Advancing English Engagement Measurement: An Adapted Scale Incorporating Social Engagement for Secondary Learners

Student engagement is vital for effective language learning, especially for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. However, its measurement remains problematic as existing scales are often lengthy and overlook the social dimension, failing to fully capture the multifaceted nature of engagement. Adopting an exploratory mixed-methods approach, this study developed and validated a concise English engagement scale based on Hoi and Le Hang’s (2021) online student engagement scale, which includes the social dimension and is well-suited for English learning contexts. The data were collected from two cohorts of Chinese secondary school EFL learners, including 362 students in the pilot study and 3,238 students in the main study. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the four-factor structure of engagement, encompassing behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. This 12-item scale demonstrated robust psychometric properties with high internal reliability and construct validity. Moreover, the criterion-related validity of the scale was substantiated by examining the relationship among academic emotions, student engagement, and gender. This short scale is a valuable tool for assessing English engagement among secondary school students, particularly within Confucian cultural contexts.