Investigating the mediating role of Foreign Language Peace of mind and learning burnout in the relationship between Informal Digital Learning of English and willingness to communicate

Abstract

Concurrent with the advancements of computer-assisted language learning (CALL), L2 researchers have started to pay more attention to the notion of informal digital learning of English (IDLE). A series of studies have already indicated its crucial role in linguistic achievements. However, the mediating role of positive and negative psychological states in the relationship between IDLE and willingness to communicate (WTC) has received scant research attention. Therefore, the present study explored whether foreign language peace of mind (FLPoM) and foreign language learning burnout (FLLB) mediated the relationship between IDLE and WTC among EFL learners. The participants were 316 Iranian EFL learners who completed four questionnaires. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that (a) IDLE did not have a direct impact on EFL learners’ WTC, (b) FLPoM fully mediated the relationship between IDLE and WTC, and (c) the relationship between IDLE and FLLB was fully mediated by FLPoM. This study suggests that L2 learners’ positive psychological state of FLPoM can direct their IDLE practices toward higher levels of willingness to interact in L2 and lower levels of negative syndrome of burnout. The findings of this study imply the significance of language learners’ psychological states in their digital language learning in out-of-class learning environments.

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