Taking stock: A meta-analysis of the effects of foreign language enjoyment

• Published in: Studies in second language learning and teaching Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 205 - 232
• Main Authors: Botes, Elouise, Dewaele, Jean-Marc, Greiff, Samuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kalisz Wojskowe Biuro Historyczne im. gen. broni Kazimierza Sosnkowskiego 01.06.2022; Military Historical Bureau of Lieutenant-General Kazimierz Sosnkowski; Adam Mickiewicz University; Adam Mickiewicz University Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts; Adam Mickiewicz University Department of English Studies; Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Analysis; Anxiety; Applied Linguistics; Classrooms; Communication (Thought Transfer); Correlation; Effect Size; Emotional intelligence; Emotions; foreign language anxiety; foreign language enjoyment; Foreign language learning; Gender; Individual Characteristics; Individual Differences; Language; Language and Literature Studies; Language Research; Learning Motivation; Linguistics; Literature Reviews; Meta Analysis; Motivation; Multilingualism; Networks; Personality; Personality traits; Positive Attitudes; Psychological Needs; Psychological research; Psychology; Researchers; Sample Size; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Self Concept; self-perceived achievement; Variables; Willingness to communicate; United Kingdom; foreign language anxiety; willingness to communicate; foreign language enjoyment; metaanalysis; selfperceived achievement; academic achievement
• ISSN: 2083-5205; 2084-1965
• DOI: 10.14746/ssllt.2022.12.2.3

Studies examining the positive emotion of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) have recently increased exponentially, as researchers are applying the tenets of positive psychology in applied linguistics. It is therefore an appropriate time to take stock of the current literature and conduct a preliminary meta-analysis. The relationships between FLE and four variables, namely, foreign language anxiety (FLA), willingness to communicate (WTC), academic achievement, and self-perceived achievement were examined. A total of k = 96 effect sizes were analyzed with an overall sample size of N = 28,166 in random-effects models with correlation coefficients. There was a moderate negative correlation between FLE and FLA. In turn, moderate positive correlations were found between FLE and WTC, FLE and academic achievement, and FLE and self-perceived achievement. These positive associations confirm the value of FLE in FL learning and further affirm the need for researchers to examine positive psychology constructs in the foreign language classroom.