How Achievement Emotions Shape Learner Engagement in EFL Listening: A Mixed-Methods Study

Ossa Bodhi Tala Sumanto; Eni Prasetiyowati; Elmia Najwa Maghfiroh

Authors

Ossa Bodhi Tala Sumanto Universitas Islam Negeri Syekh Wasil Kediri, Indonesia
Eni Prasetiyowati Universitas Islam Negeri Syekh Wasil Kediri, Indonesia
Elmia Najwa Maghfiroh Universitas Islam Negeri Syekh Wasil Kediri, Indonesia

Keywords:

Achievement Emotions; EFL Listening; Learner Engagement; Mixed-Methods; Positive Emotions

Abstract

Building on a preliminary quantitative study that identified the dominance of positive emotions over negative emotions in EFL listening classes, this study extends that inquiry to explain these patterns qualitatively and examine their relationship with learner engagement in EFL listening instruction. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study involved 37 second- and fourth-semester students enrolled in a Listening course in the English Education Department at a university in Indonesia. Quantitative data were collected using the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire–Short (AEQ-S), while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 20 volunteer participants and analyzed using inductive thematic coding. Positive emotions were significantly higher than negative emotions across classroom, learning, and test-related situations (t(36) = 6.947, p < .001), with enjoyment emerging as the most frequently reported emotion. The qualitative findings further identified confidence, motivation, and interest as dominant positive emotions, while anxiety, nervousness, insecurity, and frustration were primarily triggered by limited vocabulary, fast speech rates, and unfamiliar accents. Despite these challenges, students demonstrated strong behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement, reflected in note-taking, repeated listening, peer discussion, and independent exposure to English media. While prior research has quantified the prevalence of achievement emotions in EFL listening, this study offers new insight by explaining, through learners’ own accounts, how these emotions translate into observable engagement behaviors. These findings indicate that fostering enjoyment while providing targeted support for negative emotions, such as pre-teaching vocabulary and graduated exposure to varied accents, is critical to sustaining learner engagement in EFL listening instruction.

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