Head and heart in education: The role of emotions in (foreign) language learning

You are invited to join this CLER conversation with Professor Pia Resnik, University of Vienna

Understanding the complex relationship between emotions and language learning has become a key focus of individual differences research in applied linguistics. While the bulk of attention was initially paid to negative emotions, in particular foreign language classroom anxiety (Horwitz et al., 1986; see also Gkonou et al., 2017), the introduction of Positive Psychology (e.g., Fredrickson, 2001; Mercer & MacIntyre, 2014) to the field has shaped research into foreign language (FL) learning, bringing greater recognition to the crucial role of positive emotions in FL learning trajectories (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014, 2016) and sparking theoretical and methodological innovation (e.g., Botes et al., 2021). In this talk, I will review our current understanding of learner emotions in the FL class, ranging from how they have been conceptualized to the factors contributing to them. The discussion will also cover the role of the teacher in these processes to explore what teachers can do to regulate their learners’ emotions and ensure the right emotional temperature in their classroom (Resnik & Dewaele, 2020). This is also defining for teachers themselves as learner and teacher emotions have been shown to be contagious, forming a true confluence (Moskowitz & Dewaele, 2021; Moskowitz et al., 2022). Regulating emotions is, therefore, crucial for learners and teachers alike to maintain their wellbeing and reach their full potential in the (foreign) language classroom. Arguing it is high time to put the findings from previous research into practice, I will end my presentation with suggestions for future research directions and possible classroom applications drawing on examples of best practice (Mercer & Resnik, 2024; Resnik et al., 2025).