Language attitudes: construct, measurement, and associations with language achievements

The article reports on the development and validation of a new scale for assessing attitudes towards multiple languages among multilingual students from Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, China. The Language Attitudes Scale-Student Form (LASS) was developed based on relevant theory and literature as well as interview data from four students and four language teachers. The LASS consists of 40 items, with ten measuring students’ attitudes towards their dialect, ethnic (minority) language, Putonghua, and English, respectively. The LASS was validated among 5,237 students of seven schools from the elementary level to the tertiary level. The participants were mainly from Han (n 1= 1,827) and two ethnic minority groups of Tujia (n 2= 2,242) and Miao (n 3= 886). The traditional triadic (cognition-affect-behaviour) model of language attitudes was generally supported across ethnic groups, languages, and educational levels. A series of validity tests and reliability tests were conducted, showing that the LASS was psychometrically sound. In addition, the predictive effects of language attitudes in self-perceived language proficiency and real language achievement were also confirmed to a large extent, highlighting the need to include language attitude as an important individual difference factor for language learning

Anxiety, enjoyment, and boredom in language learning amongst junior secondary students in rural China: How do they contribute to L2 achievement?

Building on the control-value theory, the present study examined the independent and joint predictive effects of three emotions—enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom—on L2 achievement over time. The participants of the study were a group of junior secondary English learners in rural China, a population that has hitherto never featured in L2 learning research. Questionnaire data and achievement data were collected at four different time points (Time 1–Time 4: T1–T4) from a large sample of 954 learners. Structural equation modeling results show that: (a) the three emotions at T1 predicted English achievement at T2 (one week after T1) and T3 (five weeks after T1) independently, while only enjoyment predicted achievement at T4 (nine weeks after T1); (b) when combined, enjoyment was the strongest and most enduring predictor across T2–T4, followed by anxiety predicting achievement at T2–T3 negatively, while boredom completely lost its predictive power across T2–T4

Editorial

This is the first special issue devoted specifically to emotions in second language acquisition (SLA). Influenced by the positive psychology movement (Fredrickson, 2001), there has been a shift away from an exclusive focus on negative emotions in SLA to a more holistic analysis of both negative and positive emotions among learners (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014; MacIntyre & Gregersen, 2012; MacIntyre, Gregersen, & Mercer, 2016; MacIntyre & Mercer, 2014). We are not claiming that nobody had considered positive emotions and affect in SLA before 2012, as indeed many researchers prepared the ground (e.g., Arnold, 1999; Broner & Tarone, 2001; Cook, 2000; Dewaele, 2005; Kramsch, 2006). Moreover, educational psychologists did point to the pivotal role of positive academic emotions that sustain motivation (Pekrun, 1988, 2014; Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, & Perry, 2002a, 2002b). However, none of the SLA studies created the kind of wave of interest in emotions in SLA that we are currently witnessing. It is possible that now the time is ripe, as the success of the biennial Psychology of Language Learning conferences illustrates, as well as the establishment of the new International Association of Psychology of Language Learning during the second conference in Finland in 2016

The complex relationship between classroom emotions and EFL achievement in China

The present study adopted a mixed-method approach combining principles from Complex Dynamic Systems Theory and Positive Psychology to examine the interaction between Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) of 1,307 Chinese students, the single and combined effects of FLCA and FLE on self-perceived English proficiency and actual English achievement, and finally, the effect of EA on FLE and FLCA. Statistical analyses revealed negative correlations between FLCA and FLE in three groups at different levels of English achievement. Qualitative data from 64 participants threw further light on this complex relationship. Second, FLCA was found to be significantly negatively related to self-rated proficiency at all achievement groups while FLE was positively related. Similar significant relationships were also found between two classroom emotions and actual English achievement except in the low achievement group. Finally, qualitative data allowed us to investigate the possible causes for this relationship

Un análisis de los efectos predictivos de la tenacidad general y la tenacidad sobre la L2 en la motivación: El efecto mediador del conocimiento auto-percibido de la L2

Following a recent surge of interest in the role of personality traits in second language learning, this study focuses on L2 grit as an important individual difference factor that is gaining growing recognition among second language acquisition researchers. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, we examined the predictive effects of general grit and L2 grit on motivated behavior among 549 advanced Polish university students majoring in English and the extent to which these effects were mediated by self-perceived proficiency. Data were collected by means of the Grit Scale (Duckworth et al., 2007), the L2 Grit Scale (Teimouri et al., 2022), the motivated behavior scale (Taguchi et al., 2009), and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that general grit and L2 grit significantly co-predicted motivated behavior, with the effect of L2 grit being more pronounced. However, differences were found for students representing different proficiency levels. The results were corroborated by qualitative analysis of interview data.Ante el reciente aumento en el interés por el papel que desempeñan los rasgos de personalidad en el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua (L2), el presente trabajo se centra en la tenacidad en la L2 (L2 grit), un factor importante de diferencias individuales cada vez más reconocido entre los investigadores de la adquisición de una L2. Adoptando un enfoque metodológico mixto, se examinaron los efectos predictivos de la tenacidad general y la tenacidad en la L2 sobre la motivación de 549 estudiantes universitarios polacos de Estudios Ingleses con nivel avanzado de conocimiento de la lengua, y se analizó el grado en que dichos efectos estaban mediados por su autopercepción del nivel de conocimiento de la L2. Los datos se recogieron mediante la Escala de Tenacidad (Duckworth et al., 2007), la Escala de Tenacidad en L2 (Teimouri et al., 2022), la Escala de Motivación (Taguchi et al., 2009) y entrevistas semiestructuradas. El análisis cuantitativo demostró que la tenacidad general y la tenacidad en la L2 predijeron de forma conjunta y de manera significativa la motivación de los aprendices, siendo más pronunciado el efecto de la tenacidad en la L2. Sin embargo, se encontraron diferencias entre los participantes dependiendo de su nivel de conocimiento de la L2. Estos resultados se corroboraron mediante el análisis cualitativo de los datos de las entrevistas

