Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Research Articles

Unravelling The Level and Factors of Listening Comprehension Anxiety in ESL Flipped Classroom Setting

Language anxiety has been an essential topic of discussion in English language learning since it acts as a filter that obstructs the learning process. Listening comprehension is the foundation to learning a target language thus, listening comprehension anxiety can have negative effects on second language (L2) learners’ performance. Meanwhile, flipped classroom model (FCM) has been introduced to facilitate language learning through the use of technological instruments in order to minimise language anxiety among L2 students. Hence, this study was conducted to examine the level of listening comprehension anxiety faced by L2 learners as well as factors influencing listening comprehension anxiety in flipped classrooms. The Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) by Kim (2000) comprised of 33 items was adapted and used as the primary data collection instrument for this research. Ninety-three (n = 93) diploma students from UiTM Kelantan Branch who enrolled in the ELC121 (Integrated Language Skills I) course participated in the survey. Descriptive analysis was utilised to achieve the objectives of this study. The survey findings indicated that L2 learners experienced a moderate level of listening anxiety in a flipped classroom setting. This paper elaborates on the main area in which students are most anxious while listening to English text, that is the listening text and the strategies used. This finding will give educators some insights on how educational technology could be used to help reduce listening comprehension anxiety and eventually help L2 learners overcome their listening learning difficulties and improve their performance. Future studies are suggested to focus on listening comprehension anxiety experienced by male and female students as well as the comparison in listening comprehension anxiety faced by young and adult learners in flipped classroom setting.

Second Language Listeners’ Emotion and Eye Gaze: A Web-Based Eye-Tracking Study

ABSTRACT While previous studies have shown that L2 listeners tend to focus more on videos with additional information, like presentation slides, the amount of eye gaze did not necessarily translate to higher listening test scores . Unlike previous research focusing on the benefits of additional visual cues, this study explores how emotions impact L2 listeners’ viewing behavior. Sixty-four adults completed the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS), watched three academic lectures with their eye movements tracked, and answered comprehension questions. According to the results, listening anxiety was not a significant predictor of viewing videos. The relationship between viewing time and comprehension scores was non-significant. Interviews and survey responses highlighted diverse attitudes toward the videos. The findings suggest that individual differences in listening anxiety may not significantly influence how much participants look at the videos. Furthermore, adding context videos to listening tests to increase authenticity does not seem to affect comprehension scores, consistent with previous studies. The implications for developing video-based listening tests are discussed.

The Impact of Extensive Listening on Listening Anxiety, Listening Skills and Attitude towards English Courses

This study aimed to explore the effects of extensive listening (EL) to podcasts on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ listening anxiety, listening proficiency and attitudes towards English school lessons. Two intact classes with a total of 45 female tenth graders were assigned as the experimental and control groups of the study. At the outset of the study, the participants’ level of listening competence was measured through the Key English Test (KET) developed by Cambridge University. The “Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale” (FLLAS) and the “Scale of Attitudes towards English Courses” (SATEC) were administered subsequently to both groups. The experimental group received the treatment including 15 podcasts for EL practice. All the quantitative measurements were repeated after the treatment. Quantitative data was triangulated through semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of 10 students. The results demonstrated that the students in the experimental group significantly improved their listening comprehension skills. The treatment reduced students’ listening anxiety while the reverse was true for the students in the control group receiving traditional second/foreign language (L2) instruction only. The findings of the study encourage L2 teachers to consider authentic input, namely podcasts, as a source of reducing students’ listening anxiety and improving listening proficiency. The fact that students’ attitudes remained stable in both groups provides guidance for future research.

Easing down foreign language listening anxiety: Metacognitive intervention and dialogic interaction

AbstractListening comprehension (LC) occurs when listeners can reasonably interpret a speaker's intention; therefore, reducing foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) among EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners significantly facilitates their comprehension. Accordingly, the present study was designed to determine the effect of metacognitive intervention (MI) and metacognitive intervention through dialogic interaction (MIDI) on EFL learners’ FLLA. A mixed methods approach was used to hire 90 all‐male, advanced undergraduate students majoring in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), ranging from 18 to 22 years of age, who participated in three groups. The first two groups (N = 60) were experimental groups that received 8 weeks of intervention programs within an 11‐session study focusing on MI and MIDI. Simultaneously, the control group (N = 30) listened to the same audio files the same number of times but without any attention paid to MI or MIDI, and there was no discussion of strategy use after each session. To fulfill the aim of the study, a validated questionnaire on the FLLA scale, IELTS listening recordings along with listening guide sheets and IELTS listening samples, and semi‐structured interviews to investigate learners’ attitudes toward intervention sessions’ effect on their LC and anxiety level were used. The results provided some empirical support that learners benefit from MI and specifically MIDI to reduce the level of their FLLA and further improve LC.

