28.382, Review: Applied Ling; Lang Acquisition; Psycholing: Gregersen, Mercer, MacIntyre (2016)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-28-382. Wed Jan 18 2017. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 28.382, Review: Applied Ling; Lang Acquisition; Psycholing: Gregersen, Mercer, MacIntyre (2016)

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Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2017 13:44:56
From: Jose Aguilar [jose.aguilarrio at univ-paris3.fr]
Subject: Positive Psychology in SLA

 
Discuss this message:
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/reviews/get-review.cfm?subid=36199537


Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/27/27-1882.html

EDITOR: Peter  MacIntyre
EDITOR: Tammy  Gregersen
EDITOR: Sarah  Mercer
TITLE: Positive Psychology in SLA
SERIES TITLE: Second Language Acquisition
PUBLISHER: Multilingual Matters
YEAR: 2016

REVIEWER: Jose Aguilar, Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris III

Reviews Editor: Helen Aristar-Dry

Summary

Peter D. MacIntyre et al.’s ‘Positive Psychology in SLA’ is a 388 pages long
edited volume “dedicated to theories in positive psychology and their
implications for language teaching, learning and communication” (MacIntyre et
al., 2016: back cover). The volume counts fifteen original articles, plus
introduction and conclusion sections, as well as academic and personal
information about each contributor. There is no unified references section at
the end; each article contains its own. The volume presents a synthetic,
useful index.

Chapter 1 is an introduction by the editors, who argue the need for a work
such as theirs about positive psychology in SLA, as they present an overview
of the volume.

Chapter 2, by Rebecca L. Oxford, is entitled “Toward a Psychology of
Well-Being for Language Learners: The ‘EMPATHICS’ Vision”. ‘EMPATHICS’ stands
for emotion and empathy (E), meaning and motivation (M), perseverance (P),
agency and autonomy (A), time (T), hardiness and habits of mind (H),
intelligences (I), character strengths ( C ) and self factors, namely
efficacy, concept, esteem and verification (S). Each element of the model is
extensively discussed, by drawing on multidisciplinary literature. The
‘EMPATHICS’ model is ultimately presented as a holistic approach that allows
practitioners to account for the complexity of language learning as it may be
uniquely experienced by different individuals.

Part One is entitled “Theoretical”. It comprises Chapters 3 through 5. Chapter
3, by Sarah Mercer, is entitled “Seeing the World Through Your Eyes: Empathy
in Language Learning and Teaching”. Mercer approaches the notion of empathy by
drawing on social (positive) psychology, education and applied linguistics.
Ultimately ‘empathy’ is characterized as a set of conducts to which
pre-service teachers can (and should) be sensitized through conscious practice
and training.

Chapter 4, by Joseph Falout, is entitled “The Dynamics of Past Selves in
Language Learning and Well-Being”. Falout considers the influence that past
selves, or “images of who one has been, and what one has gone through and
done” (Falout, 2016: 112), may have on self-factors and thus on a social and
identity-engaging activity, such as learning a language. Drawing on the
Positive Psychological literature, the author presents concepts, such as
decision-making and self-appraisals, which may be associated with specific
practices, such as “[c]herishing the good moments” and “[r]eframing the bad
moments”, which may lead to learning experiences better suiting each
individual’s needs and expectations.

Chapter 5, by Ana Maria F. Barcelos and Hilda Simone H. Coelho is entitled
“Language Learning and Teaching: What’s Love Got To Do With It?”. The authors
state that love should be made its own rightful and necessary place in any and
all educational situations. Both authors acknowledge how reluctant some
educational professionals may feel about supporting such a claim;
consequently, they suggest an encompassing definition of love that may cater
to all sensitivities as well as help understand the intricacies of an
educational situation. Ultimately, the authors propose lists of self-check,
context-based, specific questions for each educational professional to work
out what love may be within his or her professional practice, as well as to
develop new ways to look at such practice.

Part 2 is entitled “Empirical” and contains Chapters 6 through 12, which
present an empirical outline, with research questions and data discussion
according to specific methods. Chapter 6, by Tammy Gregersen, Peter D.
MacIntyre and Margarita Meza, is entitled “Positive Psychology Exercises
[(PPEs)] Build Social Capital for Language Learners: Preliminary Evidence”.
The authors “explore both the emotional and the social consequences of
enriching an extracurricular language conversation program with PPEs.”
(Gregersen et al., 2016: 147). The six chosen PPEs were: laughter, exercise,
interaction with pets, listening to music, expressing gratitude and engaging
altruism. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data generated
allows the authors to “see preliminary evidence of […] positive psychology
supporting positive outcomes” (ibid.: 164).

Chapter 7, by Phil Hiver, is entitled “The Triumph Over Experience: Hope and
Hardiness in Novice L2 Teachers”. The author “investigate[s] why some L2
teachers appear to be more successful than others” and “explore[s] the process
through which hope emerged, and examine[s] the role this played in helping
them overcome the demands of their novice year.” (ibid.). The analysis
ofinterviews andLikert scales allows Hiver to identify moments along 19
novices’ first year when they managed/failed to rely on hope  in order to
overcome experiences that they perceived as difficult.

