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Article published In:
Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 36:2 (2023) ► pp.357–385

Positivity in the English language learning classroom

Analyzing teacher-student moments of contact

ORCID logo | Universitat de Lleida

Positive Psychology was introduced in Second Language Acquisition research in order to explore how positivity can be experienced in the classroom so that learners can flourish in their language learning processes even in averse circumstances (see MacIntyre & Gregersen, 2012). Drawing on theories from Positive Psychology (Fredrickson, 2001, 2013), this study explores moments of positive contact between teacher and students (see Korthagen et al., 2014) via (1) students’ self-reported accounts of their experiences in English learning contexts through four interviews and three focus groups; and (2) observable classroom practices through audio/video recordings of six class sessions. Findings reveal that positive emotion, which is co-constructed by both teacher and student(s) in in-situ interaction, seems to benefit the learner at multiple levels (emotionally, behaviorally, motivationally and cognitively), to contribute to creating rapport between them, and to help fulfill various foreign language learning-related goals.

Keywords: English language learning, foreign language learning, language learner’s emotions, moments of contact, teacher-student relationships, positive psychology, positivity, classroom interaction, classroom environment
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Emotions and Positive Psychology in SLA
    • 2.2Teacher-student contact and positivity resonance
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Context and data collection
    • 3.2Data analysis
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1Teacher-student contact in self-reported accounts
    • 4.2Positive teacher-student contact in classroom-observed interaction
      • 4.2.1Correcting and providing feedback with kindness
      • 4.2.2Explaining and helping students while promoting self-sufficiency
      • 4.2.3Praising and motivating students
      • 4.2.4Engaging in casual conversations and using humor to encourage speaking
      • 4.2.5Paying attention to students and caring about them and their opinions
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Limitations and further research
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 7 April 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.20057.die
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