The academic paper titled "The role of mixed emotions in language learning and teaching: A positive psychology teacher intervention" by Fakieh Alrabai focuses on exploring how the integration of positive and negative emotions in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching affects learners' motivation, anxiety, and language achievement. The primary research question investigates the impact of a pedagogical positive psychology (PP) intervention on these emotional and learning outcomes.
The study's purpose is to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a PP intervention that combines strategies to regulate both positive and negative emotions in EFL learners. The intervention aims to determine whether this integrated approach can enhance motivation, reduce anxiety, and improve language achievement, ultimately providing insights into the role of mixed emotions in language learning.
A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 209 EFL learners and six teachers from a Saudi university. The learners were divided into three groups: one focused on anxiety regulation, another on motivation promotion, and a third on a combination of both strategies. The study spanned 12 weeks, during which the intervention strategies were implemented. Data was collected through questionnaires, classroom observations, and achievement tests, and the results were analyzed using ANOVAs and MANOVAs.
The key findings indicate that the integrated approach, which combined both anxiety-reducing and motivation-promoting strategies, resulted in the most significant positive changes in learners' motivation, anxiety levels, and language achievement. The results support the Broaden-and-Build Theory, which suggests that positive emotions can broaden learners' perspectives and help mitigate the lingering effects of negative emotions, leading to improved learning outcomes.
The study concludes that integrating both positive and negative emotions in EFL teaching is more effective than focusing solely on one type of emotion. The findings highlight the importance of a holistic approach in language teaching that addresses both sides of the emotional spectrum to optimize learning outcomes for students. This research has significant implications for the role of positive psychology in EFL education, suggesting that teacher interventions that manage mixed emotions can lead to better motivational and achievement outcomes for learners.