Abstract
This paper attempts to explore the language anxiety in speaking skill of Iranian EFL language learners from two different perspectives of language teachers and language learners. In doing so, it follows a qualitative method in the form of case study through in-depth semi-structured interviews with three experienced EFL teachers along with three EFL learners. Purposive sampling is conducted in order to choose these informants for the study. This research provided some alternative insights on language anxiety from two different perspectives. The results of the study showed that language anxiety could affect the speaking skills of learners by lowering the quality of oral performance as the anxiety increases. Further, as is clearly shown by the interview results, many of the accounts from the informants seem to generally validate the findings offered by earlier research on language anxiety. For instance, among the strategies to lower student anxiety in class is considered learner-centered approach that was agreed up on by both instructors and learners, but it is also maintained that there are some differences or gaps between the EFL teachers’ and learners’ perceptions on the role of anxiety in EFL classroom settings. Finally, based on the viewpoints of the EFL teachers and students there are suggested some strategies to confront, control, and alleviate anxiety in speaking of EFL learners.
Highlights
There are two approaches to the explanation of language anxiety: first, language anxiety in the broader construct of anxiety as a basic human emotion that as McIntyre, (1995) claims may be brought on by numerous combinations of situational factors
While description of the three EFL learners’ and three experienced teachers’ perspectives on language anxiety and its possible effects on EFL learning answers the research question regarding their viewpoints on EFL language anxiety, it seems to be mostly verifying the findings offered by previous research on language anxiety
This research, done through in-depth semi-structured interviews with three experienced EFL teachers along with three EFL learners, is considered one of such attempts to provide some alternative insights on language anxiety from a different perspective
Summary
There are two approaches to the explanation of language anxiety: first, language anxiety in the broader construct of anxiety as a basic human emotion that as McIntyre, (1995) claims may be brought on by numerous combinations of situational factors. A shy student may feel anxious when asked to give a short talk in front of the whole class; second,as Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986) put it language anxiety as a combination of other anxieties that create a separate form of anxiety intrinsic to language learning. This second trend believes that there is something unique to the language learning experience that makes some individuals nervous. Affective variables in language learning have been arisen among which are anxiety and self-confidence and self-esteem that Iranian EFL learners are encountering and suffering from in communicative language classroom
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