Supporting individuals feeling stuck in English learning journey
Introduction
Learning a new language is a challenging task, especially for students with mental health problems. As Spence (2022) notes, language learning brings cognitive, social, and employability benefits. Yet the process requires sustained effort, memory of rules and large amounts of vocabulary, and substantial time.
This research explores options to support students who experience emotional or mental difficulties while learning English (stress, anxiety, depression). Because mindset and emotional state are central to language acquisition, addressing emotional barriers is essential—especially in contexts where English proficiency is linked to educational and employment opportunities.
Justification
Proficiency in English generates better academic and job prospects. Many intermediate (B1–B2) students, however, suffer emotional problems—stress and anxiety—that complicate learning. Emotional intelligence (EI) can assist learners in coping with emotions, boosting confidence and communicative competence.
This project aims to incorporate emotional intelligence into the English learning process to foster self-motivation, communication skills, and emotional wellness. Teachers and mental health practitioners benefit from evidence-based practices that support learners, particularly in Latin America where English skills are increasingly required for higher education and employment.
The topic was chosen partly from personal experience: the lead author reports feeling “stuck,” and peers described similar sensations with no clear tools to overcome them. This personal connection motivates the research focus on practical, evidence-based support.
Description of the Problem
One of the main challenges when learning a second language is a mental barrier that must be overcome to progress from intermediate to advanced levels. While vocabulary and grammar are often emphasized, internal factors such as stress, workload, and personal circumstances can produce cognitive and emotional barriers that impede further development.
For many learners at the B1 level, increased expectations, fear of mistakes, and sociocultural pressures create anxiety that reduces concentration and motivation. Without appropriate support, learners may slow down, lose confidence, or even abandon language study.
Teachers must recognize these internal and external factors—not to lower standards, but to provide tools and adjustments that enable students to continue progressing while attending to their emotional needs.
Research Question
What factors cause frustration in students when learning a new language?
Objectives
General Objective
To examine the ways in which high emotional intelligence can assist the learning of the English language as a foreign language and in the process create self-motivated, communicative, and competent students.
Specific Objectives
- To determine the connection between the emotional intelligence construct and the motivation to learn English.
- To investigate how emotional intelligence skills can affect communication and interaction in English learning.
- To recommend to students how emotional intelligence can help them cope with emotional aspects of learning English.
Literature Review
The feeling of stagnation or a “learning plateau” in a second language is common and can lead to dissatisfaction, reduced motivation, and lack of confidence. Several strands of research explain causes and propose interventions:
Lexical and cultural challenges
Mäntylä (2024) highlights difficulties with colloquial language and idioms: learners often lack exposure and fail to develop lexical awareness, depending instead on literal translation. Teaching strategies that focus on idiomatic comprehension can improve communicative competence.
Metacognition and autonomy
Cabrerizo & Nordby (2021) show that metacognitive techniques—self-awareness and reflection—help learners take charge of study habits and set achievable goals. Teachers can encourage metacognitive reflection to address learning barriers.
Long-term learners and motivation
Shin (2020) examines Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) who, despite years of study, do not reach full competence. Causes include inadequate programs and lack of tailored instruction. Ogata (2025) and others emphasize amotivation and the need for vision-building and realistic goal-setting.
Anxiety, stress, and external factors
Several studies (Meza-Carranza & Palma-Villavicencio, 2022; Guanuche Díaz et al., 2024; Ali & Anwar, 2021; Xu et al., 2022) link anxiety and stress to poorer oral performance and lower class participation. Socioeconomic contexts and pressures also influence learning outcomes (Cruz-Arcila et al., 2023).
Strategies validated by research
Research suggests strategies to break plateaus: breaking large goals into small wins (Smith, 2023), fostering autonomy and self-regulation (Goh & Taib, 2022), teaching metacognitive skills, providing low-stakes speaking opportunities, and explicit emotional support in class.
Conclusion of the review: The feeling of stagnation is not primarily a lack of ability but a complex interaction of emotional, pedagogical, and contextual factors. Effective interventions must be multi-faceted and consider both the learner’s emotional state and the instructional design.
Research Method
This project uses a mixed-methods approach to gather comprehensive evidence from multiple perspectives. Mixed methods combine quantitative measures (e.g., questionnaires to measure anxiety, motivation, and engagement) with qualitative data (interviews, focus groups) to explain the numbers and illuminate student experiences.
Rationale for mixed methods
Mixed-methods research allows integration of breadth and depth: numerical indicators show prevalence and correlation, while narratives explain the lived experiences behind the statistics. Literature (Yawen & Wang, 2023; Dorothy, 2021; Wasti et al., 2022) supports the choice of mixed methods for complex educational problems such as language anxiety and stagnation.
Suggested instruments
- Validated anxiety and motivation questionnaires administered to B1–B2 university students.
