Factors affecting the formation of foreign language anxiety: Focusing on Korean EFL learners with high proficiency test scores

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the factors contributing to anxiety in Korean English learners who scored high on English tests. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five Korean adult Foreign Language (EFL) learners who received high scores in English proficiency test. Through the interviews, it was revealed that Korean English learners with high scores acknowledged English as Lingua Franca, a language for communication. However, at the same time, they confessed that they perceived that English as a kind of ideology in Korean society. They opined that English contributed to dividing society into social classes because they could not get into the school or job they wanted if their English skills were not enough. Their experiences further caused anxiety and uncomfortable feelings about English. Based on this, this study suggested that the position of socially dominant English is contributing to the cause of anxiety about English among Korean English learners with a certain level of achievement. It was suggested that the anxiety in Korean English learners should be approached from a social perspective beyond personal factors such as individual achievements and characteristics. (179)