As important factors influencing second/foreign language (L2) learning, emotions and motivation have been much researched. Yet, limited research has investigated the associations between emotions and L2 selves and their influence on L2 learning outcomes. Hence, this paper examined the roles of emotions and L2 selves in predicting and mediating Chinese university students’ English achievement. A cohort of 517 Chinese university students participated in the study, who completed a battery of questionnaires on L2 learning emotions and motivational self system (L2MSS). The study revealed three major findings. First, English classroom anxiety and boredom were significantly negatively related to the three dimensions of L2MSS: L2 learning motivation (L2LM), ideal L2 self (IL2S), and English learning experience (ELE); English classroom enjoyment and self-pride were significantly positively related to L2LM, IL2S, and ELE. Second, when working independently, English classroom anxiety, self-pride, and English classroom enjoyment significantly predicted English achievement; all L2MSS scales except for the ought-to L2 self significantly predicted the latter as well. When working collaboratively, English classroom anxiety, self-pride, the ideal L2 self, English learning experience, and English classroom boredom significantly predicted English achievement. Third, English classroom anxiety and self-pride significantly mediated the relationship between the ideal L2 self and English achievement measured by self-rated English proficiency. No significant mediator was found when English achievement was measured by self-rated English proficiency and test scores. Consequently, this study considers it helpful for learners to build a good ideal L2 self, have high self-pride, and reduce anxiety during the process of L2 learning.

Second/foreign language writing consists of a cycle of three phases (i.e., forethought, performance, and reflection) that interact with each other. However, studies on the interaction of these different phases are limited. Self-regulated strategies are used and enacted differently across these phases of second/foreign language writing, forming sequential relationships within the strategic system. However, the interconnections among phase-specific strategies (especially the theoretically directional relationships across these three phases) remain underexplored. Combining structural equation modeling and thematic analysis, this study explored the impact of pre-writing task perception on post-writing feedback handling, with five during-writing task implementation strategies as mediators and second/foreign language writing proficiency as a potential moderator. Analyses of 336 surveys and 14 interviews collected from Chinese second-year university English learners revealed three major findings. First, pre-writing task perception significantly and positively predicted post-writing feedback handling, but students’ English writing proficiency did not significantly moderate this relationship. Second, among task implementation strategies, only text processing significantly and complementarily mediated the positive effect of pre-writing task perception on post-writing feedback handling. Third, learner self-expectation and teacher feedback emphasizing grammatical accuracy, lexical diversity, and discourse arrangements could explain the relationships within the self-regulated second/foreign language writing strategies and the role of second/foreign language writing proficiency. These findings contribute to understanding the relationships among self-regulated second/foreign language writing strategies, which should inform future second/foreign language writing education for both learners and teachers.

This study focused on student differences in metacognitive writing strategies, higher-order thinking skills, and English-as-a-foreign-language proficiency. By collecting data from 203 Chinese ninth graders, a latent profile analysis was first conducted based on their levels of metacognitive writing strategies, including planning, monitoring, and evaluation strategies in English writing. Two groups of students were identified, which were (a) low-to-medium planning, monitoring, and evaluation, and (b) medium-to-high planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Independent sample t-tests presented that the two profiles of students differed significantly in levels of higher-order thinking skills and English performance. Next, the study built a multigroup structural equation model to investigate the relationships between English performance and higher-order thinking skills, including creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, between the two groups. Results indicated no differences in predictive relationships between the four variables. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for varied metacognitive writing strategies profiles in understanding higher-order thinking skills and second language performance.

Self-regulated strategies form critical elements in writing, but researchers have yet to explore the connections across writing phases. It remains unclear how pre-writing self-preparation, during-writing critical thinking, and post-writing strategy effectiveness evaluation are associated. This study incorporated correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and thematic analysis based on 336 university EFL (English as a foreign language) students’ survey responses and 14 semi-structured interviews. We established the significant mediation of during-writing critical thinking in the relationship between pre-writing self-preparation (including prior knowledge activation, information seeking, and self-efficacy) and post-writing strategy effectiveness evaluation. Information seeking and self-efficacy directly translated into strategy effectiveness evaluation, while prior knowledge activation only contributed through the mediation of critical thinking. The qualitative findings suggested that critical thinkers during EFL writing actively assessed prior knowledge, external resources, and their connections to the writing task, and the adoption of pre- and during-writing SRL strategies triggered students’ reflective practice about their strategy effectiveness after writing. The findings elucidate the mechanisms behind efficient self-regulation in English writing, enlightening future research and teaching practices.

