‘I think it’s kind of necessary and expected.’ Students’ views on self-disclosure in university foreign language classes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24216818 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mark Tutton (0000-0001-9273-8835, University of Technology Sydney), Doron L Cohen (University of Manchester) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-22 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-02 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Multilingualism (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1479-0718 • E-ISSN: 1747-7530 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14790718.2026.2740086 |
| OpenAlex | W7216511194 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
Students of foreign languages are routinely asked to disclose information about themselves (e.g. family, hobbies, and education) as part of the language learning process. Despite this unique aspect of language classes, previous studies have not examined this generalised phenomenon of self-disclosure (SD) in the L2 classroom from a student perspective. This paper considers SD from the perspective of students of four European languages at an Australian university. Following completion of an initial questionnaire, 18 students participated in semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) was used to analyse the data. Our findings show that students are willing to self-disclose and that they see SD as a vector for learning about language and culture. Nevertheless, they are sensitive to the perceptions of their classmates and are conflict-averse, viewing the L2 classroom as a space that should be high in positivity. This means avoiding controversial views and the sharing of certain experiences (e.g. mental health issues), although sensitive topics may be discussed if not framed in terms of students’ personal experience. In addition, students consider teacher self-disclosure beneficial for both academic learning and classroom social dynamics. We outline recommendations for university language teachers based on these findings.
classroom interaction · Foreign language teaching · Self-disclosure · student perceptions · university students · Communication in Education and Healthcare · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Second Language Learning and Teaching
Identity and Language Learning
Self-Determination Theory
A Disclosure Decision Model
Self-Disclosure in Personal Relationships
Autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom
Classroom social climate, self-determined motivation, willingness to communicate, and achievement
The qualitative content analysis process
Thematic Analysis
Self-Disclosing Communication
Sexual Identity as Linguistic Failure
Preliminary Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of a Foreign Language Anxiety Scale
Conceptualization and Measurement of Reported Self-Disclosure
| Highly cited | No |
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