Article2024

From Excitement to Anxiety: Exploring English as a Foreign Language Learners' Emotional Experiences in the Artificial Intelligence‐Powered Classrooms

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EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning Artificial Intelligence in Education Educational Technology and Pedagogy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in second/foreign language education has recently gained a bulk of attention. However, the emotional experiences of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in AI‐mediated classes have been ignored. To fill this gap, the present qualitative study examined 34 Chinese EFL students' perceptions of AI‐induced emotions and regulation strategies. A semi‐structured interview and a narrative frame were used to collect the data. The gathered data were thematically analysed through the latest version of MAXQDA software (v. 2023). The findings revealed that Chinese EFL students had mostly experienced positive emotions of ‘motivation’, ‘excitement’, ‘engagement’ and ‘confidence’. On the negative side, they reported experiencing ‘frustration’, ‘anxiety’ and ‘stress’ more frequently in their classes. Furthermore, the study indicated that the participants had used six strategies, namely ‘seeking help from others’, ‘shifting attention’, ‘cognitive change’, ‘persistent practice’, ‘staying positive’ and ‘suppression’ to regulate their AI‐induced emotions. The findings are discussed and implications are provided for EFL students and educators to understand the emotional aspect of AI injection into L2 education.

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References

2006Using thematic analysis in psychology 2015Emotion Regulation: Current Status and Future Prospects 2002Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences 2020L2 grit: Passion and perseverance for second-language learning 2018Motivation, Emotion, Learning Experience, and Second Language Comprehensibility Development in Classroom Settings: A Cross‐Sectional and Longitudinal Study 2024Improving EFL learners’ speaking skills and willingness to communicate via artificial intelligence-mediated interactions 2019A Positive Psychology perspective on Chinese EFL students’ trait emotional intelligence, foreign language enjoyment and EFL learning achievement 2017Positive and negative emotions underlie motivation for L2 learning

Cited by

2025EFL students’ perceptions about the role of generative artificial intelligence (GAI)-mediated instruction in their emotional engagement and goal orientation: A motivational climate theory (MCT) perspective in focus 2025Exploring the Dynamics of Artificial Intelligence Literacy on English as a Foreign Language Learners’ Willingness to Communicate: The Critical Mediating Roles of Artificial Intelligence Learning Self-Efficacy and Classroom Anxiety 2025Integrating Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) Into the English as a Foreign Language Classroom: Exploring Its Impact on Students' Achievement Emotions and Willingness to Communicate ( WTC )

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