Does the Use of Web-Based Extensive Listening Activities Affect Foreign Language Listening Anxiety and Foreign Language Anxiety?

Abstract

Building on previous research revealing that extensive reading is as effective and efficient as formal instruction in acquiring English as a foreign language and with longer treatment duration, this study examined the effect of using two types of extensive listening activities, teacher-directed group (TD) and self-directed group (SD) on anxiety levels of EFL learners concerning gender to improve listening comprehension of EFL learners over a one year study program (2 semesters). Data were collected using a foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) questionnaire, a foreign language classroom anxiety (FLA) questionnaire, and an English listening test. The results showed a statistically significant positive relation between FLA and FLLA while there was a statistically significant high negative relation between the test results in and both FLA and FLLA in all semesters. The results of the questionnaires showed that both anxiety levels were high in the first semester and then reduced significantly in the second semester with significant increase in the listening posttest scores. As for gender differences, results showed no statistically significant differences between gender in the TD group, but it was found that female were more anxious in both types in the SD group while male in the SD group attained higher scores in both tests. This showed that using extensive listening successfully reduced both FLA and FLLA for EFL learners. In the end, some pedagogical implications and recommendations were offered.