Flow Experience in Foreign Language Digital Reading: An Eye-Tracking Approach—A Critical Analysis and Future Directions 

Zhu Binying

Xi’an International Studies University, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, 710000；

Abstract： As the foreign language acquisition era unfolds, learners’ flow during English learning has drawn increasing attention—a core construct that reflects optimal cognitive engagement and efficient processing in second language (L2) digital reading. Yet prior research on flow suffers from three key limitations: an overreliance on subjective self-reports, a lack of sufficient objective behavioral evidence, and inadequate validation in controlled L2 digital reading environments. To overcome these gaps, Teng and Zhang (2025) employed a mixed-methods approach, combining eye-tracking technology with psychological scales, to examine the flow experiences of Chinese college students engaged in L2 digital reading. Specifically, their study centered on three fundamental questions: what subjective perceptual and objective behavioral features define flow, which factors influence it, and how it relates to reading performance.This research advances flow measurement by developing a dual-dimensional framework that integrates subjective scales and objective eye-movement indicators. Empirically, it confirms the applicability of the “challenge-skill balance” principle (Fong et al., 2015) in L2 digital reading contexts, identifies language proficiency, perceived text difficulty, and interest as key predictors of flow, and uncovers unique eye-movement patterns associated with flow states. Building on these empirical findings, the present paper critically evaluates the contextual appropriateness and methodological rigor of Teng and Zhang’s (2025) study, clarifies its theoretical and empirical contributions to both L2 digital reading and flow research, and proposes context-specific, methodologically sound directions for future research—all aimed at enhancing the reliability, validity, and generalizability of flow studies in this domain.

Keywords: second language acquisition; flow; foreign language digital reading; eye-tracking

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