The Linguist

12 The Linguist Vol/64 No/4 ciol.org.uk/thelinguist FEATURES connection with others (relatedness) are more intrinsically motivated and resilient. 3 In language learning, these factors are particularly relevant as people often face challenges such as anxiety, self-consciousness and fear of making mistakes. Dewaele notes that adult learners experience a "rollercoaster" of emotions – from excitement and enjoyment to frustration and anxiety – which can directly affect engagement and progress. 4 Designing learning environments that acknowledge and intentionally cultivate positive emotions, along with strategies to manage anxiety, can make a significant difference. Strategies that enhance wellbeing Fostering autonomy and self-directed learning. Providing learners with choices about tasks, topics and project formats strengthens engagement, reduces anxiety and fosters a sense of ownership. 5 For example, I have found that allowing learners to select conversation topics related to their own goals dramatically increases motivation. Task-based learning, where students create projects aligned with their personal interests, is highly effective. A learner interested in academic study might concentrate on formal writing and presentations while someone wishing to communicate with family might focus on practical language for daily life. This freedom reinforces autonomy and connects study to meaningful, real-world purposes. Building competence through scaffolded tasks. Learners are more confident and resilient when they experience success through appropriately challenging tasks. Lev Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development supports scaffolded learning: tasks that are just beyond current ability but achievable with guidance. 6 In practice, this might involve breaking speaking exercises into manageable steps, providing model dialogues or offering structured writing tasks. Feedback should emphasise effort and progress rather than mistakes or perfection, reinforcing a sense of competence. Scaffolded tasks enable learners to take risks in a supportive environment, which is particularly important for adults who may have previously struggled or feel self-conscious. Promoting social connections and belonging. Languages are inherently social and relationships are fundamental to wellbeing. Positive interaction with peers and teachers enhances engagement, confidence and emotional resilience, and satisfies the SDT need for relatedness. Group discussions, role plays, collaborative tasks and peer feedback foster a sense of community, helping learners to share experiences and overcome isolation. Celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion are also essential. Social interaction can be incorporated outside a classroom setting too through online language communities, conversation tandems and study groups. Facilitating flow and engagement. Flow, the state of deep immersion described by psychologist Mihály Csikszentmihalyi, occurs when challenge and skill are balanced, and learners are fully absorbed. 7 For adults managing busy lives, short, focused exercises – such as problem-solving activities, timed speaking tasks and storytelling – can induce flow and make study feel especially productive and rewarding. Flow promotes positive emotion and persistence. Designing lessons that combine achievable challenges with engaging content makes practice a pleasurable experience rather than a chore. Reducing anxiety and normalising mistakes. Fear of embarrassment or judgement can inhibit participation and retention. Dewaele shows that learners' emotional experiences, both positive and negative, directly influence progress. 8 Low-stakes practice, scaffolded interaction and framing mistakes as learning opportunities reduce anxiety. Developing resilience. The ability to recover from setbacks and sustain motivation over time is critical. Many adults juggle study with work, family or health challenges; progress can be slow or uneven. Teachers can model resilience by sharing their own experiences of language learning, including mistakes. This normalises difficulty as part of growth. Encouraging learners to reflect on their emotional responses to learning (what excites

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