Measuring Flow in the EFL Classroom: Learners’ Perceptions of Inter‐ and Intra‐Cultural Task‐Based Interactions

This article reports on a study that investigates the effects of inter‐cultural contact on flow experiences during the performance of five oral tasks in an English as a foreign language ( EFL ) classroom. Using a quasi‐experimental design, Japanese EFL learners in the inter‐cultural group ( n = 21) and the intra‐cultural group ( n = 21) reported on their perceptions of task experiences for each performance. Under the intra‐cultural condition, learners performed tasks with Japanese peers, whereas under the inter‐cultural condition learners were paired with non‐Japanese international students. The dimensions of flow, as they emerged in the data, were identified via a content analysis of 208 diary entries. The findings revealed that inter‐cultural task interaction generated significantly more flow‐enhancing experiences and fewer flow‐inhibiting experiences than intra‐cultural task interaction. An examination of the relative strength of each dimension revealed that learners experiencing inter‐cultural task‐based interaction benefited from a sense of accomplishment, which increased in strength as learners progressed through the tasks. Results provide insights into how components of flow are interrelated and change over time during inter‐cultural interactions, and suggest a model for how tasks can be implemented in the classroom to promote certain aspects of flow.