Multidisciplinary Journal Epistemology of the Sciences
Volume 3, Issue 2, 2026, July–September
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71112/n8v6y984
SYSTEMATIZATION OF EXPERIENCES
HOW DOES CONFIDENCE INFLUENCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN EFL
LEARNERS AT THE MONTESSORI INSTITUTE?
SISTEMATIZACIÓN DE EXPERIENCIAS
¿CÓMO INFLUYE LA CONFIANZA EN LA PARTICIPACIÓN DE LOS ESTUDIANTES
DE INGLÉS COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA EN EL INSTITUTO MONTESSORI?
Adrián Gonzalo Vinces Loor
María Cristina Basantes Robalino
Ecuador
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Systematization of experiences ¿How does confidence influence student
engagement in efl learners at the Montessori Institute?
Sistematización de experiencias ¿Cómo influye la confianza en la participación
de los estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera en el Instituto Montessori?
Adrian Gonzalo Vinces Loor
a,*
Master Student
adrian.vinces@pg.uleam.edu.ec
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5392-2989
María Cristina Basantes Robalino
a
Master English Teacher
maria.basantes@uleam.edu.ec
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5184-9643.
*
Autor de correspondencia: adrian.vinces@pg.uleam.edu.ec,
a
Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de
Manabí Manta, Manabí, Ecuador
RESUME
This research explores how self-confidence and speaking anxiety influence student
engagement among secondary EFL learners at the Montessori Institute. Recognizing
that linguistic knowledge alone does not guarantee oral participation in virtual settings,
the authors implemented eight interactive, gamified pedagogical interventions—such as
role-plays, mystery investigations, and collaborative group projects—to lower students'
"affective filters". Initially, the online sessions saw only a 50% participation rate due to
barriers like fear of negative evaluation, lack of spontaneous preparation, and social
comparison, which the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) revealed
to be heavily skewed toward female participants. However, by shifting the pedagogical
focus from immediate grammatical perfection to communicative fluency, utilizing
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student-centered breakout rooms, and practicing delayed error correction, the
classroom climate became significantly less intimidating. As a result, individual anxiety
was minimized, and student engagement dramatically improved, transitioning from
hesitant silence to a stabilized 100% participation rate by the fourth intervention.
Ultimately, the study concludes that when language educators prioritize authentic
human connection and small-group collaboration over rigid drills, students shift from
passive observers to active, confident communicators
Palabras clave: Virtual Classroom; Pegagogical Strategies; Student Engagement; Self-
Confidence.
ABSTRACT
This study explores the relationship between self-confidence and student engagement
among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at the Montessori Institute.
Recognizing that linguistic proficiency alone does not guarantee active participation, the
research investigates how teacher behaviors, pedagogical interventions, and virtual
classroom environments impact a learner’s willingness to communicate. Using a mix
method approach, the study systematizes a series of eight pedagogical interventions
findings indicate that engagement significantly increases when students are provided
with scaffolding tools, work in small breakout rooms, and receive delayed, non-
intimidating error correction. Quantitative data form the participation revealed a
transition from inconsistent engagement to a 100% participation rate by the third
intervention, which was sustained through the final session. Furthermore, results from
the anxiety scale highlight that while fear of judgment and social comparison are
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primary barriers, they are effectively mitigated by a classroom climate focused on
communicative flow and human connection rather than immediate grammatical
perfection.
Keywords: EFL; Student Engagement; Self-confidence; Speaking Anxiety; Pedagogical
Strategies; Virtual Classrooms.
Received: June 23, 2026 | Accepted: July 14, 2026 | Published: July 15, 2026
INTRODUCTION
In EFL contexts, teachers often encounter students who have the grammar and
vocabulary needed to participate but remain silent because they lack confidence. This
study focuses on the emotional and behavioral barriers that affect high school students’
oral participation, especially speaking anxiety, fear of judgement, and insecurity in
virtual classes. When students avoid speaking, they lose valuable opportunities to
receive feedback, practice fluency, and strengthen their communicative skills.
