How formal and informal English use predict self-perceived and actual L2 proficiency: The mediation of emotions 

Shaoqian LUO, Jingye GUO, Yinjie TANG, Aochu LENG

Asian Journal of English Language Teaching ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (4) : 101-123.

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Asian Journal of English Language Teaching ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (4) : 101-123. DOI: 10.65961/AJELT-2026-4-006
Research Article

How formal and informal English use predict self-perceived and actual L2 proficiency: The mediation of emotions 

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Abstract

The study investigates the mediation of enjoyment and anxiety in the influence of informal digital use of English (IDUE), family English use (FEU), and classroom English use (CEU) on self-perceived and actual L2 proficiency. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to analyze data from 531 young EFL learners in secondary schools. Results showed that only CEU directly affected actual L2 proficiency. IDUE, FEU, and CEU showed significant indirect effects on self-perceived L2 proficiency through the mediation of enjoyment, whereas no such effects were reported for actual L2 proficiency. Anxiety significantly mediated the influence of CEU on self-perceived and actual L2 proficiency, but not those of IDUE and FEU on the outcome variables. Further, the interaction between IDUE and FEU negatively and significantly predicted self-perceived proficiency. The findings enrich L2 learning research by jointly modeling different learning ecologies and revealing differential mediating mechanisms of learner emotions and the interaction between different ecologies of informal English use.

Key words

informal digital use of English / classroom English use / family English use / emotions / Chinese EFL learners 

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Shaoqian LUO, Jingye GUO, Yinjie TANG, Aochu LENG. (2026). How formal and informal English use predict self-perceived and actual L2 proficiency: The mediation of emotions .Asian Journal of English Language Teaching , 35(4): 101-123. https://doi.org/10.65961/AJELT-2026-4-006

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