Process of Affective Turn and Emotioncy Evolution in EFL Students’ Identity Development: An Examination of Emotioncy and Emotioncy Tension Rollercoaster

The realm of foreign language acquisition emphasizes the affective dimension of learning rather than only cognitive. This affective turn has focused on how EFL students’ emotions affect learning a new language and culture, as well as identity development. This survey article examines the kinds of emotions students experience, the causes of emotions and their potential effects on learning, based on the emotioncy model. Ten students majoring in English participated in cognitive interviews and they were asked to elaborate on the tensions they might have encountered or are currently encountering. Based on the interview results, emotioncy management is one of the instructors’ abilities that plays a significant role in the process of foreign identity development. Further, in order to facilitate successful learning, emotioncy should be materialized to the practical level to be an apropos signifier in meeting students’ emotional needs.