Organised by Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
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Date: 6 November 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 5:00 - 6:00 pm HK time (Click here to check your local time)
Venue: SHA101, PolyU Student Halls of Residence (Hung Hom) / Online via Zoom
Speaker: Professor Chengchen Li, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Limited quota. Seats will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.
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About the Speaker
Chengchen Li is a full professor of applied linguistics at the School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. Her research interests include positive psychology, L2 writing, task-based language teaching, and bilingualism and cognition. She has published widely in journals including Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, Language Teaching Research, Modern Language Journal, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, and System. She is Co-Editor of the Journal of Multilingualism and Multicultural Development as well as associate editor of Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. She is Vice President of the International Association for the Psychology of Language Learning. Dr. Li has been included in Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researcher list (2024) and Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists list (2022-2024).
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Abstract
Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has predominantly focused on task features, cognitive learner factors, and negative emotions, particularly anxiety. This narrow focus risks portraying learners as emotionless or perpetually anxious. In this talk, I will advocate for the importance of exploring a broader range of learner emotions in TBLT. The presentation is divided into three parts. First, I will outline the rationale for investigating diverse learner emotions, drawing on key insights from positive psychology, educational psychology, and cognitive psychology. Second, I will present findings from two empirical studies examining task emotions (i.e. task enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom) in L2 speaking and writing contexts. Finally, I will discuss the pedagogical implications of these findings and their potential to inform more emotionally responsive TBLT practices.
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Please provide the following information to register. Details and a link to the webinar will be emailed to registrants.
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