ABSTRACT
The present contribution presents an overview of recent developments in research on emotions within the emerging field of the psychology of foreign language learning and teaching. It shows that the long neglect of emotions in the field of applied linguistics has come to an end. Emotions fuel the language learning and well as the language teaching process. These emotions emerge partly from the learners and teachers themselves (internal sources) but they interact with contextual variables. A particular emotion can arise in an interaction with a specific interlocutor (micro-level), or within a classroom context (meso-level), which is situated within a more general political and historical context (macro-level). Emotions can thus fluctuate over different time windows. Moreover, emotions play a crucial role in learners’ and teachers’ wellbeing. It is therefore crucial for teachers to be able to regulate their own emotions and those of their learners in the classroom.
