Although a considerable amount of research on the anxiety experienced by foreign and second language (L2) learners has accumulated over recent years, it appears that the anxiety experienced by L2 preservice teachers has been overlooked. To address this gap, this study investigated the anxiety encountered by preservice English as a foreign language…

Language-specific (i.e. the ideal L2 self) and plurilingual selves are now at the forefront of scholarly inquiry in L2 motivation research. Yet, there is a lack of empirical studies examining how language learners reframe their sense of self as speakers of an L2. This study draws on a questionnaire (N = 162) and on semi-structured interviews (N =…

This qualitative case study examines the language learning trajectory of a South Korean international undergraduate student (Stella) in the United Kingdom. Previous studies have reported a lack of research on the intricate relationships between motivation and investment. To fill this gap, this study examined Stella's shifting levels of motivation…

Learners' anxiety has drawn widespread attention in the field of second language/foreign language (L2/FL) teaching and learning (e.g. classroom anxiety, communication (with foreigners) anxiety, and anxiety associated with the four macro-skills, namely listening, reading, speaking, and writing). However, this topic is under-explored in L2/FL public…

Emotion research in second language acquisition has flourished under the growing influence of Positive Psychology in recent years. The present study focuses on foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) of 263 Chinese undergraduates in relation to learner variables as well as the sources of enjoyment and anxiety…

This study explores "non-native" English teacher identity development, and identity in practice in a multilingual international school in Thailand. Guided by the teacher's personal interpretative framework (Kelchtermans, 1993) and identity-in-practice theory (Varghese et al., 2005), the study employed a narrative inquiry design using…

This qualitative study examines amotivation in South Korean EFL students through the lens of activity theory. Using semi-structured interviews, data were collected from six elementary and secondary school students, aged 10 to 16 years (Grades 4 to 10), to explore key psychological constructs, including the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, the…

The mixed-method study firstly drew on regression analysis to check what influential variables were in constructing authorial voice of 45 Chinese MTI students (postgraduates) in an EFL writing course, and then based upon quantitative findings, qualitatively examined how students' EFL writing may resonate with voice teaching in the course with data…

The study explores the motivational profiles of Spanish EFL sports science university students from the second language (L2) motivation self system (L2MSS) perspective to ultimately support Spanish higher institutions' plans committed to improving employability and competitiveness. The study analyzes the relationships between L2 motivation, L2…

This article explores students' perspectives on English language learning in relation to the Language Introduction Programme in Sweden, which is an individual transitional programme for newly arrived immigrants and seeks to quickly transition adolescents into further education or the job market. High proficiency in English is vital in Swedish…

This study explored changes in English language proficiency and several non-linguistic factors during four years of English medium instruction (EMI) in two academic disciplines in a Turkish university setting. Moreover, it also investigated whether changes (if any) had a predictive impact on the academic success of EMI students. In addition,…

This article documents the reflections of six African second-year master's students on their international educational experiences in Kazakhstan with a special focus on their challenges, strategic learning efforts and identity development. It is guided by Norton's conceptualisation of investment in identity, language learning, and social change.…

Feeling like a different person when speaking different languages has been investigated before and attributed to several linguistic as well as psychological factors. Language proficiency, the context of language acquisition, personality traits, emotional intelligence, and the topic of conversation as well as the interlocutor have been found to…

Based on the assumption that individual learner factors are context-dependent, this exploratory study examined whether differences in two learning environments (Denmark and Spain) have a differential influence on a set of learner factors that have together been previously identified as important in second language (L2) research, specifically,…

This paper explores eight Kazakhstani postgraduate students' reflections of their international educational experiences in the UK after their immediate re-entry into Kazakhstan. Special focus was on their language identity development after their one-year stay in the UK. It was informed by Benson et al.'s ([2013]. "Second Language Identity in…