{"title":"How emotions shape engagement in EMI classrooms: A configurational fsQCA approach","authors":"Haiying Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.system.2025.103844","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent developments in second language acquisition research have highlighted the crucial role of emotions in shaping learners' engagement, especially within English Medium Instruction environments. While individual emotions such as anxiety or enjoyment have been widely studied, limited attention has been paid to how multiple emotions co-occur and interact to influence classroom engagement. This study addresses this gap by examining the interplay of seven emotions (surprise, curiosity, surprise, confusion, confusion, anxiety, boredom) on engagement in EMI classrooms among Chinese learners of English as a foreign language. Employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, data from 589 university students were analyzed. The findings revealed that no single emotion independently predicted engagement. Instead, five distinct emotional configurations emerged, indicating diverse combinations of emotions influence engagement. This research enriches current understanding by exposing the intricate emotional mechanisms driving engagement through a configurational perspective. The results highlight the importance for educators to recognize students’ diverse emotional landscapes and promote positive emotions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48185,"journal":{"name":"System","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 103844"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"System","FirstCategoryId":"98","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0346251X25002544","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Recent developments in second language acquisition research have highlighted the crucial role of emotions in shaping learners' engagement, especially within English Medium Instruction environments. While individual emotions such as anxiety or enjoyment have been widely studied, limited attention has been paid to how multiple emotions co-occur and interact to influence classroom engagement. This study addresses this gap by examining the interplay of seven emotions (surprise, curiosity, surprise, confusion, confusion, anxiety, boredom) on engagement in EMI classrooms among Chinese learners of English as a foreign language. Employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, data from 589 university students were analyzed. The findings revealed that no single emotion independently predicted engagement. Instead, five distinct emotional configurations emerged, indicating diverse combinations of emotions influence engagement. This research enriches current understanding by exposing the intricate emotional mechanisms driving engagement through a configurational perspective. The results highlight the importance for educators to recognize students’ diverse emotional landscapes and promote positive emotions.
期刊介绍:
This international journal is devoted to the applications of educational technology and applied linguistics to problems of foreign language teaching and learning. Attention is paid to all languages and to problems associated with the study and teaching of English as a second or foreign language. The journal serves as a vehicle of expression for colleagues in developing countries. System prefers its contributors to provide articles which have a sound theoretical base with a visible practical application which can be generalized. The review section may take up works of a more theoretical nature to broaden the background.