Foreign Language Anxiety Scale Research Articles

EFL learners’ problematic use of social media usage, classroom anxiety, perfectionism, and language attainment: correlations and perceptions

BackgroundThe effect of social media (SM) on university students' educational progress and mental health has been studied in various contexts. However, the correlation between Chinese EFL learners' use of SM (problematic and non-problematic) and their language achievement, foreign language anxiety, and perfectionism requires further investigation.ObjectivesTo address this gap, a mixed-method research design was utilized. This study recruited 480 English language learners from Ningbo University of Finance and Economics in China using convenience sampling.MethodSM usage questionnaires, a perfectionism scale, a foreign language anxiety scale, self-assessment grids (CEFR) developed by the Council of Europe, and an interview checklist were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics (mean and SD) and Pearson correlation coefficient for each question were analyzed using SPSS. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interviews.ResultsThe results revealed that problematic use of social media is associated with several negative consequences, such as low language achievement, high foreign language anxiety level, high academic burnout, and negative aspects of perfectionism.Conclusions and implicationsThese findings have theoretical and practical implications for language learners and teachers. The results can inform language educators about the potential negative effects of problematic SM use on language learning outcomes, mental health, and well-being. It is important to raise awareness of problematic SM use and to promote healthy SM habits among language learners. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of promoting the non-problematic use of SM as a potential resource to enhance language learning outcomes.

NON LINGUISTIC ASPECT CAUSED STUDENTS’ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN SPEAKING ENGLISH

Foreign language anxiety is a type of anxiety that is experienced by individuals when learning, speaking, or interacting in a foreign language. Some scholars have been interested to investigate the foreign language anxietyin the classroom and identified the cause of students’ foreign language anxiety, either in international context or Indonesia context. Most of the factors related to the linguistic aspect, such as students lack vocabulary, students lack of pronunciation, and do not understand of teacher’s talk. However, the research about factors of foreign language anxiety is caused by non-linguistic aspect was still undergrown. This research came to stipulate the gap of knowledge. This research used qualitative method and study case design. It took 20 students of English Education Department FITK IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo who have Upper-Intermediate proficiency level. The instruments of research used foreign language anxiety scale to identify factors of students’ foreign language anxiety and in-depth interview to know the students’ reason of being anxiety in foreign language classroom. It used triangulation method in analysing data, namely reducing data, displaying data, and drawing conclusion. The results showing that there were 3 non-linguistic aspects in causing students’ foreign language anxiety. First, they felt worried if they had to speak in front of the class and answered the lecturer's questions voluntarily. Second, they felt worried if they do not understand what the lecturer is talking about. Third, they felt worried if they did not prepare before the lesson started. Fourth, students felt worried if they would get a bad score. This result implied to the teacher’s technique in asking the students to speak in front of the classmate. Therefore, the research suggested to apply small group discussion in teaching and learning speaking skill in foreign language classroom.

Integrated English and educational psychology teaching in universities on students’ anxiety disorders

BackgroundAnxiety is a common phenomenon in English learning. In order to clearly demonstrate the impact of the integrated teaching of English education and educational psychology in universities on students’ anxiety disorder, this study conducted a questionnaire survey and structured interviews to investigate English anxiety and compare significant differences.Subjects and Methods This study is based on the combination of English education and educational psychology. A questionnaire survey and structured interviews were conducted on 630 students from three different types of universities. The results of the “Foreign Language Anxiety Scale” and the “Foreign Language Anxiety Influencing Factors Scale” were tested and analyzed, and SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis to compare the significant differences in the results.Results The results show that the average anxiety level of English learning among college students is 3.00, which belongs to moderate anxiety. In terms of English anxiety level, there are significant differences in gender and professional factors (P<0.05), and there is no significant difference in language proficiency (P>0.05).ConclusionsThis study constructed a “Foreign Language Anxiety Scale” and a “Foreign Language Anxiety Influencing Factors Scale” with relatively ideal reliability and effectiveness. Combining the relevant theories of educational psychology and English learning, the data was analyzed using mathematical statistics, which is more in line with the English learning anxiety situation of Chinese students. Understanding students’ learning anxiety in English learning and teaching has important and practical significance.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ANXIETY AMONG MALAYSIAN SIAMESE STUDENTS: EXPLORING THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

This study examined the English language anxiety of Siamese students as one of the minority ethnicities in Malaysia. The consequences of untreated anxiety and depression among students cannot be underestimated, as they are vulnerable to various social and behavioral problems, compromised learning performance, and diminished self-esteem. To delve into this issue, a total of 113 Malaysian Siamese students attending national and national type-secondary schools with a minimum of seven years of experience learning English filled up the Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), a popularly used instrument to measure foreign language anxiety among learners. The findings revealed items categorised under the fear of negative evaluation as the most likely to provoke anxiety among the students, whereas components covering anxieties in English tests reported the lowest. The results generally indicate that minority Siamese students view evaluation by others as more anxious than being academically tested. Hence, teachers are recommended to be more particular in planning and designing English lessons in multiracial classrooms so the anxiety-provoking vibes can be handled appropriately.

