Abstract
This study examines the role of IDLE (e.g., watching English-language films) in L2 enjoyment and whether L2 enjoyment, in turn, predicts grit. The data were collected through online questionnaires from 656 Chinese EFL university students. A follow-up, semi-structured interview also was conducted to enrich quantitative findings. The Structural Equation Model results show that L2 enjoyment in general mediated the relationship between IDLE and grit. The interview analysis also confirms that IDLE plays a positive role in enhancing L2 enjoyment (e.g., feeling more joyful and confident about learning and using English), which in turn positively influences grit (e.g., becoming more diligent in learning English). These findings suggest that IDLE is an essential factor for boosting enjoyment in learning English, and an approach that can potentially nurture grit in EFL learners in China or similar EFL contexts. Copyright © 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Language learning and leisure: Informal language learning in the digital age |
| Editors | Denyze TOFFOLI, Geoffrey SOCKETT, Meryl KUSYK |
| Place of Publication | Berlin |
| Publisher | De Gruyter Mouton |
| Pages | 241-268 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9783110752441 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783110752342 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Citation
Liu, L., & Lee, J. S. (2023). Why does IDLE make EFL learners gritty? In D. Toffoli, G. Sockett, & M. Kusyk (Eds.), Language learning and leisure: Informal language learning in the digital age (pp. 241-268). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110752441-011Keywords
- Informal digital learning of English
- Grit
- L2 enjoyment
- Chinese EFL learners
- PG student publication