Chapter 8, by Éva Czimmermann and Katalin Piniel, is entitled “Advanced
Language Learners’ Experiences of Flow in the Hungarian EFL Classroom”. Five
research questions are presented. They concern the occurrence of flow in the
aforementioned context. A set of quantitative data was produced. It consisted
in Likert scales from 85 BA English major students in a Hungarian university.
They had to evaluate their experience as they performed a set of tasks. The
analysis of these data allowed the authors to conclude that “the more
creativity is involved, the more likely it will be that learners find
themselves in the flow channel.” (Czimmermann & Piniel, 2016: 208).

Chapter 9, by Jean-Marc Dewaele and Peter D. MacIntyre, is entitled “Foreign
Language Enjoyment and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: The Right and Left
Feet of the Language Learner”. According to the authors, there is a dearth of
empirical studies concerning “enjoyment”. Such does not appear to be the case
with other psychological states such as “anxiety”, which seem to have largely
studied. Consequently, they present two concepts, “Foreign Language Enjoyment”
(FLE) and “Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety” (FLCA), whose validity they
willingly test. Two research questions are defined, which the authors answer
by factor-analysing the quantitative and qualitative data generated by an
online questionnaire, which was completed by 1742 multilinguals from 90
nationalities. The analysis showed factorial differences between anxiety and
enjoyment. Ultimately, the authors call for further research on FLE and FLCA,
as they claim that these concepts may help better understand the complexity of
the (language) learning process.

Chapter 10, by J. Lake, is entitled “Accentuate the Positive: Conceptual and
Empirical Development of the Positive L2 Self and Its Relationship to L2
Proficiency”. The author focuses on the L2 positive self and L2 self-efficacy,
in order to define two research questions concerning the possibility to act
upon the aforementioned aspects of the self, within a language learning
context. The participants in the study completed a self-report questionnaire,
which allowed the author to measure aspects of the formers’ global positive
self, positive L2 self and L2 self-efficacy. Factor analysis and structural
equation modelling allowed the author to conclude that “the identity processes
are also predictive of L2 proficiency and […] may help in developing positive
identities for personal growth” (ibid.: 253).

Chapter 11, by Zana Ibrahim, is entitled “Affect in Directed Motivational
Currents [(DCMs)]: Positive Emotionality in Long-Term L2 Engagement”. The
author is interested in the “themes underlying the positive emotions described
by people who experienced a DMC during language learning” (ibid.: 260). A
phenomenological approach is adopted to collect and analyse data – namely
interviews – from seven participants. Data analysis revealed six themes:
unique experience, learning as lifestyle, enjoyment/happiness, effort as not
effort, sense of change, and sense of being lucky.

Chapter 12, by R. Kirk Belnap, Jennifer Bown, Dan P. Dewey, Linnea P. Belnap
and Patrick R. Steffen, is entitled “Project Perseverance: Helping Students
Become Self-Regulating Learners”. The notion of perseverance is questioned
through the quantitative – Likert scales – and qualitative – interviews – data
produced at the end of a 16-week study abroad intensive program of Arabic,
which gathered 52 students. The authors’ findings point to the importance of
communication among tutors and learners during study abroad experiences, in
order for the latter to experience a feeling of accomplishment.

Part Three is entitled “Applied”, it comprises Chapters 13 through 16, which
present actual classroom-based experiences by language teaching practitioners.
Chapter 13, by Marc Helgesen, is entitled “Happiness in ESL/EFL: Bringing
Positive Psychology to the Classroom”. The author presents eight teaching and
learning activities – gratitude list, complimenting, giving reasons, spending
time with family and friends, forgiveness, taking care of oneself, noticing
good things, and learning to work with stress. Each activity is linked to
personal development principles of positive psychology, and targets specific
linguistic aspects of the English language. Further positive psychology-based
activities are presented, some of which are illustrated with figures of actual
productions by learners.

Chapter 14, by Tim Murphey, is entitled “Teaching to Learn and Well-Become:
Many Mini-Renaissances”. The author’s main tenet is that “getting students to
teach others outside of class spreads the benefits” (Murphey, 2016: 324).
Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data produced in one author’s elective
class in a Japanese university, the author argues for the benefits of having
students teach what they are learning.

Chapter 15, by Candy Fresacher, is entitled “Why and How to Use Positive
Psychology Activities [(PPAs)] in the Second Language Classroom”. The author
shares her experience of integrating PPAs in a university context in Hungary.
These were: three gratitudes, value in action, active constructive dialogues,
loving-kindness meditation and positivity portfolios.