This longitudinal study explored the effects of a term-long foreign language reading strategy training on Chinese college EFL (English as a foreign language) students’ use of foreign language reading strategies and reading comprehension performance. The participants were 146 first-year students from a state-owned university in Beijing. Every other week in 16 weeks of the 18-week term, a group of specific foreign language reading strategies with explanations and two reading passages were published in an online classroom platform for the participants to read and practice using the strategies. During the term, the participants were measured for their use of foreign language reading strategy use (FLRSU) and reading comprehension performance at three different time points (i.e., beginning, middle and end of the term). Major findings were: (a) The students had a medium to high FLRSU level at each time point, which significantly increased over time, (b) their English reading comprehension performance decreased from time point 1 to time point 2 and then increased to time point 3, and significant difference occurred between the first two time points and the last two time points, (c) the FLRSU and English reading performance measured at a time point significantly predicted those measured at the following time point respectively, and (d) the FLRSU measured at each time point was significantly correlated with and predicted reading comprehension performance measured at the same time point and at the subsequent time point. These findings clearly demonstrated the significant role of the training in enhancing students’ use of foreign language reading strategies and reading comprehension performance. Based on these findings, the paper discusses key pedagogical implications on how to teach foreign language reading strategies.

This large-scale quantitative study investigated the predictive effects of teacher support, peer support, and mindfulness on Chinese university students' second language (L2) engagement, and the mediating effect of mindfulness in the relationships of teacher support and peer support with L2 engagement. A total of 571 students completed the L2 Engagement Scale, the Teacher-and-Peer Support Scale, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. The main findings were: (a) teacher support, peer support, and mindfulness significantly and positively predicted L2 engagement, (b) teacher support significantly and positively predicted mindfulness, while peer support negatively predicted mindfulness, and (c) mindfulness significantly mediated the relationships between teacher support and L2 engagement, as well as between peer support and L2 engagement. Based on these findings, several pedagogical implications were provided.

Background and Purpose: As two key variables in interpreting, emotions and strategies have been much researched, but the research is far from adequate. Furthermore, they have often been studied separately. This journal study thus simultaneously examined the emotions experienced and strategies employed by two Chinese MA students when interpreting between Chinese and English. Methodology: The two participants kept writing journals for 17 weeks of an 18-week term, which resulted in a total of 36 journals. Findings: The study revealed two major findings: 1) The participants experienced anxiety and joy when interpreting between Chinese and English due to learner-related, task-related and environment-related factors. They also reported feeling happy, sad or regretful, depending on whether they were prepared, followed the speaker and/or performed well when interpreting from one language to the other; and 2) the participants used different strategies when interpreting between Chinese and English, and utilized more and similar strategies when interpreting from English to Chinese. Contributions: This study was one of the few that explored different emotions experienced and strategies employed by student interpreters simultaneously when interpreting between Chinese and English. The findings not only enrich the current literature but also shed light on the teaching and learning of interpreting. Keywords: Emotion, strategy, Chinese-English interpreting.

This paper examined the influence of L2 (second/foreign language) competence, classroom environment and emotions on and causes for Chinese young learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) and participation in EFL (English as a foreign language) class. The respondents were 375 middle school students who answered a mixed-form survey. The major findings were: a) both WTC and participation in EFL class were significantly correlated with L2 competence, classroom environment and emotions, b) L2 competence, classroom environment and emotions significantly predicted the students' WTC and participation in EFL class respectively, and c) eight major types of causes were reported to affect the students' WTC and participation in EFL class respectively: Linguistic, psychological, interest, peer, teacher, personality, task difficulty/familiarity and other factors. These findings clearly pinpoint the importance of L2 competence, classroom environment and emotions in influencing WTC and participation in EFL classroom interactions.

This study examined the differences in the levels of and relations between achievement emotions, emotion regulation and English performance between Chinese middle school and university students. The participants were 347 8th graders and 460 s-year university students in Xi’an, Northwestern China, who, respectively, took an English test and answered questionnaires on achievement emotions, emotion regulation and background information. Correlational and regression analyses of the test scores and survey data revealed four major findings. (1) Most middle school and university students experienced medium to high positive emotions but low negative emotions and reported a low to medium use of emotion regulation. Yet, middle school students had significantly lower levels of anger and boredom, worse English performance and greater overall emotion regulation than university students did. (2) Middle school students had greater predictive power of both positive and negative emotions on English performance. (3) University students had greater predictive power of emotion regulation on the emotions. (4) Both middle school and university students’ cognitive reappraisal powerfully positively predicted their English performance, and middle school students’ expressive suppression strongly negatively predicted the latter. Hence, suggestions for second/foreign language instructors and learners are discussed.

