Abstract

<p class="apa">Native English Speaking Teachers (NESTs) have been employed in various English language teaching (ELT) positions and departments at private and state universities in Turkey, particularly over the last three decades. However, undergraduate EFL students’ attitudes toward NESTs and Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (Non-NESTs) remain seriously under-investigated. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of communication classes given by NESTs and Non-NESTs on students’ foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA). Forty-eight undergraduate EFL students attending communication classes taught by (American) NESTs and (Turkish) Non-NESTs were given a questionnaire to examine their attitudes toward foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA). Further, a sub-sample of students was interviewed to investigate their feelings, beliefs and opinions about the relationship between the FLSA they experienced and their communication classes given by NESTs and Non-NESTs. Similarly, the teachers were interviewed to examine their feelings about the FLSA their students experience in their communication classes. Quantitatively, the results showed no significant difference in attitude toward FLSA between the students who attended classes taught by NESTs and Non-NESTs, although a significant difference was observed between the two classes taught by Non-NESTs. Further, female and male students did not differ significantly in terms of attitudes toward FLSA in NESTs’ and Non-NESTs’ classes. The qualitative findings revealed that both teachers and students had positive attitudes toward mistakes made during the oral production of the foreign language (FL). Finally, the correction strategies employed by the teachers in the classroom are believed to have an impact on student attitudes toward FLSA.</p>

Highlights

  • Researchers in the fields of English language teaching (ELT) and applied linguistics have found that foreign language speaking (FLS) in an instructional setting is considered to be an anxiety-provoking activity since a student has to perform a series of complex cognitive, intellectual and functional operations and struggle with numerous elements such as instructor-effect, peer-effect, content of speaking, classroom atmosphere, student population, course materials, type and purpose of conversational task, and instructor’s accent before EFL audience in the classroom (Onwuegbuzie, Bailey, & Daley, 1999)

  • B) Is there any significant difference between male and female EFL students’ attitudes toward foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) in communication classes taught by Native English Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-NESTs?

  • This study primarily investigated the EFL students’ attitudes toward and feelings about FLSA in relation to communication classes taught by NESTs and Non-NESTs

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Summary

Introduction

Researchers in the fields of English language teaching (ELT) and applied linguistics have found that foreign language speaking (FLS) in an instructional setting is considered to be an anxiety-provoking activity since a student has to perform a series of complex cognitive, intellectual and functional operations and struggle with numerous elements such as instructor-effect, peer-effect, content of speaking, classroom atmosphere, student population, course materials, type (face-to-face speaking, group discussion, etc.) and purpose (informative, persuasive, and entertaining purposes) of conversational task, and instructor’s accent before EFL audience in the classroom (Onwuegbuzie, Bailey, & Daley, 1999). Scholars in the fields of ELT and applied linguistics have carried out comprehensive research on FLA for several decades. MacIntyre and Gardner (1989, 1991a, 1994a, 1994b) contributed to the field by examining the structure, mechanism, and function of anxiety in FLL and its effects on students’ in-class achievement.

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