Exploring rural secondary students’ English language learning anxiety: A study on secondary students of Bauphal, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

For more than a decade second language researchers, psychologists and language practitioners have found out multifarious impact of anxiety on language learning process. Realizing its’ significance in the EFL context of Bangladesh, this study has explored the anxieties of rural secondary school students in learning English and offered some specific suggestions to reduce it. This mixed approach research collected quantitative data by administering Foreign Language Anxiety scale and gathered qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 20 students of 10 secondary schools of Bauphal upzilla, Pautakhali. Quantitative data was put in SPSS version 22 for statistical analysis and presented graphically and qualitative data was interpreted thematically. Results revealed that secondary students in this rural context experienced English language learning anxiety as about 68.44% of students were anxious about negative evaluation; 51.27% about classroom anxiety; 61.2% about test anxiety and 60.88% about communicating in English. Findings of this study have implications for the English language teachers of secondary and higher secondary levels particularly in the rural areas by drawing their attention to learners’ foreign language anxiety (FLA) as a major barrier to learning English and by suggesting them some possible ways to lessen it and for the academicians who aspire to come up with effective teaching methodologies considering the contextual variations to maximize foreign language learning outputs

INVESTIGATING ANXIETY ABOUT TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AMONG EFL TEACHERS PURSUING THEIR POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

In the discipline of teaching English, scholars and even language teachers have long been interested in foreign language teaching anxiety (FLTA). With the increasing proliferation of English as a foreign language (EFL), there is a lack of comprehensive research on FLTA among EFL teachers. Therefore, the current study examines FLTA among 48 EFL teachers during their postgraduate programme at a public university in Northern Cyprus. The current analysis included the administration of the Teacher Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (TFLAS) and interviews. According to the results, the participants experienced varying degrees of foreign language teaching anxiety, and anxiety levels do not correlate with participants’ gender and teaching. The findings also revealed that fear of making mistakes was the primary factor that could induce language teaching anxiety. This study contributes to the existing body of prior research on FLTA with valuable contextualised data that could help alleviate anxiety levels experienced by EFL teachers.

Teachers’ Anxiety And Self-Efficacy: The Effect On Their English Skills Mastery

Teachers’ anxiety and self-efficacy in four English skills take an important role in succeeding the classroom learning activities. Thus, this study aimed to examine the effect of teachers’ anxiety and self-efficacy on their English skills mastery. The teachers’ English skills mastery was based on their TOEIC Scores. There were 65 teachers at one of the state polytechnics who participated voluntarily in the study. Data were obtained using Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLAS) and Foreign Language Self-Efficacy Scale (FLSS). Lecturers’ TOEIC scores were categorized into six levels namely novice, elementary, intermediate, basic working proficiency, advanced working proficiency, and general professional proficiency. The obtained data were analyzed using the descriptive-quantitative technique. The results showed that there was no notable effect of teachers’ anxiety in English on their English skills mastery. Another finding revealed a significant effect of teachers’ self-efficacy in mastering English on their English skills mastery. These results are expected to be a reliable source of rationales that initiating a development program of teachers’ self-efficacy in mastering English could enhance their English skills mastery.

THE IMPACT OF MUSICAL SKILLS ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY

This research aims to research the impact of musical skills on foreign language anxiety. For this purpose, 158 English as Foreign Language students, 64 of whom engaged with music (48 of them were able to play an instrument and sing in front of people and 16 of them could only sing) were chosen for this study. The Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) was applied and the results were compared. The study revealed that participants who were able to play a musical instrument or sing in front of people had far lower levels of foreign language anxiety than those who did not. For the qualitative section of the study, 10 participants, 5 of whom could play an instrument and 5 of whom could not, were selected to get a more detailed picture of the participants’ opinions and feelings related to the impact of engagement with music on foreign language anxiety. These interviews also supported the results of the quantitative study.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0025/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Language anxiety in an Algerian multilingual tertiary context