Background: Although foreign language learning boredom (FLLB) is known to negatively influence learners' L2 (second/foreign language) engagement and willingness to communicate (L2WTC), prior studies have reported inconsistent effect sizes and limited theoretical integration. Purpose: To (1) quantitatively estimate the overall strength of the associations between FLLB and both L2 engagement and L2WTC, and (2) identify significant moderators that might account for variability across studies. Method: A correlational meta-analysis was conducted, including 14 studies on FLLB-L2 engagement and 11 studies on FLLB-L2WTC. Effect sizes were computed using random-effects models and transformed via Fisher's Z, and moderator analyses of meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to examine the potential moderator impacts of learner demographics, research context, and measurement tools. Results: The results indicated a medium-to-large negative correlation between FLLB and L2 engagement (r = -0.506) and a small-to-medium negative correlation with L2WTC (r = -0.302). Moderator analyses revealed that research context and engagement measurement scale significantly moderated the FLLB-L2 engagement relationship, while gender ratio and L2WTC measurement scale significantly moderated the FLLB-L2WTC relationship. Conclusion: These findings underscore the need for reducing boredom to enhance learner engagement and communicative willingness in L2 contexts. Future research should further explore individual and contextual moderators, particularly among younger learners and in digital learning environments.

ABSTRACTIn the field of foreign language education, teacher psychology was much less researched than students, and university teachers especially received minimal attention as recognized competent language users and instructors. However, they could also experience complex emotions deriving from their demands in advanced‐level language teaching and diverse faculty responsibilities. Meanwhile, the control‐value theory sheds light on the potential mediation of teachers’ self‐efficacy beliefs for different anxiety types. Through a survey investigation among 212 university EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers in China, this study profiled their teaching anxiety, foreign language anxiety, and teaching self‐efficacy after exploratory factor analysis and confirmative factor analysis on these measures. Structural equation modeling was then performed to estimate the mediating effects of teaching self‐efficacy on various anxiety facets. The findings were twofold. Firstly, the teachers reported an overall low anxiety level in teaching and English language use. Secondly, the teachers’ teaching anxiety was positively intercorrelated with their foreign language anxiety and negatively with teaching self‐efficacy. The mediation models showed that teachers’ low self‐efficacy would aggravate their teaching anxiety related to uncertain self‐perceptions of teaching competence and professional identity. Based on these major findings, this paper finally proposed implications for university EFL teachers’ emotional support regarding the construction of a positive teaching self‐image.

Guided by the control-value theory of achievement emotions, this study examined the relations between control-value appraisals, achievement emotions and English performance in Chinese middle school students, with a focus on the predictive effects of control-value appraisals and achievement emotions and the mediating effects of achievement emotions. The participants were 347 8th graders from a middle school in north China, who took an English test and answered a battery of questionnaires on control and value appraisals, achievement emotions and background information. The major findings were: 1) perceived control significantly predicted positive emotions and negatively predicted negative emotions; perceived value significantly positively predicted positive emotions, anxiety and shame, yet inversely predicted anger and boredom; 2) neither perceived control nor value significantly predicted English performance; 3) hope and anger significantly positively while anxiety and hopelessness negatively predicted English performance; and 4) mediational modelling revealed no significant mediating effects of the achievement emotions on the relationships between perceived control and value and English performance. These findings highlight the importance of control, value and emotions in second/foreign learning as well as the complexity of the relationships between the variables. Based on these findings, suggestions for second/foreign learning and future research are discussed.

