Attending Boredom in the Foreign Language Learning Classroom: Approaches, Challenges and Solutions

Since 2016, foreign language teaching and learning in Ecuadorian educational institutions have been legally aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Alongside this framework, CEFRL-aligned course materials are typically used, but they are often not tailored to the regional context or the specific needs of target learner groups. Consequently, foreign language courses for adult learners in higher education frequently fail to provide engaging learning experiences, leading to negative academic emotions such as boredom (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 2017).

Emotions, in turn, are closely linked to motivation—both being essential components for successful learning (Pekrun & Linnebrink-Garcia, 2012). In the early stages of our long-term research project on motivational class design, we have been exploring methods for detecting boredom in the classroom as a prerequisite for teachers to effectively prevent or address it. Since boredom is a multidimensional emotion with various types (Goetz et al., 2014) and numerous causes (Goetz, Frenzel, & Haag, 2006), one of our short-term goals is to develop a reliable and practical method for detecting boredom that can be easily used by educators despite the complex nature of this emotion.

Our primary challenge is to confine data collection to the real-time duration of classroom activities, ensuring minimal disruption and avoiding reliance on additional technical equipment. We aim to distill valid observation categories and descriptors. To achieve this, existing methods described in the literature must be adapted and refined. These include the Experience Sampling Method via questionnaires (Goetz et al., 2014; Larson & Richards, 1991) and the BERI classroom observation protocol (Lane & Harris, 2015).

This exploratory study was conducted at a private university in Ecuador, involving 34 English students from Level 1 and Level 3 courses taught during April–July 2018. Data were collected through field observation (teacher’s field diary, participant observer protocols, and students’ boredom logs with near-real-time self-reported entries) and video-enhanced observation.

Preliminary results indicate that: a) The revised observation methods and instruments are not directly applicable or suitable for teaching practitioners without significant modifications. b) Multiple design and piloting cycles are required to develop a valid, reliable, and practical method. c) The complexity of correlating observed student body language and behavior with boredom necessitates a mixed-method approach.

In conclusion, while boredom is a challenging emotion to detect, reliable and validated tools can provide teachers with valuable insights. These tools can help analyze task engagement, design activities with appropriate stimulation or challenge, and refine the types of interactions prioritized in foreign language classes. By addressing these factors, the gap between intended learning objectives and actual outcomes may be reduced. Furthermore, the potential for teachers to misinterpret student body language and behavior underscores the importance of a mixed-method approach.