Although confidence and anxiety have been widely studied in language learning,
much of the existing research focuses on university students or general academic
performance. Less attention has been given to how confidence influences engagement
among secondary EFL learners in online contexts, particularly in Latin America, where
students may have limited exposure to English outside the classroom. In addition, there
is still a need for practical guidance on how teachers can support shy or anxious
students beyond simple encouragement. Therefore, this systematization of experiences
aims to explore how students perceive confidence when speaking English, how this
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perception affects their willingness to participate, and which teaching strategies help
create a safer and more motivating learning environment. The study contributes both
theoretically and practically by offering insights into affective factors in EFL learning and
by providing useful recommendations for teachers who want to reduce anxiety and
promote student engagement in virtual and face-to-face classrooms.
Introduction to the Broad Topic and Its Significance
In English education, student engagement – comprising active participation,
persistence, and emotional investment- is vital for successful language acquisition.
However, self-confidence acts as a powerful determinant of a learner’s willingness to
engage (Gabejan, 2021). Because higher confidence directly facilitates stronger
motivation and participation, while low confidence creates a barrier (Athirathan, 2025),
and understanding this relationship is essential for educators aiming to design effective
language learning experiences.
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Foundations of Confidence in Language Learning
Language confidence is a learner’s belief in their ability to communicate
effectively. Closely tied to self- efficacy- the belief in one’s capacity to perform specific
tasks(Schunk, 1984) and inversely related to foreign language anxiety, this
multidimensional trait combines cognitive, affective, and behavioral components that
directly drive engagement in communication (Songsiri, 2007). Social norms and
community expectations can directly or indirectly shape students’ mental health (Perry,
2024). Indirectly, these broader cultural factors are filtered through a student’s
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immediate, micro-level social environment- specifically their daily interactions and
networks. Within this immediate circle, elements like friendship quality, strong
relationship satisfaction, and robust social support act as critical mediators that protect
and enhance individual wellbeing (Szkody, 2021). Besides (Arnold, 2007) emphasizes,
that mental health is achieved when the students have both a positive, accurate belief
about themselves, and their abilities and also the commitment and responsibility that
comes when they see themselves as able to complete worthwhile goals and about the
motivation (Yashima, 2004) said that affects self-confidence, which in turn influences
proficiency in English.
This process deepens their cognition and learning itself, and it creates the other
part of teacher’s challenge (Kotekova, 2010). And it creates the other part of teacher’s
challenge. However, speaking a foreign language is not simply the ability to produce
words and sentences. Learners have to find courage to express something in a different
language, so gaining confidence to speak becomes the fundamental requirement.
The Role of Self-Confidence in Speaking and Communication Skills
Developing English speaking and listening confidence requires repetitive
practice, teacher scaffolding and positive reinforcement (Hutchinson, 2019). This
confidence operates within an interdependent triad alongside motivation and anxiety,
where highly confident, low- anxiety students consistently outperform peers who have
equal linguistic skills but higher emotional inhibition (Kiruthiga, 2022).
Across EFL environments, confidence is a key predictor of proficiency and
engagement. For example, (Pham, 2021) identified a strong correlation between
confidence and oral performance among Vietnamese university students, noting that
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confident learners spole more fluently, accurately, and frequently, while a fear of
mistakes silenced those with adequate skills. Similarly, (Quito, 2022) found that
confident Ecuadorian primary students exhibited superior pronunciation, fluency and
interactional strategies. Ultimately, both studies underscore that linguistic knowledge is
insufficient on its own; affective readiness and confidence are what truly enable learners
to express themselves effectively.
Pedagogical Strategies to Foster Confidence and Engagement
A recurring focus in the literature is on pedagogical interventions that enhance
confidence. (Songsiri, 2007) Action research demonstrated that integrating students’
learning preferences—such as using music, videos, and interactive activities—can
substantially improve their self-confidence. The study highlights that exposure to varied
communicative contexts encourages experimentation with language and reduces the
fear of error.
