Modeling the Interplay Between Perceived Teacher Confirmation, L2 Grit and Well-Being Among Chinese EFL Students

Studies on language-learning psychology demonstrate that perceived teacher confirmation may contribute to student motivation, grit and engagement. However, little attention has been paid to investigating the role of perceived teacher confirmation in language learners’ well-being, including those who learn English as a foreign language. Moreover, the potential working mechanism between perceived teacher confirmation and student well-being remains unsolved. In order to address these gaps, the current study aimed to investigate to what extent teacher confirmation may contribute to EFL learners’ sense of well-being via the mediating role of L2 grit. A total of 440 Chinese college-level EFL learners were recruited through convenience sampling to complete an online composite questionnaire. Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling were employed for statistical analyses. The results were as follows: (1) teacher confirmation was positively associated with Chinese EFL learners’ well-being; (2) L2 grit mediated the relationship between perceived teacher confirmation and EFL learners’ well-being. The research findings reveal that the employment of teacher confirmation behaviors in EFL settings may help to develop learners’ perseverance and sustain their interest in learning a language and, in turn, enhance their sense of well-being. Drawing on the findings, pedagogical implications were systematically discussed.