Enjoyment in foreign language learning: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Second Language Acquisition
• Educational Psychology
• Applied Linguistics

Background:

• Research on enjoyment in foreign language (FL) learning has significantly increased.
• Understanding learner enjoyment is crucial for effective pedagogical strategies.
• A comprehensive overview of the current research landscape is needed to guide future studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review empirical studies on foreign language learning enjoyment published between 2014 and 2023.
• To identify trends in research context, methodology, and focus.
• To provide recommendations for future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of 118 empirical studies.
• Studies were coded based on research context, methodological features, and research focus.
• Analysis of trends in the field of foreign language learning enjoyment.

Main Results:

• A predominant focus on adult English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, particularly those with Chinese or Persian as their first language, in traditional classroom settings.
• A strong preference for quantitative research methodologies.
• Significant attention given to the antecedents and effects of FL learning enjoyment.

Conclusions:

• Future research should diversify learner demographics and learning environments beyond traditional classrooms.
• Multimodal research approaches are recommended to capture a holistic understanding of enjoyment.
• Further investigation into the socio-emotional dynamics of teacher-student and student-student interactions is warranted.