Paper-based lateral flow assay for the point-of-care detection of neurofilament light chain

Neurofilament light chain (NF-L) is a protein found in neurons of the nervous system and is widely used as a biomarker for neurological disorders. However, the current methods for detecting NF-L levels are complicated, expensive, and require specialized equipment, making it challenging to implement in a point-of-care (POC) setting. In this study, we developed a gold nanoshell (AuNS)-assisted lateral flow assay (LFA) based test strip for the POC detection of NF-L at a low ng/mL level (8 ng/mL = 117.65 pM). The test strip is a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for detecting NF-L, making it suitable for use in a POC setting for the diagnosis and treatment of various neurological disorders. With its ease of use and reliability, the paper-based LFA is a valuable tool for the diagnosis and management of neurological conditions.Clinical Relevance - The AuNS-assisted LFA test strip developed in this study offers a rapid, cost-effective, and simple method for detecting NF-L levels, making it of great interest to practicing clinicians for the diagnosis of various neurological diseases such as HIV-associated dementia (HID), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

How classroom environment and general grit predict foreign language classroom anxiety of Chinese EFL students

Interest in the role of learners’ personality, emotions and the learning environment in foreign language (FL) learning has grown exponentially in the past decade. The introduction of personality psychology in the field of applied linguistics has led to the inclusion of a set of personality dimensions in research designs like resilience and grit, which have been shown to be significant predictors of FL achievement. The abrupt emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 forced universities around the world to move their courses online, which has been named Emergency Remote Teaching. The sudden change in FL learning environment offers a unique opportunity to researchers to investigate whether the relationships between learners’ personality and classroom emotions in traditional ‘in-person’ classes, and the predictors of those emotions, also exist in the new online environments. The present study examined the foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) of Chinese secondary students at different instruction levels and its links with learner-internal and external factors, namely general grit and the classroom environment (CE) of the online English classes. A total of 1,526 Chinese secondary students completed an online questionnaire. Pearson correlation analyses and regression analyses revealed that general grit and CE predicted FLCA either independently or jointly. The findings are discussed and interpreted in the light of existing research on person-environment interaction. We identify avenues for further research and propose a number of pedagogical implications for optimizing online FL teaching

Trait Emotional Intelligence and Classroom Emotions: A Positive Psychology Investigation and Intervention Among Chinese EFL Learners.

The link between emotional intelligence (EI) and negative emotions, especially anxiety, has been investigated in different educational contexts including second/foreign language (L2) learning contexts. However, the link between EI and positive emotions remains underexplored, despite the growing interest of second language acquisition (SLA) researchers in positive emotions, motivated by the Positive Psychology (PP) movement. Grounded on PP theories, a correlational and experimental investigation was conducted on EI and two typical L2 classroom emotions, namely Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA). For the correlational study, questionnaires were administered to 1,718 English learners from three high schools in China. Statistical results showed medium correlations among students’ EI, FLE, and FLA. In the intervention study, a pre-test, treatment and post-test design was adopted. A six-week PP-based EI intervention ("ARGUER" training model in class and the "three activities" of PP in diary) was conducted in the experiment class of 56 students, while not in the control class of 52 students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five students in the experimental class and their English teacher. ANCOVA test results and qualitative findings indicated that the EI intervention was effective in improving EI, boosting more positive classroom emotions and alleviating negative classroom emotions. The findings in both the correlational and intervention studies are discussed in combination with previous studies. We also further address their theoretical and practical implications for L2 education

Teacher enthusiasm and students’ social-behavioral learning engagement: the mediating role of student enjoyment and boredom in Chinese EFL classes

Teacher enthusiasm is attracting growing attention in educational and learner psychology research. There is evidence that teacher enthusiasm is contagious in class and positively affects student emotions. Their fundamental role in shaping student engagement has also been well documented. However, the links—between teacher enthusiasm and student emotions, and between student emotions and engagement—remain underexplored in instructed second language acquisition. The present study adopted a mixed-method approach to examine the complex relationships between perceived teacher enthusiasm, emotions (enjoyment and boredom), and social-behavioral learning engagement among 2002 EFL learners from 11 universities in China. Quantitative analyses showed small to large correlations between perceived teacher enthusiasm, enjoyment, boredom, and social-behavioral learning engagement. In addition, student enjoyment and boredom were found to co-mediate the relationship between perceptions of teacher enthusiasm and student social-behavioral engagement in English classes. Qualitative interviews with nine students provided insights into the potential causes of the statistical patterns. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed, followed by directions for future research

[1,1′-Bis(diphenyl­phosphan­yl)ferrocene-κ2 P,P′]dichloridocadmium(II) dichloro­methane disolvate

In the title complex, [CdFe(C17H14P)2Cl2]·2CH2Cl2, the CdII atom has a distorted tetra­hedral coordination geometry by two chloride anions and two P atoms of 1,1′-bis­(diphenyl­phosphan­yl)ferrocene. In the crystal, complex mol­ecules are linked into a three-dimensional network by C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds involving the dichloro­methane solvent mol­ecules