Does the Use of Web-Based Extensive Listening Activities Affect Foreign Language Listening Anxiety and Foreign Language Anxiety?

Building on previous research revealing that extensive reading is as effective and efficient as formal instruction in acquiring English as a foreign language and with longer treatment duration, this study examined the effect of using two types of extensive listening activities, teacher-directed group (TD) and self-directed group (SD) on anxiety levels of EFL learners concerning gender to improve listening comprehension of EFL learners over a one year study program (2 semesters). Data were collected using a foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) questionnaire, a foreign language classroom anxiety (FLA) questionnaire, and an English listening test. The results showed a statistically significant positive relation between FLA and FLLA while there was a statistically significant high negative relation between the test results in and both FLA and FLLA in all semesters. The results of the questionnaires showed that both anxiety levels were high in the first semester and then reduced significantly in the second semester with significant increase in the listening posttest scores. As for gender differences, results showed no statistically significant differences between gender in the TD group, but it was found that female were more anxious in both types in the SD group while male in the SD group attained higher scores in both tests. This showed that using extensive listening successfully reduced both FLA and FLLA for EFL learners. In the end, some pedagogical implications and recommendations were offered.

The relief effect of teacher oral corrective feedback on English learning anxiety symptoms of vocational college students

BackgroundFor second language learning, students generally experience symptoms of learning anxiety. As a complex emotional variable, learning anxiety not only has an impact on students’ psychological feelings but also leads to students’ aversion to English learning in severe cases, thereby affecting learning efficiency.Subjects and MethodsIn order to explore whether teachers’ oral corrective feedback has the effect of alleviating students’ learning anxiety, the study focuses on two classes in vocational schools. Two classes each have 45 students, divided into an experimental class and a control class. The experimental class increases the teacher’s oral corrective feedback during normal teaching, while the control class follows the original teaching mode for normal teaching. The Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale was used to test students from both classes before and after the teaching experiment.ResultsBefore the teaching experiment, the English learning anxiety of the students in the experimental class and the control class was at a moderate level, with values of 3.5294 and 3.5061, respectively. After the teaching experiment, there was a significant difference in the English learning anxiety results between the experimental class and the control class, with values of 2.7451 and 3.5347, respectively.ConclusionsOverall, strengthening the interaction between teachers and students in English teaching and providing appropriate oral corrective feedback have an alleviating effect on the anxiety symptoms of vocational college students in English learning.

The Effects of General Listening Anxiety and Listening Test Anxiety on Self-Perceived Listening Performance Among Chinese English Learners.

This research seeks to conceptualize foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) and provide its measurement, and further explore the influences of FLLA on self-perceived listening performance. In Study 1, semi-structured interviews explored FLLA-arousal situations. Follow-up reliability and validity tests for the newly-developed scale were testified. In Study 2, structural equation modeling explored the relationship between FLLA and self-perceived performance, which was followed by the comparison of the effects of different types of FLLA on self-perceived performance between English and non-English major students. The componential factors of FLLA included two factors, namely general listening anxiety and listening test anxiety, and general listening anxiety was represented by FLLA in classroom, daily usage, and media learning. The results also showed that listening test anxiety negatively affected self-perceived performance; general listening anxiety positively affected listening test anxiety but did not affect self-perceived performance, and listening test anxiety played a full mediation role. Moreover, findings revealed that non-English major students' general listening anxiety was higher than that of English major students. However, the multi-group analysis showed that these two groups did not differ in the effect of general listening anxiety on listening test anxiety, and in the effects of listening anxieties on self-perceived performance. For the two groups, the mechanism of anxiety-and-performance relationship was consistent. The results of this research have expanded the knowledge of listening anxiety by distinguishing general listening anxiety from listening test anxiety. Moreover, by testifying the mediator of listening test anxiety, this research deepened the understanding of the effects of different types of FLLA on self-perceived listening performance and the intensity differences of listening anxieties in English and non-English majors. Furthermore, the research has contributed to the literature on FLLA research based on Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, and has practical pedagogical implications for future studies.

