The Dynamic Interplay of Foreign Language Enjoyment and Boredom in Arabic Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Study on Learner Engagement
Keywords:
Foreign Language Enjoyment, Foreign Language Boredom, Arabic As A Foreign Language, Positive Psychology, Emotion DynamicsAbstract
Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Boredom (FLB) have emerged as central emotional constructs in positive psychology-oriented second language acquisition (SLA) research. Yet their dynamic interplay remains underexplored, particularly in non-European, liturgically significant language contexts such as Arabic. This mixed-methods study investigates fluctuating patterns of FLE and FLB among 142 undergraduate Arabic-as-a-Foreign-Language (AFL) learners at an Indonesian Islamic university across one semester. Using a convergent parallel design, a newly adapted enjoyment-boredom scale was combined with semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Multilevel modeling revealed a robust negative within-person association between FLE and FLB, with substantial individual variability. Qualitative analysis identified five thematic triggers: script and phonological complexity, teacher immediacy behaviors, task meaningfulness, Islamic-cultural identity alignment, and interactional opportunity. Findings demonstrate that enjoyment and boredom are temporally sensitive, context-embedded phenomena rather than simple opposites, responding to micro-level pedagogical and social triggers. Implications for AFL classroom practice and the broader study of emotion dynamics in less-commonly taught languages are discussed.
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