Task Motivation, Task Emotions, and Cognitive Engagement in L2 Oral Tasks: The Case of Chinese Post-Secondary L2 Learners of English

Drawing on control-value theory and situated expectancy-value theory, this study investigated the relationships between task motivation (i.e., expectancy for success, task values, and task cost), task emotions (i.e., task enjoyment and task anxiety), and cognitive engagement in L2 oral tasks among Chinese post-secondary English learners. A total of 308 Chinese post-secondary students participated in the L2 oral task and completed the task motivation and task emotions questionnaires. Path analysis showed that task value positively predicted learners’ cognitive engagement, and task cost negatively predicted it. While expectancy for success did not predict cognitive engagement directly, its effect was fully mediated by task enjoyment and anxiety. The results also revealed that task anxiety partially mediated the relationships between the other two dimensions of task motivation (task value and task cost) and cognitive engagement. These findings highlight the intricate relationships between motivation, emotions, and cognitive engagement in task-based language teaching, offering both valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for L2 education.