The Correlation between Foreign Language Anxiety and Willingness To Communicate Among Students of Arabic As A Foreign Language

Abstract

A language is an important tool for communicating with people around the world, especially for educational purposes. Many foreign language classes are being offered in a lot of institutions nowadays. However, learning and communicating using a new foreign language may cause learners to be anxious in the classroom compared to speaking their first language. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate students' level of foreign language anxiety and determine its relationship with the willingness to communicate in Arabic as a foreign language. 110 students taking Arabic as the third language course at an advanced level, which is the third level, from a public university in Malaysia were chosen to complete two questionnaires, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety scale and Willingness to Communicate scale. The findings of this study reveal that the level of language anxiety among students was moderate, and there is a negative correlation between foreign language class anxiety among the students and their willingness to communicate, which indicates that students' willingness to communicate decreases when their anxiety level increases. From this study, students’ anxiety affects their communication in class. Thus, it is suggested that the instructors encourage students to speak in class and do activities to reduce their anxiety as well as boost their confidence. e is a negative correlation between foreign language class anxiety among the students and their willingness to communicate, which indicates that students' willingness to communicate decreases when their anxiety level increases. From this study, students’ anxiety affects their communication in class. Thus, it is suggested that the instructors encourage students to speak in class and do activities to reduce their anxiety as well as boost their confidence.