A new tool measures how students feel while learning a second language
In short: Researchers developed and validated a new questionnaire to track the complex emotions students experience when learning a second language. By studying 1,021 Chinese university students across three waves of data, they confirmed that their new instrument—the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Second Language Learning (AEQ-L2L)—reliably captures eight distinct student emotions.
The study used control-value theory to build a framework for understanding how these emotions relate to academic motivation and success. The researchers found that the questionnaire effectively maps out a four-factor structure of emotions, showing clear links between how students feel, their personal appraisals, and their actual language achievement.
The validation was conducted using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis and latent correlation analysis. While the results show strong external validity for the tool, the study's scope is currently limited to a specific population of university students in China.
Why it matters: Understanding the emotional landscape of language learners can help educators better support student motivation and success.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Shao et al. (2023). Applying control-value theory for examining multiple emotions in L2 classrooms: Validating the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire – Second Language Learning. Language Teaching Research.
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