Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research
Volume:12 Issue: 3, Dec 2024

Classroom emotions significantly influence the teaching and learning processes, profoundly shaping students’ academic trajectories and teachers’ instructional practices. Positive emotions such as enjoyment, enthusiasm, pride, hope, etc. enhance motivation, foster engagement, and contribute to an atmosphere conducive to effective learning. In contrast, negative emotions like anxiety, frustration, boredom, etc. can impede academic functioning and reduce classroom participation. Previous studies on these positive and negative emotions have been constrained by traditional, linear research methods that fail to capture their dynamic and context-sensitive nature. The present special issue addresses this gap by exploring how emerging research methods, notably complexity-informed approaches, can deepen our understanding of classroom emotions. It features 10 empirical studies and two book reviews that collectively highlight the nuanced interplay of emotions in language classrooms and offer innovative approaches to examining them.

This study investigated the co-development of the ideal L2 writing self, writing enjoyment, and writing anxiety over time, as well as their predictive role in L2 writing achievement, using latent growth curve modeling (LGCM). A total of 145 EFL students in an IELTS writing course completed scales for these constructs across four one-month intervals. Polynomial LGCMs were applied to compare linear, piecewise, and quadratic growth models. Results revealed linear growth with increasing trends from T1 to T4 for the ideal L2 writing self and writing enjoyment, while writing anxiety followed a piecewise trajectory, with an initial decline (T1–T2) followed by stabilization (T2–T4). Significant covariances among the three constructs indicated their interconnected development over time. Initial levels of these factors were not predictive of L2 writing achievement, but their growth trajectories significantly predicted outcomes. These findings highlight the dynamic interplay of emotional and motivational factors in L2 writing development and underscore the importance of longitudinal research in capturing their evolving influence on L2 writing achievement.

In this dialogic article, we discuss the potential of autoethnography as a methodology to examine emotions in language education. We wrote this dialogue in such an ‘organic’ way that it reflects the snippet of our ongoing conversation around autoethnography. We did not have this dialogue in person; we just knew that we would be writing a dialogic article on using autoethnography to examine emotions in language education. We added the introduction and conclusion sections after the dialogue was complete. Our purpose in this writing is twofold: we would like to (1) nudge the conventional, confining, and restrictive boundaries of academic writing and (2) discuss the role and place of emotions for, through, and in autoethnography as a newer methodology compared to others such as ethnography or case study. Although our conversation digresses and takes detours at times, which is an inevitable characteristic of conversations, we keep the autoethnographic focus on the nexus of personal, professional, and political dimensions of our lives as practitioners of autoethnography in particular and qualitative research in general/personal.

The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of positive and negative emotions on students’ motivated learning behavior (i.e., their intended effort) to learn English in the Hungarian context. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that we examined a number of positive and negative emotions and their effects on enjoyment as well as anxiety. The latter two emotions were linked to students’ motivated learning behavior, too. Data were collected with the help of a validated questionnaire in Hungary, in the school years of 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. In order to fulfil our aim, we carried out structural equation modeling (SEM) for two groups of students, males (n = 467) and females (n = 682), as we were also interested in gender-related similarities and differences. The most important findings show that emotions like curiosity and pride can exert their influence through enjoyment while confusion and shame can do the same via anxiety. However, pride, boredom and apathy neither fed into the overarching emotions of enjoyment and anxiety, nor did they influence motivated learning behavior directly in our sample, which might signal the possible contribution of more cognitively oriented mediators. Finally, no gender differences could be identified regarding the relationships of the constructs.

The present study examined factors affecting shyness in EFL classrooms. To this end, a sample of 124 students majoring in TEFL at Universidad Nacional de Educación in Ecuador was selected to respond to a standardized Shyness Scale (SS) and a Shyness Factors Questionnaire (SFQ). Employing a descriptive research design, the researcher used Descriptive Statistics to analyze the collected data using SPSS. The findings indicate that 65% of the participants are shy and battle with negative emotions such as embarrassment, anxiety, low self-confidence, fear of making mistakes, and fear of being judged when speaking in EFL classrooms. These feelings were found to be intensified by negative classroom experiences, such as peer ridicule and judgmental attitudes during their formative years, which lingered into their adulthood as well as present cultural and environmental factors including limited social exposure and high academic expectations from their families. The results of this study highlight the importance of student welfare and the impact of bullying and verbal abuse on shy EFL learners.

