Emotion Regulation Strategies in Online Classrooms: Teachers’ Perspectives

This study explores how EFL teachers at Japanese universities support students facing negative emotions in synchronous online classes, using Gross’ (2015) Process Model to examine five Emotion Regulation (ER) strategies. The pandemic created challenges by reducing online social interaction (Gkonou & Miller, 2023) and cultural exposure (Mercer, 2011), hindering motivation and intercultural competence. Additionally, anxiety and burnout (King, Dewaele, & Gkonou, 2020) underscored the need for strategies that address both emotional and logistical aspects of online education.

A survey was distributed to approximately 50 participants in order to investigate the most commonly used ER strategies employed by EFL teachers to deal with negative emotions among students in an online setting and to evaluate their effectiveness in addressing students’ negative emotions during synchronous online classes. The results of the survey revealed differences in ER strategies used by Japanese teachers and non-Japanese teachers. This presentation will report the initial, descriptive phase of the research. Future research will examine the factors that prevent teachers from utilizing less common ERS and propose ways to enhance their effectiveness.

The presentation will conclude by summarizing limitations in the current state of knowledge regarding ER strategies and suggesting how ER strategies such as reflection, mindfulness, and emotion – focused activities can be incorporated into EFL curricula and online education.