Using real- world English instead of grammar drills gives students a meaningful
purpose to speak that outweighs their fear of making mistakes; this authenticity lowers
their “Affective filter” by shifting their focus from perfect grammar to successful message
delivery (MacIntyre, 2023). In Colombian EFL contexts, interactive strategies like
collaborative projects and group discussions significantly boost students’ motivation and
confidence, highlighting that confidence- building must be deliberate pedagogical goal
managed through a supportive classroom climate (Acevedo, 2025). This aligns with
research Thailand showing that sustained practice, personalized feedback, and
individual support are vital for developing speaking- listening skills and student
engagement (Hutchinson, 2019). Furthermore, teachers must act as “motivational
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coaches” to establish safe social environments, actively fostering a shared group
identity in high school (Dörnyei, 2019). Together, these studies prove that teacher
support, constructive feedback, and authentic communication are essential for turning
self-doubt into active participation, though the small, context-specific sample sizes used
across these interventions leave questions about their scalability to broader student
populations (Acevedo, 2025).
Affective and Environmental Factors Influencing Confidence
Students’ low self-confidence is driven by multiple factors, including mastery
experiences, social persuasion, and psychological emotional states(Asnaini, 2025).
Furthermore, individuals who repress acknowledge their anxiety and actively combat it
(Harrigan, 1994). To counter this, socially cohesive communities built on trust,
connection, and collective efficacy create environments where students can thrive
emotionally (Breedvelt, 2022), while supportive social contexts foster the resilience and
sense of belonging crucial for mental well-being (Llistosella, 2023). Because confidence
development relies heavily on environmental and affective factors rather than just
internal drive, a low-anxiety classroom significantly boosts self-esteem and motivation
while lowering speaking anxiety, leading to better communicative outcomes among
undergraduates (Kiruthiga, 2022). This supports the affective filter hypothesis, which
posits that emotional comfort facilitates language learning. Globally, anxiety and self-
esteem remain the primary drivers of self-confidence in children and adolescents
(Lestari, 2025), and a strong correlation exists between high confidence and increased
learning enthusiasm and persistence across subjects (Athirathan, 2025).
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To investigate these dynamics, this systematization of experiences utilized a
mixed-methods approach at a private, online English School featuring students
nationwide attending one-hour daily classes. Data was collected through a triangulation
of instruments, including daily student participation lists, an anxiety scale to gauge the
intensity of student experiences, and teacher interviews exploring how educators
manage anxious situations in the classroom.
METHODOLOGY
In synthesis, while the field agrees that confidence is linked to persistence and
communicative willingness, in most of the virtual classes, it is difficult to identify the lack
of confidence of the students, by utilizing mixed method tools to triangulate confidence
and engagement patterns, this study addresses these gaps. This research aims to
provide insights into the affective dimensions of the classroom, contributing to more
responsive and inclusive pedagogical practices that ensure all students, not just the
most confident, have the opportunity to succeed.
Experience milestones.
At the beginning of these classes, most of the students did not participate
actively; they just gave short answers and did not want to participate. In most cases, the
teacher explained the classes and the teacher had to choose the participants in class. A
big group felt shy and insecure to talk. After this, they took the anxiety scale and the
teacher applied the following interactive classes:
Present Simple: The "Life of a Pro" Interview
Objective: Mastering habits and routines through role-play.
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• Each student chooses a "dream job" (e.g., Professional Gamer, Marine
Biologist, Pilot).
• The Activity: Students pair up. One is a journalist, the other is the
professional. They must conduct a 3-minute interview about a "typical
Tuesday" in that life.
• Participation Focus: Use "Wh-" questions (¿What time...? How often...?
Where...?).
Students aren't talking about their own (perhaps repetitive) routines; they are
"acting," which reduces shyness.
1. Past Simple: The Game
Objective: Fluency in narrative tenses and questioning.
• A "crime" has been committed (e.g., someone ate the last piece of cake in the
virtual office). Two students are "suspects" and the rest are "detectives."
• The Activity: Suspects go into a breakout room to coordinate their story for 5
minutes. Then, they are questioned separately by the detectives. If their
stories don't match (e.g., "I was at the gym" vs. "We were at the cinema"),
they are "guilty."
• Participation Focus: Rapid-fire questioning and defending a story.
