Interaction-seeking behavior in second language learning: a preliminary exploration in the United States

Drawing on Proactive Language Learning Theory (Papi and Hiver 2025a. "Proactive Language Learning Theory." Language Learning 75 (1): 295-329; 2025b. "What Proactive Language Learning Theory Is and Is Not: A Response to Atkinson's Commentary." Language Learning 75 (1): 337-342.), this study examines how adult ESL learners actively demonstrate proactive interaction-seeking behavior in English-speaking environments as a means of enhancing their communicative competence. Based on a thematic analysis of data collected from semi-structured interviews with ten international graduate students learning English as a second language in the United States, this study uncovered three interconnected themes related to interaction-seeking behavior: Proactive Interaction Seeking, involving the deliberate identification and access to communicative opportunities; Proactive Interaction Engagement, characterized by strategic participation in interactional opportunities; and Proactive Interaction Monitoring, entailing reflective evaluation of one's interactional performance. These behaviors collectively position interaction as strategic efforts for L2 learning and use driven by learner agency. This study provides a preliminary window into why interaction-seeking is important in L2 acquisition. It lays a starting point for future studies and suggests ideas for fostering learner engagement in L2 interaction-seeking behaviors.