Since language use is at the center of language learning, learners’ active engagement in learning activities is crucial for successful language learning. Answering the call for positive language education, the present study investigated the levels and influencing factors of engagement in English learning among 437 Chinese senior high school students. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, collecting data through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that students were generally well-engaged in English learning. Moreover, students were more inclined to engage in English learning behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively. Students’ agentic engagement in English learning was relatively low and mainly reflected after English classes. The relatively low agentic engagement might be shaped by a series of personal and contextual factors, including the traditional Chinese concept of “honoring and respecting the teacher”, teachers’ teaching strategies, students’ learning strategies, English proficiency, learning climate, and teaching styles. Pedagogical implications for English teachers concerning enhancing students’ English learning engagement were provided.

This study used a qualitative method to explore a teacher’s use of motivational strategies in an English for specific purposes (ESP) course and students’ perceptions. An English teacher in a business English class and her 32 students were recruited. The class was observed three times: at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the course. Two semi-structured interviews with the teacher were conducted: one before classroom observation, and the other after observation. Interviews with the students were conducted after each classroom observation. The teacher used seven motivational strategies to create a supportive and relaxed classroom atmosphere, and five strategies to facilitate students’ language learning. Most students’ perceptions of the teacher’s use of motivational strategies were positive. However, the students perceived a gap between their expectations for the course and their experiences. Finally, the article concludes by offering insights into the implications and constraints related to pedagogy.

This study delves into understanding the determinants of grit in English learning among Vietnamese students, highlighting both external and internal factors. Utilizing qualitative interviews, the research engaged with a cohort of 15 students, aiming to unearth the intricate interplay of influences that bolster their commitment and persistence in English studies. External factors emerged prominently, with teacher influence playing a significant role. Teachers’ motivational techniques, personalized feedback, and the establishment of a nurturing learning environment were underscored as pivotal in shaping students’ determination. On the internal facet, personal goals and aspirations, self-efficacy, intrinsic curiosity for the language, adaptive learning strategies, peer comparisons, and reflective self-assessment were identified as central elements. Insights from Constructivism and Socio-Cultural Theory were instrumental in interpreting the findings, revealing how individual experiences intersect with broader societal and cultural narratives. The study uncovered that while personal motivations and aspirations drive the students, they are simultaneously influenced by societal values, especially in the Vietnamese context, where education is deeply revered. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on grit in educational settings, shedding light on the unique cultural and individual determinants in the context of Vietnamese students learning English.

Skinner’s behaviorist theory delineates how a child acquires L1; notwithstanding, what sets the present study apart from Skinner’s findings can be culled-out from the research context itself. This paper validates the principles behind behaviorist theory as proposed by Skinner (1985) taking into account applied linguistics context. Careful scrutiny of data reveals that the explored theory also plays a vital role in the gradual L2 acquisition through meaningful linguistic attempts (e.g., There are persons cutting trees without replanting; His friends Marilyn and Alicia clean the classroom) and reading activities by fostering affirmative learning atmosphere to induce positive language attitude towards L2 acquisition and functionality. Negligible errors in the process of L2 acquisition are attributed to linguistic variability, interlanguage, and inflectional morphology component. This study is advantageous to EFL learners and teachers globally for it highlights some linguistic implications indispensable to interpret the learning rate, lexical range, comprehensible input (CI), and language cognition of L2 students specifically in early language education. EFL educators may be able to provide meaningful linguistic activities by considering the essential tenets of this academic piece as well as the multiculturalism factor to L2 acquisition.