Approaching Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) through Teacher Verbal Immediacy: A Case from Grade-6 Primary Students in Jiangsu, China

This study examines the impact of instructor verbal immediacy on primary school students' foreign language enjoyment (FLE), highlighting its significance in cultivating pleasant emotions and augmenting motivation in language acquisition. The research utilized a mixed-methods approach to examine data from 100 sixth-grade students and two English instructors in Jiangsu Province, China, applying the Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale (FLES), classroom observations, and the rapport-management model. Research demonstrates that educators exhibiting high verbal immediacy—evidenced by initiating dialogues, providing feedback, and employing humor—substantially enhance students' Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) across four dimensions: illocutionary, discourse, participation, and stylistic. Quantitative study indicated that students instructed by educators with elevated verbal immediacy scores reported increased levels of FLE, but qualitative data underscored the significance of interactive and engaging pedagogical methods. The research finds that instructor verbal immediacy cultivates positive teacher-student connections, increases classroom engagement, and boosts students' pleasure of foreign language acquisition. These findings augment the literature by filling gaps in primary school EFL environments and offer pragmatic methods for educators to improve teaching efficacy. The paper recognizes limitations, such as the small number of participants and geographical emphasis and suggests future research to investigate varied demographics and the evolving nature of FLE over time.