Exploring Spontaneous Acts of Lightheartedness in EFL Classrooms: A Reflective Duoethnography

Chad Davidson; Sabahattin Yeşilçınar

doi:10.35207/later.1745323

Exploring Spontaneous Acts of Lightheartedness in EFL Classrooms: A Reflective Duoethnography

Abstract

While research has extensively explored joy-related acts and attitudes, such as enjoyment, fun, play, and humor in language learning environments, no research has conceptualized or centered on spontaneous acts of lightheartedness. The aim of this research is to introduce the concept into the literature and provide a first glimpse understanding of its impact in face-to-face and online English as a Foreign Language classes. To accomplish this, consistent with emergent research analyzing spontaneous acts and underpinned by applied phenomenology, we appropriate methods of moment analysis and eidetic variation on duoethnographic data of reflections-on-, -in-, and -for-actions that occurred during the authors’ face-to-face and online classes over the 2022 to 2023 academic year at a university in Türkiye. In this way, a detailed first glimpse understanding of the phenomenon of spontaneous acts of lightheartedness and its various impacts are provided. Findings reveal essential features of the phenomenon and potential benefits for English as a Foreign Language classes, including fostering an atmosphere of engagement via the phenomenon’s prominent characteristics of vulnerability, comfortability, trust, and joy.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

English As A Second Language

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Chad Davidson ^*
0000-0002-7446-1366
United States

Sabahattin Yeşilçınar
0000-0001-6457-0211
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 23, 2025

Submission Date

July 22, 2025

Acceptance Date

October 1, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 1970 Volume: 8 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.35207/later.1745323

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA27TB67PW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Davidson, C., & Yeşilçınar, S. (2025). Exploring Spontaneous Acts of Lightheartedness in EFL Classrooms: A Reflective Duoethnography. Language Teaching and Educational Research, 8(2), 111-123. https://doi.org/10.35207/later.1745323