Previous research suggests that the intensity of student engagement in the learning process is a consistent predictor of language achievement (Gardner, 2010; Masgoret & Gardner, 2003). Research from educational psychology indicates that learners are more engaged in learning when their teachers’ autonomy-supportive motivating practice supports their basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (e.g., Haerens et al., 2015; Jang et al., 2016). The present study investigated this relationship within a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) perspective in language learning classrooms in an underexplored research context—China. In addition to the above one-way relationship (i.e., from teachers’ motivating practice to student classroom engagement) that has been well explored, the reciprocal effect of student classroom engagement on teachers’ teaching practice is a new trend in educational research. The present study also examined these bilateral relationships in language learning classrooms as well. In addition, this study adopts the perspective that viewing classroom functioning as two correlated but independent processes, that is, conceptualized brighter side and darker sides of the classroom in a dual-process model. The findings of the study validated this claim and provided more empirical evidence in this regard. Resonating with the recent calls to view language learning as a complex dynamic system from the complex dynamic system theory (CDST) view (Larsen-Freeman & Cameron 2008a), the design of this study followed “the dynamic ensemble” (Hiver & Al-Hoorie, 2016) grounded in most CDST empirical studies. By collecting data via survey from 1742 participants from universities in China at three time points, the present study used multi-level modeling, two growth curve models, and a cross-lagged panel model to investigate the dynamic, situated, complex relationships between learning environment (i.e., teachers’ teaching practice), students’ motivational resources (i.e., need satisfaction and need frustration), and students’ classroom functioning (i.e., engagement or disengagement) among Chinese undergraduate English learners. Findings of this study substantiated these features in a dual-process, reciprocal effects motivation mediation model. Keywords: teaching practice; need satisfaction; need frustration; engagement; disengagement; reciprocal effects; dual-process; self-determination theory; complex dynamic system theory
