Towards Conceptualizing Language Learning Curiosity in SLA: An Empirical Study

Why do some students frequently ask questions and actively seek out answers in the classroom, while others avoid this? Many language teachers might have commonly asked themselves this question. The present study is an empirical investigation of the concept of curiosity in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). Using a mixed-methods design, we aim to conceptualize language learning curiosity (LLC) within the framework of interest/deprivation (I/D) model of curiosity (Litman and Jimerson in J Personal Assess 82(2): 147–157, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa8202_3) and see how it may be recognizably distinct from L2 psychological constructs, as well as how it connects with related constructs such as willingness to communicate, enjoyment, and anxiety. To measure LLC and depict its underlying dimensions, a new curiosity scale was developed and validated in this study. Overall, our results suggest that LLC can be conceived as an affective-cognitive variable reflecting an inquiry-driven interest and desire to learn and use a foreign language.