Emotion regulation and teacher support are critical factors in students’ learning processes; however, the specific types and effects of these variables on students’ engagement remain underexplored. This study examines different emotion regulation strategies and forms of teacher support, as well as their influence on students’ academic engagement through semi-structured interviews with 64 Chinese foreign language major graduate students, including 62 master’s students and 2 doctoral students. Thematic analysis, using MAXQDA software (v. 2022), identified eight key categories of emotion regulation strategies and six dimensions of teacher support. Findings indicate that students with higher levels of academic engagement employ a broader range of emotion regulation strategies and receive more varied teacher support. These results highlight the importance of diverse emotional regulation approaches and teacher support in fostering academic engagement, suggesting that students should develop diverse emotion regulation skills for greater resilience and guiding teachers to provide multi-dimensional support, promoting an environment that enhances student engagement and success.

This study examined the interconnections between perceived teacher support, student self-regulation, and psychological well-being among undergraduate English majors in Iran (n = 347). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated the measurement model, demonstrating sound internal consistency as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Harman’s one-factor test ruled out significant common method bias. Structural equation modeling (SEM) supported the proposed model, revealing a direct positive influence of perceived teacher support on psychological well-being. Moreover, teacher support indirectly enhanced well-being by fostering self-regulation skills. Measurement invariance analyses across genders confirmed configural and metric invariance, suggesting equivalent model structure and factor loadings. However, partial scalar invariance indicated potential minor gender-based differences in interpreting the measures. These findings highlight the significant relationships between teacher support, student self-regulation, and psychological well-being within the Iranian English major context.

Language teacher emotion labor has recently gained traction as more educators recognize the importance of addressing institutional power dynamics. The present contribution is a review of poststructuralist-discursive research on language teacher emotion labor. The rationale behind a particular focus on poststructuralist-discursive perspective lies behind the recent proliferation of studies framed within this framework. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Page et al., 2021), the content of 57 studies published from 2018 to November 2024 was analyzed for their themes, methods, and implications. The findings revealed that emotion labor experienced by language teachers in online and face-to-face instruction, the interplay of emotion labor, identity, and motivation, emotion labor caused by top-down assessment policies, and emotion labor due to institutional expectations in transnational and EMI/EAP/ESP contexts were among the most frequently investigated themes in the relevant body of literature. It was also observed that language teacher emotion labor has predominantly been examined through qualitative research paradigms, including case studies and (auto)ethnographies. Semi-structured interviews, document analysis, narrative frames, short stories reconstructed based on narrative data, vignettes, and visuals comprised the most prevailing data collection instruments deployed in this area of research. Furthermore, the implications of the existing literature mainly signified the need for institutional reform and raising language teachers’ awareness of the complexities of emotion labor through teacher education programs. The current review calls for more longitudinal, observational, cross-cultural, and mixed-methods explorations of language teacher emotion labor in the future.

Taking both personal and collaborative perspectives, the present study aims to sketch out emotion-bearing incidents during the practicum process over an extended period. Keeping in mind the significance of emotions in language learning and teaching, the present study aims, in particular, to see what emotions pre-service EFL teachers (PSTs) perceive, how they believe these emotions could be tackled, and what they could do in their future teaching to counter these emotions. Data were collected through joint reflection sessions and individual reflections. Weekly joint reflection sessions were conducted by pre-service EFL teachers (PSTs hereafter) after the practicum day, which was followed by individual reflection. It is believed that joint reflection sessions are critical in capturing the dynamicity of emotions in L2 learning and teaching. The total number of PSTs taking part in the present study was 30. The findings of the study indicate that the PSTs went through a complex web of emotions ranging from positive ones including happiness, pride, or excitement to negative ones including frustration, anger, or dissatisfaction. Our results also indicate that PSTs’ emotions slightly changed when they started teaching.