The competitive element makes them focus on "winning" the argument rather
than perfect conjugation.
2. Present Continuous: The "Secret Agent" Observation
Objective: Describing actions happening now and temporary situations.
• Use a high-detail image (like a busy city street)
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• The Activity: One student is the "Agent" looking at the image; the other is the
"investigator" who cannot see it. The Agent must describe exactly what
people are doing (is wearing, are running, is sitting) so the investigator can
identify a specific person.
• Participation Focus: Constant verbal description and active listening.
Real-time feedback (¿” Wait, is he wearing a red hat or a blue one?”) encourages
self-correction without teacher intervention.
3. Comparatives: The "Ultimate Pitch"
• Present two similar but distinct items (e.g., a high-tech Smart Watch vs. a
Classic Analog Watch, or an Electric Scooter vs. a Bicycle).
• The Activity: Students are split into two "Sales Teams." They must argue
why their product is better, cheaper, more reliable, or faster than the
competitor's.
• Participation Focus: Persuasion and rebuttals.
• Confidence Builder: Using a "VS" format naturally forces the use of
comparative structures in a functional way.
4. Superlatives: The "Class Record Book"
Objective: Mastering the -est and the most... for extreme descriptions.
• The students will share their information for the class example (hobbies,
sports, what do they have like: phone, pc, etc.)
• The Activity: Students interview each other to find out who has the oldest
phone, the most interesting hobby, or the shortest commute.
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• Participation Focus: Peer-to-peer polling. They must collect data from at
least 5 classmates.
• Confidence Builder: It’s a social activity that turns the students into
"researchers" of their own community.
5. Present Perfect: The "Bucket List" Mixer
Objective: Talking about life experiences (¿Have you ever...? / I have never....
• The Hook: Discuss the concept of a "Bucket List" (things to do before you
die).
• The Activity: "Never Have I Ever" Each student shares something they
haven't done but want to (e.g., "I have never traveled to Asia"). If others have
done it, they share a 1-sentence detail about the experience.
• Participation Focus: Sharing personal stories and finding common ground.
• Confidence Builder: Focusing on personal milestones makes the grammar
feel relevant and "adult."
6. Use of "Going to": The "World Tour" Planner
Objective: Expressing future intentions and plans.
• The class has a "budget" of $10,000 for a group vacation.
• The Activity: In groups, they must plan a 5-day trip. They must present their
itinerary using "We are going to..." (e.g., "On Monday, we are going to visit the
Eiffel Tower").
• Participation Focus: Collaborative planning and negotiation.
• Confidence Builder: Planning a fun, imaginary trip creates a positive "vibe"
that encourages even the quietest students to contribute an idea.
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7. Modal Verbs: The "Mystery Investigator"
Objective: Using modals to make deductions (must/might/can't) and give advice
(should/ought to).
Show a picture of an abandoned backpack or a messy desk on your screen.
Inside the bag (or on the desk) are five specific items:
• A boarding pass to Tokyo.
• dog leash.
• A beginner's guitar book.
• A prescription for glasses.
• A half-eaten sandwich.
The Activity: "Who is the Owner?"
• Step 1 (Deduction): In pairs, students must figure out who this person is.
• Example: "They must like music because they have a guitar book."
• Example: "They can't be a professional musician because it's a beginner's
book."
• Example: "They might have a pet."
• Step 2 (The Dilemma): Tell the students the owner is actually a stressed
student who is failing their classes because they are too busy.
• Step 3 (Advice): Groups must come up with three pieces of advice for the
owner.
• Example: "He should study more and play guitar less."
• Example: "She could ask a friend for help with the dog."
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Following the interventions, student participation and group collaboration
increased significantly. Motivated by interactive team tasks, students confidently shared
ideas, asked clarifying questions, and accepted feedback without fear of making
mistakes. Ultimately, this approach fostered greater student confidence, active
engagement, and highly supportive peer environment.
Interview, anxiety scale and participation list results.
First the questions of the interview are:
1. How do you typically react when a student makes a significant grammatical or
pronunciation error during a live online session?