Few phenomena can be as debilitating or frustrating as anxiety. It is a severe problem in language learning and is one of the most important barriers. Although there is plenty of literature on language anxiety, little research has examined the connection between multilingualism, proficiency, and foreign language anxiety. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the degree of English language anxiety among multilingual undergraduate Algerian students exploring the main anxiety factors and taking into account their ethnicity, language proficiency, and university major as three key variables. To accomplish these primary objectives, 471 undergraduate university students ranging in age from 19 to 24 years old and majoring in natural sciences, human sciences, and applied sciences were involved. A foreign language anxiety scale comprised of 23 validated items distributed among three factors: communicative anxiety, fear of failure, and negative experiences, was used as the study instrument for data collection. The study’s findings showed that the participants generally had moderate anxiety levels. Communicative anxiety emerged as the most common form of anxiety, followed by fear of failure and negative experiences. The less anxiety a student experienced, the more advanced their English level was. Arab students were more anxious than Amazigh students. Speaking more than one language may make one less anxious. There were no significant differences between the students’ majors and anxiety levels. Recommendations are made based on these findings.

ЯЗЫКОВАЯ ТРЕВОЖНОСТЬ ПРИ ИЗУЧЕНИИ ИНОСТРАННЫХ ЯЗЫКОВ У СТУДЕНТОВ ЛИНГВИСТИЧЕСКОГО НАПРАВЛЕНИЯ ПОДГОТОВКИ

The author of the article examines the concept of foreign language anxiety, analyzing several aspects of it at once through the prism of the opinions of those experts who study this phenomenon from the moment of its creation to the present day. For the experiment, first- and second-year students of the linguistics department who speak English and study Spanish or German were recruited. The survey was conducted on the topic of the study using the methods “Foreign Language Anxiety Scale”, “State-Trait Anxiety Inventory” and “The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale”. The research was aimed at finding out the level of anxiety among students; to determine the influence of personal anxiety on language anxiety, which may occur among first- and second- year students, to establish the dependence of foreign language anxiety on the level of language proficiency; to identify the difference in the results of the study of “Foreign Language Anxiety Scale” in English and German / Spanish. The data provided by the students are summarized and analyzed, and it is concluded that the level of language proficiency affects the level of their foreign language anxiety.

A Structural Equation Modelling of Middle School Students’ Metacognitive Awareness, Self-efficacy Beliefs and Foreign Language Learning Anxiety

This study aims to investigate the impact of metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy beliefs of middle school students on their level of foreign language learning anxiety by using structural equation modelling. A total of 285 7th and 8th grade students from a middle school in Turkey during the 2018-2019 academic year were included in the study. In the study, Personal Information Form, Foreign Language Anxiety Scale, The Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children, and The Junior Metacognitive Awareness Inventory were used as data collection tools. As a result of the study, the descriptive statistics indicated that the students had moderate levels of metacognitive awareness, self-efficacy beliefs, and foreign language learning anxiety. According to the results obtained from the structural equation modelling, it was concluded that the metacognitive awareness levels of the students did not have a mediating effect on the relationship between the students' level of foreign language learning anxiety and self-efficacy beliefs. In conclusion, it was determined that metacognitive awareness, self-efficacy beliefs, and foreign language learning anxiety are individual differences which interact with each other and are of great importance in foreign language learning, and that metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy beliefs have the power to affect foreign language learning anxiety.

Exploring the relationship between foreign language anxiety and students’ online engagement at UK universities during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract Although foreign language anxiety (FLA) and student engagement have both been found to have significant effects on a number of behavioural and academic outcomes for language students (Awan et al. 2010, Gargalianou et al. 2016). FLA is poorly understood in university students studying English as a second language. However, limited research shows it is present (Haley et al. 2015). Additionally, the relationship between FLA and student engagement has seldom been explored. Therefore, the present exploratory study investigated the relationship between FLA and online learning in university students, particularly focusing on online learning as the new mode of instruction since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to explore to what extent FLA is present among international students studying in L2 English at UK universities and whether FLA affects engagement with online learning. We tested 65 international students, studying at UK universities, using two newly developed scales for measuring FLA and student engagement with online learning. Participants completed an online questionnaire with background questions, the FLA scale, and the students’ engagement scale. The results of our multiple linear regression analyses suggest that FLA has a significant negative influence on students’ engagement with online learning.

