Adult students' perceptions on positive and ambivalent emotions during foreign language learning

Research on emotions is still scarce in the field of adult foreign language learning. For this reason, a qualitative study was carried out to investigate the emotions that adult students feel during the foreign language (FL) learning process. A total of 39 learners of six languages volunteered to be interviewed. They were all-level students from 10 State Language Schools. The data were analyzed through a thematic analysis. This study examined positive and ambivalent emotions, the instances when these occur and what triggers them. The results indicate that positive emotions are mainly caused by the good environment encouraged through artistic, participative, dynamic, and fun tasks, along with personal satisfaction and enrichment. Ambivalent emotions are related to the dynamics between effort and enjoyment, which implies personal growth, as in the case of speaking tasks. This study contributes to expanding research on the role of emotions in FL learning in adult population segments that are not usually included in investigations.