A hierarchical clustering analysis of classroom emotional profiles of Grade-4-to-5 EFL learners: Classroom emotions, motivation, family backgrounds, and proficiency development

Although research into emotions has flourished in second language (L2) / foreign language (FL) learning in recent decades, few attempts have been made to examine learners as clusters based on their emotional profiles. The current study set out to first investigate the nature of 98 Grade-4-to-5 English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ emotional profiles, as represented by classroom anxiety, boredom, and enjoyment. The hierarchical clustering analysis revealed three distinct profiles: Negative Emotion (NE; 21.43%), High Enjoyment (HE; 46.93%), and high in both Enjoyment and Anxiety (EA; 31.63%). We then analysed FL motivation and family background (household income and parental education) between the three groups. We also compared the FL proficiency levels (listening, reading, speaking, and writing) between the three groups from three perspectives: baseline scores (T1), scores one year later (T2), and growth (from T1 to T2). Multiple significant differences were found. The most common pattern was HE demonstrated higher scores than NE (e.g. in various aspects of language proficiency). EA also had higher scores than NE in some areas. HE and EA were largely similar, the only significant difference being HE having higher listening and speaking motivation than EA did. Interestingly, no significant differences were found in family background between the three groups.