Language Anxiety and Motivation on Grade 9 English Learning

The goal of this study was to shed light on the extent of language anxiety experienced by Grade 9 students in an English class. Additionally, it investigated the substantial correlation between anxiety and a gender variable that might hat might have an impact on whether someone learns English successfully or not. A two-part questionnaire that included Park's (2014) modified version of the 33-item Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) was used to collect the data from 40 Grade 9 students. The findings indicated that respondents' levels of language anxiety were neutral. Additionally, a strong correlation between English language anxiety and the respondents' gender was discovered. The desire of language learners to continue their efforts in learning the language is regarded to be positively influenced by a neutral level of anxiety. In addition, the study further explored the students’ motivations and feelings in learning English. A thorough content analysis was conducted to examine the students’ responses on the free-response questionnaire. Student responses regarding how they felt in English class and the reasons behind those feelings offer insightful information about the "unobservable" aspect of classroom interaction. Lastly, the findings' educational implications are presented in conclusion.

An Exploration of Indonesian EFL Learners' Speaking Anxiety

This research reports the factors that trigger Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety as perceived by Indonesian EFL learners. The qualitative method was employed in this research. The participants of this research were the 33 Indonesian EFL learners from the class X IPS 3 of SMAN 1 Pandeglang, year academic 2019-2020. The initial process of collecting the data was by spreading a questionnaire known as Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al. (1986). Then it was followed by an in-depth interview for the ten students with high anxiety levels based on their FLCAS Score. The data was then analysed through three steps developed by Miles and Huberman (1994). The triangulation technique was used to strengthen this research's credibility. This research found that the factors that could trigger students' anxiety are divided into two. The first is teacher-related factors such as assertive teaching and the teacher's calling method. The second is student-related factors such as their negative view of English, being mocked by friends, fear of making mistakes, self-confidence, and inadequate support to practice English speaking. To reduce anxiety, students need to be exposed to the target language as often as possible and get used to it to improve their confidence in speaking English. In addition, the teacher should always be able to find a way to make an entertaining and less tense classroom environment.

Effects of Collaborative Learning on Young ESL Learners’ L2 Anxiety and Speaking Performance

Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) is one of the issues of interest attracting researchers in recent decades. However, while collaborative learning introduced a prospective tool for FLA, it has not been much researched in the L2 classroom context, particularly in Vietnam. This paper focuses on using collaborative learning to reduce foreign language anxiety and enhance the L2 speaking performance of young learners at an English center in Ho Chi Minh City. A combination of tools, including Aydin et al.’s (2017) Children Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (CFLAS) for the pre-tests and post-tests, the teacher’s diary, and follow-up interviews, was used to measure the changes in learner’ FLA level and speaking performance. After five-week implementations, these learners’ FLA was slightly alleviated, and their speaking performance was improved using a collaborative learning approach. Moreover, learners were found to have positive attitudes and experience with learning in the new approach. These findings implied that collaborative learning could be a potential treatment to help L2 learners uncover their anxious selves and find more confidence in using the target language

Foreign language anxiety of an Ecuadorian polytechnic university’s English undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis research aimed to identify the levels of stress students experience, the different sources that generate them and the relationship between the stress levels and the students' gender.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods design was used, focusing on the quantitative stage. The qualitative section was designed to obtain supporting information. 86 Ecuadorian undergraduate polytechnic students enrolled in an English course took part in this study. Quantitative data are obtained using the Telecollaborative Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (T-FLAS), while online interviews supply insight from students.FindingsThe present research identified four types of anxiety related to emergency remote teaching (ERT). Communication anxiety is one of them that has also been found in regular foreign language classes (Horowitz et al., 1986). However, the actual contribution is regarding the other three sources of ERT-related anxiety: Online interaction anxiety, ERT anxiety and technology anxiety. Also, it was identified that girls experience higher anixety levels than men do.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this study is the T-FLAS, a tool that has not been widely used. However, as Fondo and Jacobetty (2020) reported, other papers have made use of this novel tool. Another limitation to this research is the number of participants; although it is not very small, it might not be considered large enough for generalization purposes. Also, this study was limited by its scope, which only looked at the relationship between the students' genders and anxiety levels.Practical implicationsFirst, this researcher recommends that language departments use the survey at the beginning of each semester. That way, there will be a clear idea of the sources of anxiety students are experiencing, and measures can be taken to lower those anxiety-causing factors. Also, this study shows students experiencing a high level of anxiety when they are required to interact with their peers using a foreign language. Thus, supplying practice through guided discussions and role-plays should allow learners to reduce their anxiety levels and perform better during these kinds of exchanges in the short term.Social implicationsAnother issue reported by this study is the feelings of uneasiness when turning cameras on to do an exercise or taking quizzes and exams, as learners feel like their classmates and teachers are invading their homes. It is recommended that the Student Welfare Department of the educational institutions deal with this and other issues. They can design intervention, relaxation and yoga programs for students who are feeling anxious to help them lower those feeling and allow them to have better interactions in class during these times of remote learning.Originality/valueThis paper's originality lies in the fact that it looks at anxiety from the point of view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the move it had to be made to the digital realm. It identifies three factors that are new and related 100% to emergency remote teaching–learning. It is also valuable as it is looking at data emerging for a South American country, as data are scarce from this continent and especially from Ecuador.

