11 Polish students of English. Language Teaching Research, 26(4), 598–616. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820914004
34. Pavelescu, L. M. (2023). Emotion, motivation and willingness to communicate in the language learning experience: A comparative case study of two adult ESOL learners. Language Teaching Research, 30(1), 238–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688221146884
35. Pietluch, A. (2026). A qualitative exploration into L2 learners’ enjoyment and emotional variability in directed motivational currents. System, 103998. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2026.103998
36. Thomas, D. R. (2006). A general inductive approach for analyzing qualitative evaluation data. American Journal of Evaluation, 27(2), 237–246.
37. Tsang, A., & Dewaele, J. M. (2024). The relationships between young FL learners’ classroom emotions (anxiety, boredom, & enjoyment), engagement, and FL proficiency. Applied Linguistics Review, 15(5), 2015-2034. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2022-0077
38. Wang, P., Ganushchak, L., Welie, C., & van Steensel, R. (2024). The dynamic nature of emotions in language learning context: Theory, method, and analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 36, 105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09946-2
39. Wang, H., Xu, L., & Li, J. (2023). Connecting foreign language enjoyment and English proficiency levels: The mediating role of L2 motivation. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1054657. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1054657
40. Yetkin, R., & Özer‐Altınkaya, Z. (2025). Exploring the antecedents, manifestations and coping strategies of boredom in the language classroom: A dynamic perspective. British Educational Research Journal, 51(1), 259–279. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.4075
41. Zhang, Q., Song, Y., & Zhao, C. (2024). Foreign language enjoyment and willingness to communicate: The mediating roles of communication confidence and motivation. System, 125, 103346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103346
42. Zhao, X., & Wang, D. (2025). The role of enjoyment and boredom in shaping English language achievement among ethnic minority learners. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 46(3), 668–680. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2023.2194872