What Makes English Learning Enjoyable and Anxious in a Korean EFL Context

Abstract

The current study explores the latent factors of English learning enjoyment and English classroom anxiety specific to a Korean EFL context. The participants consisted of 395 college students from diverse academic grades and majors. The study employed a background questionnaire, the Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale (FLES), and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). To look at what makes English learning enjoyable and anxious, exploratory factor analysis was conducted using two instruments, and confirmed good validation and reliability of the enjoyment and anxiety scales when examined together. The findings of the study indicate that the latent factors of FLES included interest in learning English, the teacher characteristic and classroom atmosphere, the culture of English speaking countries, fun in English class, language learning strategy use, and cooperation with peers in English class. The underlying factors of FLCAS contained communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation, negative attitudes towards English class, low self-confidence, and speech anxiety. Overall, the findings of the present study show a richer understanding of constructs of enjoyment and anxiety in language learning and pedagogical implications for EFL settings are also suggested. (Chonnam National University․Gwangju University)