Language Anxiety among the Online Learners: A Sample from the Kalinga State University Laboratory High School

Identifying and addressing factors that can hinder learners from achieving ultimate language acquisition access is vital for educators, especially during this online platform. This study utilized the mixed methods design to examine the levels of language anxiety among the online learners and to solicit their thoughts on online learning platform. It focused on the experiences of the Junior High of Kalinga State University Laboratory High School who experienced online learning rather than modular learning. The 33-item Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) adapted from Park (2014) was utilized as a questionnaire administered online through a google form. Results revealed that the most prevalent language anxiety experienced by the respondents is fear of negative evaluation. Both males and females have a very high level of language anxiety. Moreover, it was found out that there is a significant relationship between sex, year level and the language anxiety among the respondents. The students also shared that they become independent learners because of online learning. They also highlighted that teachers' feedback in their outputs can guide and help them to be on the right track. These suggest a need to improve the learning environment and the pedagogical approaches being employed by teachers in the online context.

The effect of anxiety on foreign language academic achievement

Abstract Anxiety has commonly been regarded as one of the most significant affective obstacles in language learning achievement, and has been the subject matter of many second language researches (MacIntyre & Gregersen, 2012; Huang, 2012; Hewitt & Stefenson, 2011; Riasati, 2011; Horwitz, 2001). The primary purpose of the present study is to explore the anxiety levels of a class of students studying at the University of Dunaújváros and to investigate their attitude towards acquiring a second/foreign language. On the basis of the information gained the study is aiming at revealing some degree of correlation between students’ anxiety and their academic achievement. Responses to the Foreign Language Anxiety Scale show that the relatively high levels of anxiety among these participants are related to the worry about (1) the consequences of failing their foreign language class, (2) thinking that the others are better at languages and (3) communication with native speakers of the foreign language. However, the results on the relationship between anxiety levels and academic achievements show no significant correlation between these two variables, which leads us to the conclusion that the participants’ anxiety levels do not exceed the level which would have a negative impact on their academic results.

Exploring Students’ Speaking Anxiety Factors in an Online EFL Classroom

Due to pandemic covid-19, the learning setting has changed from face-to-face to an online learning environment to prevent the further spread of infection. This change mostly affected the state of psychological, specifically anxiety issues. Specific anxiety called Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) appears as anxiety affiliates with foreign language learning. Despite foreign language anxiety is evidenced to be hinder students’ achievements, there are only a few studies that have explored FLA in an online setting. Therefore, by using a case study, this research paper tried to investigate the factors of speaking anxiety of 5 students from different anxiety levels. These students were selected from a total of 30 students using the Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), which later be interviewed and asked to write a reflective journal. The result showed that some sources of each categorical factor (communication apprehension, test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation) can be classified as inter-lingual or intra-lingual factors. Moreover, some sources of factors have developed to new manifestations due to learning setting’ shifting. Additionally, as a part of communication apprehension, teachers’ bad teaching habits appeared as the most common factor to arise students’ speaking anxiety. Therefore, this study suggests teachers to evaluate their teaching habits, to reduce the influence of bad teaching habits on the students’ speaking anxiety.

Foreign language anxiety of gifted students in Turkey

Anxiety related to foreign language has been widely held in recent years and associated studies have found a negative correlation between language anxiety and the academic performance of English speaking students. Whenever foreign language learners express themselves in a second language, there is an anxiety about the image that is communicated through linguistic difficulties. There is a fear that his personal image will be distorted because of grammatical errors and rarefied vocabulary. This study aims to research foreign language anxiety among gifted students who are attending science, math and art classes in Science and Art Centers (BILSEM). For this purpose, 146 (81 males and 65 female) gifted and talented students aged 12-17 were selected. This study used a mixed (quantitative method and qualitative) thereby applying a Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (for English language) to participants and using semi-structured interview questions with 10 gifted students (5 sciences, 2 arts and 3 from music class). The quantitative data results were compared via SPSS and the qualitative date were analyzed The study revealed that participants attending art and music classes have far lower foreign language anxiety levels than those attending science classes. This difference between group was statistically meaningful according to SPSS analysis. The qualitative also study supported the results by quantitative studies.