Can a Tandem Tame a Bed Monster?

Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety, Enjoyment, and Informality in a Tertiary Chitchatting E-Tandem

Abstract

This paper studies the circulation of learner emotions during a tertiary chitchatting e-tandem called Bab(b)elade. In this online collaborative language learning project, students of French and Dutch develop each other’s foreign language competence in an informal setting, away from ‘classic’ academic requirements. Using questionnaire data and introspective learner reports, we analyze the participants’ (N = 88) foreign language enjoyment, foreign language anxiety, target language attitudes, and perceptions of learning progress. Results reveal that the (a) informality, (b) learner independence, and (c) interculturality of the authentic peer situation are prominent yet also ambiguous emotion triggers. They can be linked to speaking anxiety, stress, and discomfort, and at the same time bear the potential to boost students’ enjoyment, positive target language attitudes, and speaking confidence. By stimulating the participants to navigate the affective ambiguity of spontaneous speaking settings, the e-tandem enhances self-reflexivity, learner involvement, and sentiments of progress. Well-considered pedagogical support that balances learner freedom and instructor guidance appears to be pivotal. This way, deliberately informal e-tandems can contribute to an emotionally controllable and stimulating language learning environment, offering a considerable return on investment for both students and instructors.