- Semi-structured interviews with students who self-report feeling “stuck.”
- Teacher interviews and classroom observations to analyze instructional practices and context.
- Learning journals or short reflective logs for metacognitive data.
Expected outcomes
Combining quantitative prevalence data with qualitative narratives will help design targeted interventions: low-stakes speaking routines, metacognitive scaffolding, teacher training on feedback, and emotional regulation techniques embedded in language instruction.
References
References presented in APA style with hanging indent.
- Liu, Y., & Wang, J. (2023). Strategies for reducing EFL learners’ foreign language anxiety in online classes: Investigating teachers’ teaching credentials and experience. Heliyon, 9(7), e17579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17579
- Ogata, K. (2025). Promoting student motivation in language learning: A mixed-methods study. Journal of Information Systems Engineering & Management, 10(44s), 553–561. https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i44s.8635
- Wasti, S. P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. R., Sathian, B., & Banerjee, I. (2022). The growing importance of mixed-methods research in health. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 12(1), 1175–1178. https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v12i1.43633
- Cruz-Arcila, F., Solano-Cohen, V., Briceño-González, M. L., Rincón, A., & Lobato-Junior, A. (2023). Resisting hegemonic discourses on the relation between teaching second languages and socioeconomic development. PROFILE Issues in Teachers Professional Development, 25(2), 111–127. https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v25n2.103953
- Sirlopú Vera, E. D. J., Marrufo Rojas, D. R., & Ortega Cabrejos, M. Y. (2023). Calidad de la competencia comunicativa del inglés en educación superior: revisión teórica. Cuadernos de investigación educativa, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.18861/cied.2023.14.2.3370
- Meza-Carranza, N. M., & Palma-Villavicencio, M. M. (2022). Incidencia del Estrés en el Aprendizaje del Idioma Inglés: Una Visión Desde el Contexto de Los Estudiantes Universitarios. Polo del Conocimiento, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.23857/pc.v7i3.3889
- Guanuche Díaz, R. P., Torres Asanza, S. V., Rojas González, L. J., & Tituana Moncada, L. J. (2024). The impact of anxiety on B1 level college students’ oral competence in the English language. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 8(4), 6908–6923. https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i4.12874
- Gómez, J. F., Restrepo, J. E., & Díaz Larenas, C. (2023). Causas y efectos de la ansiedad en clase de inglés: Factores cognitivos y afectivos. Revista Fuentes, 25(1), 101–110. https://doi.org/10.12795/revistafuentes.2023.22097
- Martínez Patiño, A. F., Izquierdo Chañag, R. D., Martínez Ortega, D. S., López Rodríguez, E. C., & Figueroa Peña, M. F. (2024). Ansiedad lingüística en el aprendizaje del inglés como lengua extranjera: Linguistic anxiety in learning english as a foreign language. Informes psicológicos, 24(2), 149–162. https://doi.org/10.18566/infpsic.v24n2a09
- Ali, B. J., & Anwar, G. (2021). Effects of anxiety and stress on second language learning. [Review].
- Xu, W., Zhang, H., Sukjairungwattana, P., & Wang, T. (2022). Language anxiety among Taiwanese EFL learners. [Study].
- Smith, (2023). Strategies for breaking the deadlock in language acquisition. [Article].
- Goh, A., & Taib, Y. (2022). Motivating strategies and self-regulation in language learning. [Article].
- Mäntylä, (2024). On idioms and lexical awareness. [Article].
| 4. Methodology | The research project uses a mixed approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative elements to understand why students may feel “stuck” when learning a second language. We will use a sequential application design, in which we will first collect some data using a structured survey and then use semi-structured interviews to analyze the origin of this problem. |
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| 4.1 Research Approach | The study is developed under a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The quantitative aspects will be responsible for “measuring” the feeling of stagnation in language learners, but we will focus more on English learning and the qualitative aspects. Our idea is for them to explore and explain the reason for this feeling, whether based on experiences, emotions, or external factors, thereby providing us with a good source of information. |
| 4.2 Research Design | A sequential explanatory design is applied. First, quantitative data is collected through a survey to identify the possible reasons for this problem. After that, qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews will be used to interpret the results. |
| 4.3 Phases of the investigation | First identification of learners experiencing stagnation, secondly application of a diagnostic survey, third selection of participants for interviews based on survey results, fourth conduction of semi-structured interviews, and fifth integration of data into our respective research work. |
| 4.5 Sampling | B1 students at Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios. Our idea based on sampling is to use both quantitative and qualitative tools in this population. |
| 4.6 Data collection instruments |
Two instruments are used: a structured survey to gather quantitative data on stagnation-related variables, and a semi-structured interview guide aimed at exploring emotional, motivational, and contextual aspects of the learners’ experiences.
Field notes support triangulation of the data.
Example questions for the interview:
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