2. In your experience, what specific types of “scaffolding” (e.g., providing
sentence starters, ¿using visual aids) have you found most effective for
encouraging a hesitant student to speak?
3. How do you balance the need for accuracy with the goal of building a
student's "willingness to communicate" without them feeling judged?
4. Do you use specific forms of positive reinforcement or praise, and have you
noticed a direct impact on the frequency of student participation after using
them?
5. What digital "classroom conditions" (e.g., use of cameras, chat box, breakout
rooms) do you believe are most effective for mitigating speaking anxiety in an
online setting?
6. How does the level of student participation usually change when moving from
a whole-class discussion to small-group or peer-interaction tasks?
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7. How do you handle "silence" or avoidance during an online lesson? What
strategies do you use to help a student keep trying rather than staying silent?
8. To what extent do you incorporate interactive media (e.g., music, videos, or
games) specifically to lower the "affective filter" and make students feel more
comfortable?
9. How do you identify students who may have the linguistic ability to participate
but lack the self-confidence to do so in the digital environment?
10. If you could advise a new teacher on one specific behavior that helps foster a
"safe" environment for linguistic risk-taking, what would it be?
Based on that and collected the information from three teachers that are actively
working on this kind of context and students they said.
About first question
Teachers prioritize communication flow by delaying corrections until students
finish their thoughts, ensuring feedback supportive rather than punitive.
Second question visual aids, sentence starters, and teacher are used to
demonstrate real-world language application.
Third question fluency is the priority during communication; teachers track
common errors to address later as a group to avoid interrupting individual speakers.
Fourth question the teacher uses meaningful, specific praise and high-energy
gestures instead of generic feedback.
Fifth question the classroom conditions, teacher reduce pressure by introducing
engaging, opinion-based topics, providing crystal-clear instructions, and utilizing digital
tools like chat and breakout rooms.
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Sixth question about smaller groups and breakout rooms encourage participation
from introverted learners, whereas large classes tend to be dominated by extroverts.
Seventh question, silence is treated as necessary thinking time or need for
support, not a lack of skill. Teachers respond by rephrasing questions, offering choices,
or providing sample answers.
Eighth question about music, videos, games and pop culture are used to distract
students from their fear of mistakes, creating a relaxed “learning through play”
atmosphere.
Ninth, teachers boost hesitant learners by praising their effort, asking gentle direct
questions, validating their contributions regardless of grammatical accuracy.
Tenth question, the ultimate goal is to build genuine human connections by being
patient, transparent, and valuing a student’ ideas over their mistakes.
Participation table
Table 1.
This table describes the participation of the student in every session class.
Student’s
names
Class
#1
Class
#2
Class
#3
Class
#4
Class
#5
Class
#6
Class
#7
Class
#8
STUDENT A
(MALE)
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
STUDENT B
(MALE)
YES
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
STUDENT C
(FEMALE)
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
STUDENT D
(FEMALE)
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
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STUDENT E
(FEMALE)
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
STUDENT F
(FEMALE)
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Anxiety scale
It collected the highest five items with more answers and the five items with
lowest answers, the first five with highest answer are them:
1) Fear of constant evaluation (Item 19): If the item "I fear that my language
teacher is ready to correct every mistake I make" shows high levels of
agreement, it indicates that students perceive the classroom as a judgment
environment rather than a learning environment, which raises the "affective
filter".
2) Social comparison (Item 23): The feeling that "other students speak the
foreign language better than I do" suggests low comparative self-efficacy,
which can lead to withdrawal and less voluntary participation.
3) Anxiety about lack of preparation (Item 9): High levels in "I start to panic when
I have to speak without preparation" demonstrate that spontaneity is the
greatest challenge to the student's confidence.
4) Physical manifestations of stress (Item 20): If students validate that they feel
their "heart beating strongly" when participating, anxiety has gone from being
a cognitive concern to a limiting physiological response.
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5) Concern about pace (Item 25): Fear of "falling behind" due to the pace of the
class suggests that the cognitive load is exceeding the student's processing
capacity.
