Exploring peer collaboration’s impact on EFL students’ language skills and emotional adjustment

Abstract

This article examines the extent to which collaborative presentation tasks enhance psychological resilience among students in an English as a foreign language (EFL) learning environment. Employing a mixed-methods framework that integrates statistical data with experiential insights, it synthesises performance outcomes and learner reflections to investigate how collaborative learning structures influence public speaking efficacy and emotional resilience. Measurable improvements were observed across teamwork, short-form, and longform presentations, accompanied by a notable post-intervention increase in resilience (Cohen’s d=0.72). Qualitative findings highlighted the psychological and relational benefits of peer collaboration, with key themes including reduced anxiety, greater confidence, and strengthened peer affiliation. The convergence of statistical outcomes and thematic analysis underscores the pedagogical value of collaborative learning as a dual pathway for developing linguistic competence and emotional fortitude within high-pressure speaking contexts.