In today’s interconnected world, increasing longevity has elevated the societal role of older adults, fostering their active participation. Education, particularly language learning supported by technology, empowers this demographic to thrive in a globalized society. Integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into language learning not only enhances linguistic competence and digital inclusion but also boosts emotional well-being by building confidence, reducing anxiety, and fostering a sense of accomplishment. This study explores the impact of ICT on linguistic, digital, and emotional dimensions in older adults, using data from questionnaires and interviews with 24 participants at the University of Granada, Spain. Findings reveal strong digital engagement, motivation, and familiarity with digital tools, while ICT also fosters positive emotional outcomes, including confidence and social belonging, despite challenges like pronunciation and limited literacy. The results highlight the need for tailored educational approaches to promote meaningful, inclusive, and emotionally enriching learning experiences.

Emotional agility has a fundamental role in educational contexts and developing agility skills in teachers is essential to enhancing their teaching effectiveness. The aim of this study is to improve pre-service language teachers' emotional agility through a four-module workshop, equipping them with the necessary skills before they begin their teaching profession. The research examined how developing emotional agility skills affects future language teachers' personal and professional development. Data were collected through five participants' opinions on the reflections before, during, and post-workshop sessions. The findings revealed that pre-service teachers gained emotional self-awareness, learned how to become "emotionally agile teachers," and developed practical coping strategies for personal and professional situations creating emotional challenges. The study demonstrated that emotional agility training can contribute to pre-service language teachers' personal and professional development providing them strategies to use with their own students. The findings suggest that integrating emotional agility training into teacher preparation programs can better prepare future language teachers for the emotional complexities of language classrooms.

While English has become a lingua franca worldwide, it has also led to pervasive inequalities and injustices, as non-native English speakers often face discrimination and stigmatization, with their accents and linguistic variations viewed as inferior to idealized native forms of English (Tupas, 2019). The present book, edited by Ruanni Tupas, is an attempt to address the issues surrounding inequalities in the use of different English varieties. The book is organized into a preface, an introductory chapter, four parts comprising eleven content chapters, and a concluding chapter. The preface introduces the concept of Unequal Englishes (UE) as a critical framework for understanding the global spread and localization of English. In the preface, Tupas emphasizes how English changes as it enters new communities, becoming localized and pluralized. He then introduces UE as a lens to examine power dynamics and inequalities in the use of different Englishes. The introductory chapter, written by Prem Phyak, examines the perspectives of two Nepali teachers regarding English use in their local context. The dialogue between them skillfully captures the tension between their reverence for native English and speakers, and their unease with their own non-native English variety. In the chapter, the teachers' desire to emulate native norms appears to stem from a belief that their local English is somehow "artificial" or "unnatural."

Why does learning a second language (L2) seem so challenging for adult L2 learners? For a young learner, this might not be the same. Why can a learner learn an L2 better than other learners? What makes learning a target language so intricate? These are some of the questions we always ask as L2 teachers. Research has found that learning an L2 is one of the most challenging tasks an adult learner can handle (Luque & Covey, 2023). However, current literature shows that several factors can contribute to learning an L2, such as aptitude, motivation, and personality as the primary subsets of individual differences (IDs) (Skehan, 1989; Sun et al., 2024). These factors have been proven to play a significant role in the L2 learning process. However, it is the cognitive factors that genuinely affect the patterns of thought that regulate how individuals perceive and process information remarkably (Price, 2004). The book “Cognitive Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition,” authored by Zhisheng (Edward) Wen, Richard L. Sparks, Adriana Biedroń, and Mark Feng Teng, is a comprehensive resource that focuses on cognitive differences among learners. It reviews the roles of cognitive variables such as age, intelligence, working memory, and anxiety in second language acquisition and their pedagogical outcomes.