On the other hand, we have the answers with the lowest points
1) Lack of relaxation (Item 28): A low score on "When I am on my way to
language class, I feel very safe and relaxed" confirms that the language class
is perceived as a stressful event even before it begins.
2) Low communicative confidence (Item 18): Disagreement with "I feel confident
when I speak in class" is the most direct indicator that self-perception of
competence is negative.
3) Discomfort with native speakers (Item 14): If students do not agree that "I
would not be nervous when speaking with native speakers", it is evident that
the fear extends beyond the academic classroom into real-world contexts.
4) Difficulty in ignoring mistakes (Item 2): Disagreement with "I am not worried
about making mistakes" underlines a culture of perfectionism that inhibits the
experimentation necessary to learn a language.
5) Resistance to continuing education (Item 5): If there is little agreement with "I
wouldn't mind taking more classes at all," it reflects that the current
experience is so emotionally draining that the student does not wish to
prolong their learning.
Comparing answers between male and female, the items 19 and 23 about fear of
negative evaluation the women showed stronger internal worry about committing errors
in front of their peers. On the other hand, item 9 anxiety about lack of preparation male
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students felt better if we compare the answers with women students, it affected the
communicative competence.
Now if we compare it using breakout rooms, collaborative tasks in which all of
them have to interact and participate we can see this anxiety minimized.
Table 2.
This table describes the most significant results from the anxiety scale.
FLCAS Item
Evaluated
Male
Agreement
(%)
Female
Agreement
(%)
Key Variance Analysis
Item 9: I start to
panic when I have
to speak without
preparation.
50%
100%
It represents a universal
stressor, but it causes a total,
paralyzing panic for 100% of
the female group.
Item 18: I feel
confident when I
speak in foreign
language class.
100%
0%
0% of females felt baseline
confidence here, creating the
initial silence broken by the
interventions.
Item 20: I can feel
my heart pounding
when I'm going to
be called on.
0%
75%
Visceral physical anxiety is
heavily skewed toward
female participants in whole-
class digital environments.
Item 24: I feel very
self-conscious about
speaking in front of
other students.
0%
100%
Peer presence in a virtual
classroom Functions as a
total inhibitory barrier for
female learners.
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FLCAS Item
Evaluated
Male
Agreement
(%)
Female
Agreement
(%)
Key Variance Analysis
Item 2: I am not
worried about making
mistakes.
100%
0%
Females show a strict 0%
comfort rate with errors,
highlighting a deeply rooted
perfectionist barrier.
Item 19: I fear that my
language teacher is
ready to correct every
mistake I make.
50%
100%
Total, vulnerability among
females regarding live
corrections, elevating their
affective filters significantly.
Item 23: I feel that
other students speak
the foreign language
better than I do.
0%
100%
Negative social comparison is
entirely concentrated within the
female cohort, decimating their
oral self-efficacy.
Item 31: I am afraid
that the other students
will laugh at me.
0%
75%
Virtual social vulnerability
remains an ongoing threat for
three out of four female
participants.
FLCAS Item
Evaluated
Male
Agreement
(%)
Female
Agreement
(%)
Key Variance Analysis
Item 5: I wouldn't
mind taking more
language classes at
all.
100%
25%
75% of females
experience the current
format as an emotionally
exhausting process they
do not wish to extend.
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Item 25: I worry about
getting left behind by
the pace of the class.
0%
100%
Cognitive load limits are
reached much faster by
female students when
managing complex live
digital delivery.
Item 28: When I am
on my way to
language class, I feel
very safe and
relaxed.
100%
0%
Anticipatory anxiety affects
100% of the female group
before the virtual link even
opens.
