Review of Foreign Language Anxiety Relationship with Language Achievement of EFL Students in Saudi Arabia

Abdulrahman Akram Alsaleem

doi:10.5539/ijel.v10n1p305

Abstract

This study is conducted to evaluate learning and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since English is still treated as a foreign language. Despite the prevailing high-level anxiety in Saudi learners of the English language, there are limited researches available to study the impact of language anxiety on the achievement of the student in a particular language. This literature search study explored the underlying causes and impacts of foreign language anxiety (FLA) and then studied these impacts on the language achievement of Saudi students in EFL classrooms in KSA. Credible academic researches and conference papers are critically reviewed in the context of the relationship between foreign language anxiety and language achievement of EFL students in Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;The findings of the review revealed that government initiatives and exposure to globalization in Saudi Arabia, students are encouraged to get expertise in English through EFL courses. However, the review of literature demonstrated that Saudi students experience anxiety while learning English as an unknown language. Additionally, the level of understanding in students of FLA negatively affected their accomplishment. Therefore, the collaborative strategies in classrooms are needed with complete participation of language instructors and favourable environment with positive competition building strategies encourage EFL students to enhance learning.&nbsp;

Highlights

Learning a foreign language and achieving proficiency has always been a challenge for native communities in the Middle East region
This study is conducted to evaluate learning and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since English is still treated as a foreign language
This investigation was intended to look at the connection between foreign language anxiety (FLA) and students’ English accomplishments in Saudi Arabia

Summary

Introduction

Learning a foreign language and achieving proficiency has always been a challenge for native communities in the Middle East region. The infusion of global culture due to industrial developments and high influence of western corporations in the region increased emphasis on learning “English as a foreign language (EFL)”. On the other hand, Aljafen’s (2013) study concluded that learning and teaching EFL in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is on a limited scale since English is still treated as a “foreign language in KSA”. The level of proficiency in the majority of EFL learners in KSA is still very low. The level of competence is low in English that shows the increased anxiety feelings in the EFL learners quite obvious in the EFL classes in the kingdom. As a result of anxiety, participating in EFL learning in the class decreased and they become reluctant to participate in presentations and class discussions. The non-participative practice leads to the uneasiness feeling that negatively affects the students learning and their grades in EFL courses (Javid, 2014)

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