THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES OF MEXICAN LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND ITS EFFECTS ON MOTIVATION

Although the affective aspects of motivation have been considered to be as important as language aptitude in language learning success (Gardner and Lambert, 1972; Gardner, 1985), little research in foreign language learning have focused on the relation between motivation and learners’ emotions (MacIntyre, 2002, Aragão, 2011, Mercer, 2011). This presentation highlights the results of a qualitative study focusing on 18 students in an ELT programme in a Southeast Mexican university. The study aimed at identifying the range of emotions students experience during language learning instruction, the sources of these emotions and the influence of these emotions on the motivational behaviour of students in daily classes. Results suggest that emotions are closely related to motivational energy, impacting on it both positively and negatively. Although negative emotions may be considered detrimental to foreign language learning, the findings of this study show that negative emotions in the Mexican context served as learning enhancers. Positive emotions were also revealed as having a negative impact on learners’ motivation: since students thought they were doing well enough, they did not make any further efforts after experiencing a positive situation or event. These results suggest that emotions, both negative and positive, contribute to enhancing and diminishing motivation, and are important for the foreign language learning process. The study highlights the crucial role language learners’ emotional experiences have on their motivational behaviour and the significant influence teachers have on this.