Researching language engagement; current trends and future directions

The paper discusses how learner engagement in language learning settings has been conceived of and investigated in the past decade. Whilst a cognitive focus used to predominate in research on language learners’ engagement, the importance of affective (and social) factors is increasingly recognised. The paper interrogates ‘engagement’ in the literature in order to better understand its role in Language Awareness and language learning. It situates Engagement With Language in relation to other similar notions, including contextual engagement, task engagement and engagement with corrective feedback. An insufficiently understood, yet highly influential factor in engagement research is found to be perceived meaningfulness. What constitutes meaningfulness will partly depend on the age (developmental stage) of the learner. Research findings reviewed indicate that such disparate factors as purposefulness, utility, and enjoyment can confer meaningfulness on tasks or activities, and that meaningfulness can be linguistic, social, or individual in nature. Suggestions are made for further research on conscious learner engagement in instructed language learning settings.