Foreign Language Listening Comprehension and Listening Anxiety

Listening comprehension plays a pivotal role in second language (L2) acquisition, but the process of listening is complex. L2 learners’ listening ability is influenced by both cognitive and affective factors. Among the latter, anxiety is one of the most commonly studied variables in the field of education (Horwitz, 2001); however, its impact on learners’ listening performance is inconsistent in previous research and there have been contradictory findings regarding whether anxiety levels differed significantly according to gender. To address these limitations, this study investigated the effect of gender and foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) on listening comprehension among 187 university students in China. In addition, it explored whether there were significant differences in FLLA levels between genders. Data sources included the FLLA scale and the Oxford Online Listening Level Test to measure FLLA and L2 listening comprehension, respectively. Results from between-groups analysis of variance showed that listeners with low anxiety listened significantly better than listeners with moderate and high levels of anxiety. Gender differences were examined in two aspects of listening: listening comprehension and FLLA. Specifically, females performed better than males in listening comprehension, and females had a higher level of FLLA compared to males. These results provide implications for teaching L2 listening considering the role of anxiety and gender.

Anxiety vs. Enjoyment in the Chinese EFL context: Which Predicts Listening Comprehension Better?

While foreign language anxiety has received abundant empirical attention, its relationship with foreign language enjoyment and specific language skills is not clearly understood. The present study explores the relationships between Chinese EFL learners’ foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and listening achievement. Participants (n=255) were undergraduate students majoring in different subjects at two large local universities in China. The Chinese Version of Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale (CFLES) and the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) were used to measure FLE and FLLA, respectively. Correlation analyses performed on the questionnaire data revealed that while listening achievement negatively correlated with FLLA, it was positively correlated with FLE. A multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that, of the two variables, FLE was found to better predict listening achievement than FLLA. Additionally, listening comprehension was found to be significantly correlated with private enjoyment, but not with variables relating to learning atmosphere or teachers. These findings highlight the importance of positive emotions and experiences in the language learning process and have implications for classroom practice.

A Study on Foreign Language Listening Anxiety of English Majors in a Chinese University

Anxiety is one of the affective factors which plays a significant role in the teaching learning process. This study makes an inquiry into foreign language listening anxiety among L2 English majors in a Chinese university with its focus on students’ learning experience. It seeks to reveal the dilemmas encountered by L2 English majors in the foreign language listening process. It also explores how these anxiety factors influence L2 English majors. The Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) from Kim and a semi-structured one-by-one interview are employed in the study. The sources of English majors’ English listening anxiety found in this study are: vocabulary recognition, grasping the main idea, and detailed information, the speed of the delivery, lack of background knowledge of the listening material, speakers’ accent, and high requirement of memory and attention. The study results also indicate that anxious listeners tend to engage in excessive self-evaluation, worry over potential failure, and concern over others’ opinions. The study’s findings also have some pedagogical implications for English listening courses for undergraduate students, especially English major students.

Effect of Introducing Background Information on Chinese College Students English Listening Anxiety

Foreign language students commonly have a wide range of hearing anxiety in listening examinations. Background information introduction is a teaching method applied in English listening teaching, namely, the teacher introduces background information of listening content before the listening. This study investigated how pre-teaching content affects the anxiety levels of college students at an University of China taking the Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale(FLLAS) and college English CET-4 listening tests. Participants included 106 non-English major freshmen matched in listening ability. The instruments were conducting questionnaires based on the FLLAS and listening tasks given just before and after the experiment. It is concluded that the listening proficiency of foreign language learners (SL/FL) significantly affected their foreign language listening anxiety. Moreover, background information introduction, to a certain extent, may relieve FL learners foreign listening anxiety. This paper contributes to investigate the relationships between English listening anxiety and listening proficiency of the participants, inspiring future researchers to investigate more listening strategies to deal with FL listening anxiety.

