The present study is a mixed-method investigation into both foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) of 201 Chinese university students in a non-degree German language program. Since scarce studies have focused on classroom emotions in the LOTE (languages other than English) field, this current study fills in the gap in the existing literature and provides implications for teachers in the German language classroom. The necessity of this study is also supported by the trend of multilingualism being increasingly prevalent.
In terms of the quantitative data, we employed a questionnaire based on FLE-scale and FLCA-scale to examine the participants' classroom emotions as well as other learner- and teacher-related variables. Specifically, the learner-related variables included the self-perceived language proficiency, the ranking and the scores in the exam, while the teacher-related variables included the learners' evaluation of the friendliness, strictness, humour, and unpredictability of their teachers. The data analysis showed that the German language learners reported a higher level of FLE than FLCA and that the two emotions were negatively correlated. Regression models further showed that FLE was strongly predicted by the teacher-related variables, while FLCA was primarily predicted by the learner-related variables. To be precise, participants' FLE was most predicted by teachers' humorousness, their self-perceived reading proficiency level, and teachers' friendliness. Meanwhile, participants' FLCA was mainly predicted by their self-perceived listening ability, their ranking in class, and the unpredictability of the teacher.
Regarding the qualitative data collection, the open-ended questions inquired about learners' most enjoyable and anxious experiences in their German language classroom. The results showed that learners' FLE experiences were more related to the teacher, whereas FLCA experiences were more related to learners themselves. More specifically, learners' FLE in the German language classroom was boosted by the specific classroom activities organized by the teacher, their good language performance, the sense of achievement in a new language, and the frequent interaction with teachers and classmates. In the meantime, the relatively high demand of German language learning, the frequent exams, and the learners' fear of bad language performance resulted in a higher FLCA. Both the quantitative and qualitative findings were only partially consistent with previous studies focused on the classroom emotions of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners in China (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014; Jiang & Dewaele, 2019).
In light of the findings, we suggest that teachers organize more diversified classroom activities and integrate more culture-related content to boost students' FLE. Moreover, teachers may also adopt more flexible assessment formats and provide clear instructions thereof, thus helping students be more prepared and ameliorate their FLCA.
