Do L2 Teacher Support and Peer Support Predict L2 Speaking Motivation in Online Classes?

Exploring the effect of teacher autonomy support on Chinese EFL undergraduates’ academic English speaking performance through the mediation of basic psychological needs and classroom engagement

“…Secondly, student-centered teaching in L2 speaking classes is further substantiated by this research. This approach often incorporates elements like collaborative tasks, peer tutoring, and the creation of a non-judgmental environment, enabling students to express their opinions freely, for instance, through class message forums ( Solhi, 2023 ). This approach is especially pertinent for introverted students who may benefit significantly from a greater degree of teacher autonomy support ( Saroughi and Cheema, 2022 ).…”

“…For example, attentive listening and expressing interest in students’ remarks can enhance their motivation to communicate in speaking tasks. This approach can serve as an effective icebreaker; moreover, assigning online speaking projects via social media that promote collaborative learning appears to be a promising approach to grappling with such cultural influence ( Wang, 2015 ; Solhi, 2023 ).…”

“…In the globalized world where English is a lingua franca , English speaking skills are critically important for university students to orally communicate ideas, master disciplinary knowledge, and engage in the academic community during their academic learning in higher education ( Peng and Woodrow, 2010 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ; Pitura, 2022 ). It has been acknowledged that the learning context, especially teachers’ support for students’ learning, plays a significant role in students’ acquisition of communicative abilities in the L2 classroom ( Zarrinabadi et al, 2022 ; Solhi, 2023 ). The primary aim of teacher support is to cultivate students to be autonomous language learners ( Borg and Alshumaimeri, 2019 ).…”

“…In addition, some researchers claimed that students’ psychological factors and engagement are highly context-dependent (e.g., Hiver et al, 2021 ). In such a supportive learning environment, students may inherently perceive themselves as a valuable member of a learning community (e.g., L2 classroom) and thus become more intrinsically motivated with autonomous engagement in L2 speaking endeavors such as seeking opportunities to practice their speaking skills or express their opinions confidently (e.g., Alrabai, 2021 ; Wu and Hung, 2022 ; Solhi, 2023 ). Despite the existing insights, few empirical studies have focused on how exactly the teachers’ autonomy support influences L2 speaking performance via students’ basic psychological needs and engagement.…”

“…It has been acknowledged that the learning context, especially teachers' support for students' learning, plays a significant role in students' acquisition of communicative abilities in the L2 classroom (Zarrinabadi et al, 2022;Wang et al 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1323713 Frontiers in Psychology 02 frontiersin.org The Adapted Self-System Model of Motivational Development (SSMMD) (Connell and Wellborn, 1991;Skinner et al, 2009). Solhi, 2023). The primary aim of teacher support is to cultivate students to be autonomous language learners (Borg and Alshumaimeri, 2019).…”