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Part of
Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching
Edited by Shaofeng Li
[Task-Based Language Teaching 16] 2024
► pp. 84–110

Chapter 3
Understanding, measuring, and differentiating task enjoyment from foreign language enjoyment

| 1Huazhong University of Science and Technology,
| 2Birkbeck, University of London,
This study aims to conceptualize and measure task-specific enjoyment and examine its links with general foreign language enjoyment. A 23-item Task Enjoyment Scale was developed based on interview data obtained after the completion of an L2 oral task. The scale was subsequently validated with two cohorts of Chinese university EFL learners. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three dimensions: task enjoyment-self, task enjoyment-task characteristics, and task enjoyment-social. Further confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a 10-item Task Enjoyment Scale representing the three-factor structure. Correlation analyses revealed varying positive relationships between task enjoyment, foreign language enjoyment, and their dimensions. We highlight that task enjoyment may be the foundation of foreign language enjoyment, and that learners may also bring enduring foreign language enjoyment to a specific task, contributing to the temporary experience of task enjoyment, which may be linked to task performance. We conclude that enjoyment, whether task-specific or general, is vital, and a primary non-linguistic goal for L2 teachers is to make L2 tasks/learning as enjoyable as possible.
Keywords: foreign language enjoyment, task enjoyment, task-based language teaching, positive psychology, individual differences
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Literature review
    • Trait enjoyment in foreign language learning
    • State enjoyment in foreign language learning
    • A call for a task-based approach to enjoyment
    • Previous studies on L2 task enjoyment
    • Task enjoyment and foreign language enjoyment
  • Methodology
    • Participants and procedure
    • L2 oral tasks
    • Instruments
      • Post-task interview
      • Foreign language enjoyment
      • Task enjoyment
    • Analysis
  • Results
    • Factor structure of task enjoyment and construct validity
      • Exploratory factor analysis
      • Confirmatory factor analyses
    • Reliability and validity of the Task Enjoyment Scale
      • Reliability
      • Convergent validity
      • Discriminant validity of factors and items
    • The relationships between task enjoyment and foreign language enjoyment (dimensions)
  • Discussion
    • Three dimensions of task enjoyment
    • The psychometric properties of the Task Enjoyment Scale
    • The correlation between task enjoyment and foreign language enjoyment
  • Implications, limitations, and future directions
  • Conclusion
  • References
  • Appendix
Published online: 6 June 2024
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tblt.16.03lic
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Cited by (6)

Cited by six other publications

Donate, Ángela & Ronald P. Leow
2024. Chapter 4. Task complexity, task features, and task anxiety at low L2 proficiency levels. In Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching [Task-Based Language Teaching, 16], ► pp. 111 ff. DOI logo
Ellis, Rod
2024. Chapter 12. Conclusion. In Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching [Task-Based Language Teaching, 16], ► pp. 346 ff. DOI logo
Li, Shaofeng
2024. Chapter 1. Individual differences and task-based language teaching. In Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching [Task-Based Language Teaching, 16], ► pp. 10 ff. DOI logo
Namkung, Yoon & YouJin Kim
2024. Chapter 7. A review of learner motivation and engagement research in task-based language teaching. In Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching [Task-Based Language Teaching, 16], ► pp. 198 ff. DOI logo
Skehan, Peter
2024. Foreword. In Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching [Task-Based Language Teaching, 16], ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo
Willis, Jane
2024. Chapter 10. Practitioners’ perspectives. In Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching [Task-Based Language Teaching, 16], ► pp. 288 ff. DOI logo

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