Exploring the Role of GenAI and Emotional Literacies in EFL Teachers' Teaching Enjoyment in the Context of AI ‐Mediated Education

The rapid spread of generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies into various aspects of second/foreign language (L2) education has recently attracted increasing scholarly attention. However, the way GenAI literacy may be associated with English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' emotional state has received insufficient attention. To address this gap, the present quantitative study drew on control‐value theory (CVT) and the broaden‐and‐build theory (BBT) in examining the role of GenAI literacy and emotional literacy in EFL teachers' teaching enjoyment in the context of AI‐mediated instruction. Three questionnaires were completed by 679 Chinese EFL teachers. The results revealed positive pairwise correlations among GenAI literacy, emotional literacy and teaching enjoyment. Moreover, structural equation modelling showed that both GenAI literacy and emotional literacy were positively associated with teaching enjoyment when modelled simultaneously. The study offers practical implications for EFL teachers and teacher educators, inviting them to pay more attention to the emotional aspects of AI‐integration, fostering more enjoyable L2 instruction.