Using a positive psychological framework, Broaden-and-Build Theory, we investigated whether and how positive and negative emotions (affective factors) and cognitive flexibility are related to flourishing. Participants are 151 bilingual adults from diverse backgrounds enrolled in a local community college. Results showed that both positive and…

Foreign language acquisition is not only a cognitive but also an emotional process. Recently, numerous qualitative studies have deepened our understanding of the emotional worlds of EFL students, showing the diversity of emotions and their influence on EFL. In Saudi Arabia, EFL has posed significant challenges (e.g. lack of motivation for…

Assessment and placement practices at community colleges that are used to divide students into college ready, ESL and English remedial tracks play a key role in shaping the academic pathways of students (Hughes & Scott-Clayton, 2011). These assessments are based on assumptions of the nature of bilingualism and student needs and thus have…