Exploring Emotional Engagement and Challenge Resolution in Story Reading Among Basic EFL Students at a Private University in Thailand
Keywords:
Emotional Engagement, Challenge Resolution, Short Stories, Motivation, Student StrategiesAbstract
This study explores the connections between emotional engagement, reading difficulties, resolution strategies, and language retention among basic-level EFL learners reading short stories. The participants included 20 Thai students enrolled in a Basic Reading course at Asia-Pacific International University. Data were collected at the end of the semester using a questionnaire with five sections: emotional reactions, motivation, reading difficulties, learning strategies, and reflective practices. This study examined how students' emotions and motivation affected their comprehension and retention of story-based vocabulary and grammar. It also explored the specific challenges students encountered while reading and the self-regulated learning strategies they employed to overcome them. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data identified key themes. Findings show that positive emotional responses such as enjoyment, empathy, and curiosity significantly enhanced students’ motivation, engagement with texts, and retention of vocabulary and grammar. While these benefits were clear, students still faced reading challenges, which they addressed through both external aids (e.g., translation tools, peer support) and internal strategies (e.g., contextual guessing and rereading). This diverse range of approaches reflected varying levels of learner autonomy, literacy development, and motivation, highlighting the importance of integrated reading instruction in EFL classroom.
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