Foreign Language Listening Anxiety and Listening Performance: Results of A Mixed-Method Study

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between listening anxiety and listening performance in a total of 30 bilingual learners. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were distributed: (a) the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale tested listeners’ anxiety level, and (b) the semi-structured interview looked further into participants’ perceptions. The results programmed by SPSS Statistics 25 showed that anxiety level has no significant impact on listening performance. Interview results did fully support the relationship found in the survey. Most participants did not perceive themselves to be anxious in the middle of listening but they showed highest anxiety towards the pre-listening stage. They indicated that there is a positive relationship between performance and listening skills, as well as between anxiety and listening skills. This study presents results and discusses the related pedagogical implications.