Background: Second language (L2) learning is complex, multifaceted, and greatly influenced by various factors, of which individual factors like anxiety and motivation are important ones. Though anxiety and motivation have been shown to be strongly correlated with each other and interact with other variables to collaboratively affect L2 learning, mixed findings have been revealed, demonstrating the complexity of the interrelationship between L2 anxiety and motivation and their interactive effects on L2 learning. Purpose: Guided by the self-determination theory, this study aimed to explore the levels of and the relationship between English classroom anxiety and motivation as well as their predictive effects on Chinese undergraduate EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ English achievement. Method: The participants were 571 Chinese university students who answered an 8-item English Classroom Anxiety Scale, a 35-item English Learning Motivation Scale, and a 5-item Demographic Information Questionnaire. They also reported their scores in tests that they had recently taken and self-rated their overall English proficiency as indicators of their English achievement. Results: The study revealed the following major findings: (a) the participants had a small to moderate level of English classroom anxiety, and a medium level of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, personal goals and expectancy/control in English learning, (b) English classroom anxiety was significantly negatively correlated with all motivation scales, (c) English classroom anxiety was not only significantly negatively related to but negatively predicted the students’ English achievement, and (d) significantly positive correlations existed between English learning motivation and English achievement. Of different motivation dimensions, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation positively predicted the latter. Conclusion: The findings of this study further demonstrate the importance of anxiety and motivation in L2 learning and the need to explore anxiety-reduction strategies, increase students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and strengthen their expectancy in L2 teaching and learning, thus contributing to the understanding of foreign language anxiety and L2 motivation and enriching the current literature on the two issues.

Research has found that contact with a second language (L2), L2 motivation and foreign language anxiety are important variables affecting L2 learning. Nevertheless, not much research has explored the relationships among these variables and their interactive effects on L2 learning outcomes. The present large-scale survey study examined the relationships between English learning motivation, English classroom anxiety and use of English, as well as their predictive effects on Chinese university students’ English achievement. A total of 439 randomly sampled students from two Chinese universities in Beijing answered the background information questionnaire, the 8-item English Classroom Anxiety Scale and the 35-item English Learning Motivation Questionnaire. The major findings were as follows: (a) English learning motivation, English classroom anxiety and use of English were significantly correlated with one another, and (b) English classroom anxiety, use of English and English learning motivation generally significantly predicted the students’ English achievements. These findings confirm the importance of L2 motivation, foreign language anxiety and contact with the L2 for second language learners. Hence, specific suggestions (e.g., reading and listening to more of a second language, creating a supportive and relaxed L2 classroom environment, etc.) are discussed regarding how to enhance L2 learning motivation, reduce foreign language anxiety and increase contact with the L2 in second language learning, so as to ensure sustainable development in second language learning.

This study examined the relationships among Chinese pre-university teachers' foreign language anxiety, teaching anxiety and teacher self-efficacy. The participants were 210 Chinese primary and secondary English teachers who completed a battery of questionnaires. The results showed that: (a) the participants reported low to moderate levels of foreign language anxiety and teaching anxiety, as well as a high level of self-efficacy; (b) foreign language anxiety directly and negatively predicted the participants' self-efficacy; (c) foreign language anxiety was a positive predictor of teaching anxiety; (d) teaching anxiety mediated the link between foreign language anxiety and self-efficacy. This study highlights the importance of addressing language teachers' foreign language anxiety and teaching anxiety, and provides insights into enhancing teachers' self-efficacy.

Background and Purpose: Both self-efficacy and self-pride play an important role in second/foreign language learning. Yet, they have seldom been researched simultaneously in the same context in relation to language learning. The current study aimed to examine Chinese high-performing university students’ English learning self-efficacy and self-pride and their predictive effects on the students’ English performance. Methodology: 520 Chinese high-performing university students completed the 5-item Self-Pride Scale, the 3-item English Learning Self-Efficacy Scale and a background questionnaire, 14 of whom were interviewed. Findings: Major findings were: a) the participants generally had a high level of English learning self-efficacy and self-pride, b) female students had significantly greater English learning self-efficacy and self-pride, c) English learning self-efficacy was significantly positively correlated with self-pride, d) both English learning self-efficacy and self-pride were significantly positively correlated with and predicted the students’ English performance, and e) the participants identified several causes for their English learning self-efficacy and self-pride. Contributions: This study was one of the few that explored the relationship between English learning self-efficacy and self-pride and their predictive effects on students’ English performance. The findings thus provide insights for developing self-efficacy and self-pride in students to improve their learning of a second/foreign language. Key words: Self-efficacy, self-pride, English performance. Cite as: Liu, M., & Liu, J. (2024). Chinese high-performing university students’ self-efficacy and self-pride in learning English as a foreign language. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 420-440. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp420-440