RESULTS
The evidence suggests that classroom participation increased in a consistent and
significant manner throughout the pedagogical implementations; thereby, a low anxiety
environment fosters oral participation. The first two class sessions revealed 50%
participation as students felt uneasy and became highly reliant on the scaffolding that
was provided by the teacher. By session three, class participation increased to 80% and
was stabilized at 100% from the fourth session until the last one, which demonstrates
that the introduction of student-centered teaching techniques, such as pair work, role
plays and group projects in virtual break out rooms reduced learners’ communicational
hesitation. In addition to what has been previously stated, the data collected from the
anxiety scale indicates that learners were experiencing more than just linguistic difficulty
in terms of oral production. Learners were concerned about receiving immediate
corrections, speaking in public, feeling anxious about being noticed by peers, and being
asked to share information orally. When divided by gender, there was a dramatic
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71112/n8v6y984
308 Multidisciplinary Journal Epistemology of the Sciences | Vol. 3, Issue 3, 2026, July–September
distinction: 100% of female students were uneasy during speaking tasks and concerned
about the pace, whereas 0% of male students felt comfortable doing the same.
Therefore, it could be interpreted that women were more sensitive to evaluative anxiety.
These statistics pertaining to gender however become the context for this data, not the
point and the overall implication in student participation which demonstrates the
effectiveness of small group work and structured scaffolding.
DISCUSSION
The results underscore the profound impact that the emotional classroom climate
has on language production, validating that linguistic competence alone is insufficient to
drive oral participation if a student's emotional readiness is compromised. The dramatic
evolution of student participation—which soared from an initial 50% to a sustained
100% by the fourth session—highlights the effectiveness of shifting away from teacher-
centered grammar drills toward highly contextualized, gamified breakout tasks that
lower the "affective filter". By decentralizing the teacher's authority and distributing
conversational demands into small breakout rooms, the pedagogical design created a
safer, micro-level social environment that successfully invited introverted or anxious
learners to take linguistic risks. Furthermore, the study reveals that practicing delayed
error correction and treating silence as necessary processing time effectively decoupled
language practice from immediate judgment, preventing the punitive spikes in anxiety
that traditionally silence students. While the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale
(FLCAS) exposed a stark gender disparity—where 100% of female students faced
severe evaluative anxiety, perfectionist barriers, and a lack of baseline confidence
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71112/n8v6y984
309 Multidisciplinary Journal Epistemology of the Sciences | Vol. 3, Issue 3, 2026, July–September
compared to their male peers—the most vital takeaway is how fluid these emotional
barriers proved to be. Once the classroom format shifted to collaborative, low-stakes
peer tasks, this intense anxiety was minimized across the board, proving that student
engagement is not a fixed personal trait, but a dynamic variable that transforms when
educators prioritize authentic human connection and small-group collaboration over
rigid linguistic evaluation.
CONCLUSION
This systematization of experience demonstrates that student engagement in
EFL contexts is primarily driven by the reduction of the “affective filters” through
strategic pedagogical interventions. Key lessons highlight that the focus from
grammatical accuracy to communicative fluency using supportive scaffolding like
sentence starters and delayed error correction can encourage hesitant learners to take
risks in classes. Furthermore, the implementation of interactive, gamified tasks such as
role play and collaborative breakout rooms foster a safe social climate where the desire
to achieve a goal outweighs the fear of judgment. The results confirm that engagement
is not a static trait but responds to the classroom environment. The participation of the
students revealed a 100% engagement rate by the fourth intervention. This suggests
that the fear of judgment identified in the anxiety scale, specifically in “Item 9”, can be
mitigated through structured, low-stake activities. As a final point, the results indicate
that when teachers prioritize human connection and smaller group interactions, students
transition from silent observers to active participants.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71112/n8v6y984
310 Multidisciplinary Journal Epistemology of the Sciences | Vol. 3, Issue 3, 2026, July–September
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest related to this research.
Author Contribution Statement
María Cristina Basantes Robalino and Adrián Gonzalo Vinces Loor were the sole
authors of this research. They were responsible for the development of the entire study,
the drafting of the original manuscript, and the review and editing of the final version.
Statement on the Use of Artificial Intelligence
The authors declare that artificial intelligence was used as a support tool in the development of
this article; however, this technology does not replace the intellectual work or the research
process in any way. After conducting rigorous reviews using different tools to verify the
originality of the manuscript and confirm the absence of plagiarism, as evidenced in the
corresponding documentation, the authors affirm and acknowledge that this work is the result of
their own intellectual contribution and has not been written, generated, or published on any
electronic platform or artificial intelligence system.
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