Innovation in Language Learning

Writing in English as a Second Language (ESL) is significantly influenced by emotions, including anxiety and enthusiasm, that may influence their achievement and well-being (Dewaele & Li, 2020; Wang et al., 2023; Wu & Kang, 2023).  This study aimed to provide research-based evidence in assisting ESL university writing instructors and policymakers to understand their students’ emotions better and identify instructional approaches that may influence their writing skills.  It was guided by the following research questions: what are the most common emotions experienced by ESL students when writing in English, and how do instructional approaches contribute to students' emotional experiences? The participants in this study were 82 ESL students enrolled in English writing courses at an American university in Kuwait. The PANAS survey was used to analyze the students' positive or negative emotions (Park et al., 2022). Also, a survey questionnaire about instructional approaches in the ESL writing course was administered to analyze which approaches may influence students’ emotional states. The study results indicate that interest, inspiration, and enthusiasm were the most positive emotional experiences in ESL writing classes. In contrast, nervousness, anxiety, and worry were the most negatively experienced feelings. Peer collaboration and the instructor's feedback correlated positively with students' positive emotions, whereas writing an annotated bibliography and writing a synthesis were positively correlated with students' negative emotions. Overall, the results of this study highlight the importance of understanding students' emotional experiences and the use of effective instructional activities in ESL writing classrooms. Given these findings, ESL college instructors and policymakers can create an engaging and enjoyable learning environment.

Keywords: ESL writing, student emotions, instructional approaches

References: 

[1] Dewaele, J. M., & Li, C. (2020). Emotions in second language acquisition: A critical review and research agenda. Foreign Language World, 196(1), 34-49.

[2] Wang, C., Teng, M. F., & Liu, S. (2023). Psychosocial profiles of university students’ emotional adjustment, perceived social support, self-efficacy belief, and foreign language anxiety during COVID-19. Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 40(1), 51-62.

[3] Wu, Y., & Kang, X. (2023). Conceptualisation, measurement, and prediction of foreign language learning psychological capital among Chinese EFL students. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-14.

[4] Park, H., Lee, J. M., Koo, S., Chung, S. Y., Lee, S., & Cho, Y. I. (2022). A PANAS Structure Analysis: On the Validity of a Bifactor Model in Korean College Students. Sustainability, 14(24), 16456.