This study compared the five-word lexical bundles (LBs) expressing gratitude in acknowledgments of dissertations written by Chinese and American PhD students of linguistics. Two corpora were built: (1) The Chinese University Dissertation Acknowledgments Collection (CUC) which contained 700 acknowledgments with a total of 300,686 tokens, and (2) the American University Dissertation Acknowledgments Collection (AUC) which contained 700 acknowledgments with a total of 493,045 tokens. We then retrieved five-word LBs, of which LBs expressing gratitude in CUC and AUC were identified, categorized, and compared with respect to frequency, forms and structures. Major findings were: (1) the Chinese students used a substantially greater number of gratitude LBs than the American students, (2) the two groups used considerably different gratitude LBs, and (3) the two groups mainly relied on verb phrase-based LBs to express gratitude, but the Chinese students used a larger proportion of noun phrase- yet a smaller proportion of verb phrase-based items than the American students, and (4) the two groups used dissimilar structures and words to construct gratitude LBs. These findings enrich our knowledge of linguistic patterns in dissertation acknowledgments as a unique genre of academic prose, and provide corpus-based learning materials for students tasked with properly expressing gratitude in their theses or dissertations.

The role of learner emotions in language learning has long been observed and researched. Of various emotions, foreign language anxiety, enjoyment and boredom have been the most often researched, while research on other emotions like pride and sadness is hardly available in the current literature. Research on emotions in students with special characteristics can be hardly found as well. Hence, this study collected interview data from 26 and survey data from 520 top students in two universities in China to examine their emotions in English language class. Analyses of the data revealed the following major findings: (a) The participants experienced a diversity of emotions in their English language class due to both learner-internal and external reasons, but the most often reported emotions were anxiety, enjoyment and boredom, (b) significant correlations existed among the students’ English language classroom anxiety, enjoyment and boredom, (c) English language classroom anxiety and boredom significantly negatively while enjoyment significantly positively predicted the students’ English test performance, and (d) English language classroom anxiety debilitated English learning but motivated students to study harder as well; enjoyment facilitated English learning but students might forget much of what had been learned after class; though boredom caused some students to be absent-minded in class, most students would study on their own when feeling bored. These findings further pinpoint the important role and complex nature of learner emotions in second/foreign language learning. Based on these findings, specific suggestions for language teachers and learners are discussed.

The present large-scale quantitative study investigated the predictive effects of learning strategies and styles on Chinese undergraduate students’ English achievement and their mediating effects on each other’s relation to English achievement. A total of 439 students from different universities answered the 30-item Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire and 50-item Strategy Inventory for Language Learning as well as a background questionnaire. Analyses of the data revealed the following major findings: (a) Learning strategies were significantly positively related to learning styles, (b) both learning strategies and styles were significantly positively related to and predicted students’ English achievement, and (c) learning strategies significantly mediated the relation between learning styles and English achievement. These findings clearly highlight the importance of learning strategies and styles in second/foreign language learning. Based on these findings, some implications are discussed.

As a critical component of second/foreign language learning, interpreting is both rewarding and highly anxiety-provoking. Yet, the review of the literature shows that studies on interpreting anxiety and other emotions are limited, and intervention studies on reducing interpreting anxiety and increasing confidence in interpreting are hardly available. This study employed a quasi-experimental design and explored the effects of technology-based practice on Chinese undergraduate English majors’ interpreting emotions and performance over a 12-week period. There were 44 students in the experimental group with technology-based practice and 46 were in the control group without technology-based practice from a university in Beijing. They took an interpreting test and answered an eight-item interpreting classroom anxiety scale, a nine-item interpreting classroom enjoyment scale, and a three-item interpreting self-efficacy scale prior to (phase 1) and after (phase 2) the intervention. The major findings were: (1) students in both groups became significantly less anxious and more joyful in the interpreting class, had significantly greater interpreting self-efficacy, and performed significantly better in the interpreting test in phase 2, (2) both groups started at a similar level in phase 1, and the experimental group reported a significantly lower interpreting classroom anxiety level, significantly greater interpreting self-efficacy, and higher interpreting test scores than the control group in phase 2, and (3) the learning modes significantly affected the participants’ interpreting classroom anxiety, self-efficacy, and performance. These findings indicate the effects of the intervention and hence enrich the current literature on interpreting emotions. The findings also highlight the importance of technology-based practice in enhancing students’ confidence, self-efficacy, and performance in interpreting, leading to sustainable development in interpreting competence.