Chapter 16, by M. Carmen Fonseca-Mora and Francisco Herrero Machancoses, is
entitled “Music and Language Learning: Emotions and Engaging Memory Pathways”.
Musical intelligence, emotions and the allegedly positive influence of their
interaction upon language learning are central here. Ultimately, the authors
plead for music to be integrated with classroom-based teaching and learning
situations.

Chapter 17 is a conclusion by the editors, who ultimately argue in favour of
adopting positive psychology approaches in language learning, educational
contexts.

Evaluation

MacIntyre et al.’s edited volume is a thorough work on the application of
positive psychological principles on applied linguistics and language learning
endeavours. The theories reviewed, the data analysed and the practices
presented, will certainly appeal scholars, curriculum developers, language
teaching practitioners, teachers’ educators and pre-service language teachers.
The volume is accessible and reads quite easily. The outline in three parts
struck this reviewer as a rather adequate editorial decision, since a
permanent balance is felt among the theoretical aspects of Part 1 and the
practicality of Part 3. As is usually the case with editorial projects in
English, this volume does not seem to take into account works on language
learning and positive psychology in French or by French scholars, such as
Joelle Aden (2014), Emmanuelle Maître de Pembroke (2013) or this very
reviewer, Aguilar & Brudermann (2014). This apparent lack of knowledge about
(or interest in?) language learning and applied linguistics research in
French, seemed comically striking to this reviewer, while reading Dewaele and
MacIntyre’s “FLE” concept proposal – in France and in French, “FLE” stands for
“Français comme Langue Étrangère”. Although not all the proposals may actually
be said to be “original” – this reviewer was reminded of Comenius’ (1986)
pedagogical proposals while reading Chapter 14, by Murphey – all of them seem
timely and adequate, particularly at dire times when humanistic values, namely
empathy, are desperately needed. On a rather personal basis, this reviewer was
thrilled to be granted the chance to review this volume, and hopes that in the
near future, aspects of language teaching, and language learning, may follow
some of the proposals and approaches put forward in the book.

References

Aden, J. (2014). De la langue en mouvement à la parole vivante : théâtre et
didactique des langues. Langages, (192), 101 110.

Aguilar Río, J. I., & Brudermann, C. (2014). Language learner. In C. Fäcke
(Eds.), Manual of Language Acquisition (pp. 291–307). Berlin, Boston: De
Gruyter Mouton.

Comenius, J. A. (1986). Didáctica magna. Torrejón de Ardoz: Akal.

Czimmermann, E. & Piniel, K. (2016). “Advanced Language Learners’ Experiences
of Flow in the Hungarian EFL Classroom”. In P. D. MacIntyre, T. Gregersen, S.
Mercer (Eds.). (2016). Positive psychology in SLA (193-214). Bristol, UK ;
Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters.

Falout, J. (2016). “The Dynamics of Past Selves in Language Learning and
Well-Being”. Falout considers the influence that past selves, taken as “images
of who one has been, and what one has gone through and done”. In P. D.
MacIntyre, T. Gregersen, S. Mercer (Eds.). (2016). Positive psychology in SLA
(112-129). Bristol, UK ; Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters.

Gregersen, T. et al. (2016). “Positive Psychology Exercises Build Social
Capital for Language Learners: Preliminary Evidence”. In P. D. MacIntyre, T.
Gregersen, S. Mercer (Eds.). (2016). Positive psychology in SLA (147-167).
Bristol, UK ; Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters.

Hiver, P. (2016). “The Triumph Over Experience: Hope and Hardiness in Novice
L2 Teachers”. In P. D. MacIntyre, T. Gregersen, S. Mercer (Eds.). (2016).
Positive psychology in SLA (168-192). Bristol, UK ; Tonawanda, NY:
Multilingual Matters.

Lake, J. (2016). “Accentuate the Positive: Conceptual and Empirical
Development of the Positive L2 Self and Its Relationship to L2 Proficiency”.
In P. D. MacIntyre, T. Gregersen, S. Mercer (Eds.). (2016). Positive
psychology in SLA (237-257). Bristol, UK ; Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual
Matters.

MacIntyre, P. D., Gregersen, T., & Mercer, S. (Eds.). (2016). Positive
psychology in SLA. Bristol, UK ; Tonawanda, NY: Multilingual Matters.

Maitre de Pembroke, E. (2013). Activités de production orale et émotions :
gérer la complexité dans l’instant de l’échange. Lidil. Revue de linguistique
et de didactique des langues, (48), 157–169.

Murphey, T. (2016). “Teaching to Learn and Well-Become: Many
Mini-Renaissances”. In P. D. MacIntyre, T. Gregersen, S. Mercer (Eds.).
(2016). Positive psychology in SLA (324-343). Bristol, UK ; Tonawanda, NY:
Multilingual Matters.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Jose Ignacio Aguilar Río is a Senior Lecturer at Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3
University in France. He teaches undergraduate and post-graduate courses in
education and applied linguistics. His research interests are in classroom
interaction, foreign language teacher education and research methodology. He
has presented papers at international conferences in Europe. His works have
been published in international reviews.





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