In the dynamic realm of second language acquisition, understanding the psychological and emotional drivers behind learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) remains a pivotal challenge. Recent research spearheaded by Guoliang Li sheds new light on the intricate interplay between grit, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and foreign language anxiety (FLA) among Chinese undergraduate English majors. This study not only dissects how different facets of grit influence learners’ propensity to communicate in a second language but also explores the nuanced mediating roles of emotional factors, revealing fresh insights into the socio-psychological underpinnings that shape language learning success.
At the core of Li’s investigation lies the concept of grit—an individual’s perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Grit is dissected into two critical dimensions: perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI). These facets represent, respectively, a learner’s sustained effort despite challenges, and the stability of their dedication to a given task over time. Li’s study probes how these elements of grit bear upon two types of L2 willingness to communicate: meaning-focused and form-focused. The former refers to a desire to engage in authentic, communicative exchanges emphasizing meaning and content, while the latter involves a preference for communication centered around grammar, structure, and accuracy.
What makes this study stand out is its concurrent examination of emotional variables—specifically, three sources of foreign language enjoyment (FLE-private, FLE-atmosphere, and FLE-teacher) alongside foreign language anxiety (FLA). FLE-private captures personal satisfaction and internal motivation during language learning; FLE-atmosphere reflects the positivity of the learning environment and peer interaction; while FLE-teacher considers the influence of instructor engagement and support. Together, these emotional experiences are juxtaposed with FLA, which encompasses the apprehension and stress learners face when communicating in a second language.
Li’s empirical results offer compelling revelations: perseverance of effort (PE) significantly predicts both meaning-focused and form-focused L2 WTC, suggesting that learners who consistently put in effort are more inclined to engage across different communicative contexts. Crucially, the study identifies partial mediation by FLE-private, FLE-atmosphere, and FLA in the relationship between PE and willingness to communicate—painting a complex picture where emotional enjoyment and anxiety subtly influence how grit translates into communicative behavior.
More intriguingly, the dimension of consistency of interest (CI) operates differently. The analysis uncovers a masking effect of FLA in the link between CI and meaning-focused L2 WTC. This means that anxiety obscures the positive contribution that a stable interest in language learning might have on learners’ readiness to pursue meaningful communicative opportunities. Furthermore, FLA fully mediates the relationship between CI and form-focused L2 WTC, highlighting the dominating role of anxiety in contexts where communication prioritizes linguistic forms.
These findings pivotally enrich our understanding of how emotional and personality factors intertwine to shape language learning trajectories. The implications extend beyond theoretical frameworks, offering practical avenues for educators and curriculum designers committed to fostering environments where grit is nurtured and emotional barriers mitigated. For instance, enhancing private enjoyment and cultivating a supportive classroom atmosphere could amplify the benefits afforded by perseverance of effort, ultimately boosting learners’ confidence and motivation to engage in L2 communication.
However, Li’s study candidly acknowledges several limitations. The first concerns gender imbalance within the sample. The majority of participants were female, a factor that could skew results due to documented tendencies for female learners to exhibit higher grit, greater foreign language enjoyment, and increased willingness to communicate compared to their male counterparts. Although this demographic imbalance mirrors the reality of English majors in Chinese universities, the unequal representation necessitates cautious interpretation of findings and calls for future research to address gender parity.
Secondly, the study’s cross-sectional design limits insights into how grit, FLE, FLA, and willingness to communicate evolve over time. Language acquisition is inherently dynamic, and these psychological factors may fluctuate as learners encounter new challenges, experiences, and developmental milestones. Longitudinal research adopting repeated measures across semesters or academic years could unravel temporal patterns and causal pathways more definitively.
Third, the exclusive use of quantitative methods leaves a gap in understanding the deeper mechanisms underlying the observed statistical relationships. Although survey data afford breadth and generalizability, they may not adequately capture learners’ subjective experiences or contextual nuances. Li suggests that integrating qualitative techniques—such as interviews or focus groups—could illuminate learners’ narratives, motivations, and coping strategies, enriching the interpretive framework of grit’s role in L2 communication.
Beyond these limitations, the research aligns well with a growing body of evidence embracing positive psychology in language education. By focusing on positive emotions like enjoyment alongside negative ones like anxiety, Li’s work emphasizes the dual emotional currents that propel or hinder communicative willingness. This dual lens offers a balanced perspective, pushing practitioners to implement pedagogical interventions that both enhance positive emotional experiences and reduce anxiety triggers.
Notably, the differentiation between meaning-focused and form-focused willingness to communicate adds granularity to our comprehension of learner engagement. The former aligns with communicative language teaching principles prioritizing interaction, negotiation of meaning, and fluency, while the latter relates more closely to accuracy-focused instruction and grammar drills. Recognizing these communicative modes’ distinct psychological antecedents helps tailor pedagogical strategies that match learners’ emotional profiles and motivational landscapes.
Of particular interest is how foreign language anxiety functions as both a mediator and masking variable. Anxiety’s multifaceted influence underscores its complex role—not merely as a barrier, but as an emotional filter modulating the impact of personality traits like grit. This nuanced understanding prompts a re-conceptualization of FLA from a static hindrance into a dynamic agent within learner psychology, one that can be targeted through interventions such as anxiety-reducing classroom climates or individualized learner support.
The focus on Chinese undergraduate students also contributes valuable cultural specificity to the field. China’s unique educational and linguistic context—characterized by high-stakes testing, large classroom sizes, and particular social norms around communication—interacts with individual differences like grit and emotional experiences in distinctive ways. These contextual factors necessitate culturally sensitive approaches to studying and fostering L2 willingness to communicate.
Li’s study also implicitly encourages exploration into how teacher-related enjoyment (FLE-teacher) might be leveraged in instructional design. Although this component did not emerge as a primary mediator in the reported findings, its inclusion points to the critical role educators play—not only as facilitators of language input but also as emotional catalysts shaping learners’ engagement and perseverance.
The robust methodological approach, employing validated psychometric scales and rigorous data analysis, ensures the credibility of the study’s conclusions. However, future research could enhance ecological validity by involving multiple data sources such as classroom observation, peer feedback, and technological tools tracking learner interaction in real time.
In conclusion, this pioneering examination of grit, foreign language enjoyment, and anxiety affirms the psychological complexity underlying L2 communication willingness. Li’s research illuminates pathways by which sustained effort and emotional states converge to influence learners’ communicative choices, offering compelling directives for educators and policy makers eager to nurture resilient, joyful, and confident language learners. The integration of motivational grit with affective experiences presents a fertile landscape for advancing second language pedagogy in increasingly globalized and multilingual educational settings.
Subject of Research: The relationship between grit and second language willingness to communicate (L2 WTC) among Chinese undergraduate English majors, focusing on the contributions of foreign language enjoyment and anxiety.
Article Title: The relationship between grit and L2 willingness to communicate among Chinese undergraduate students: the contributions of foreign language enjoyment and anxiety.
Article References:
Li, G. The relationship between grit and L2 willingness to communicate among Chinese undergraduate students: the contributions of foreign language enjoyment and anxiety.
Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 545 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04862-4
Image Credits: AI Generated