The relationship between reading and listening anxieties in EFL classrooms: Exploring the mediating effect of foreign language classroom anxiety

AbstractThe purpose of the current study is threefold: (a) to present a descriptive picture of classroom anxiety (FLCA), reading anxiety (FLRA), and listening anxiety (FLLA) in foreign language classrooms; (b) to explore the association between FLCA, FLRA, and FLLA; and (c) to test the mediating effect of FLCA on the relationship between FLRA and FLLA. The participants included 341 tertiary-level students studying at the English Preparatory Program of four public universities in the Turkish EFL context. The data were collected at the beginning of the 2022 fall semester through the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale, and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale. The descriptive findings indicated a moderate level of FLCA, FLRA, and FLLA among the participants. In addition, significant and positive correlations were found between these three types of anxieties, with the strongest correlation between FLRA and FLLA. In the last stage of the analysis, it was found that FLCA partially and significantly mediated the relationship between FLRA and FLLA. Finally, directions for further research on investigating skill-based anxieties are presented.

Investigation of the effect of flipped listening instruction on the listening performance and listening anxiety of Chinese EFL students.

Given the fact that flipped instruction especially with the aid of technology has gained momentum in second language (L2) instruction, numerous L2 researchers have explored the usefulness of flipped classroom for L2 learning. As an attempt to further this research area, the current research examined the effect of flipped listening instruction on the Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) students' listening performance and listening anxiety using a quasi-experimental research design. To this end, a total number of 44 EFL learners from two intact classes in a Chinese language school were selected as the participants of the research and they were randomly assigned as the control group (N = 21) and an experimental group (N = 23). Within a course of one semester, the control group was instructed employing traditional listening instruction, while the experimental group were taught based on the flipped mode of instruction. The data collection was carried out by administering the listening section of IELTS and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS). The results of ANCOVA revealed that the flipped listening instruction significantly enhanced listening performance of the participants. Also, the flipped classroom substantially reduced listening anxiety of the EFL learners. The outcomes of this research might provide notable implications for EFL practitioners.

The Effects of Authentic Video Materials on Foreign Language Listening Skill Development and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety at Different Levels of English Proficiency

The study aims to find out the effects of authentic video materials on foreign language listening skill and foreign language listening anxiety of students studying at different levels of English proficiency. The experimental practices of the research designed as pretest-posttest true experimental design with control group have been conducted on two experimental and two control groups. While the independent variables of the study are authentic videos and English proficiency levels, the dependent variables are English listening academic achievement levels and English listening anxiety levels of the students. The participants of the research consisted of 100 randomly selected students, who have A1 and B1 levels of English proficiency, studying English preparatory program at the school of foreign languages at a state university. Data collection tools utilized in the study are Key English Test (KET) and Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FOLLAS). The statistical analysis of the research data was carried out by using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, effect size tests and correlation analysis. Findings show that authentic video materials reflecting the real language and communication samples, have highly effective results on the development of English listening skills and lowering the foreign language listening anxiety of students who have A1 and B1 levels of English proficiency. On the other hand, as students' language proficiency improves, the impact of authentic videos increases. Finally, when it is compared to control groups, values obtained by the analysis reveal that there is a much stronger correlation among the development of listening, reading, writing and speaking language skills of experimental group students whose English listening skills have improved by using authentic videos.

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

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.

Integrative Systemic Therapy in Foreign Language Learning: A Practical Framework for Managing Foreign Language Listening Anxiety among Iranian EFL Learners

Integrative Systemic Therapy in Foreign Language Learning: A Practical Framework for Managing Foreign Language Listening Anxiety among Iranian EFL Learners

Testing Effects of Foreign Language Listening Anxiety on Chinese University Students' English Listening Test Performance.

The present research explored how foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) affected Chinese university students' English listening test performance and how proficiency and gender mediated the effects of FLLA on the latter. Two different populations from two universities in China answered the 20-item Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) as well as a demographic questionnaire and took an English listening test. Analyses of the collected data revealed the following major findings: (a) Five latent factors underlay the FLLAS, (b) when working alone, FLLA significantly negatively predicted students' English listening test performance, and (c) when working with proficiency and gender, English proficiency level, gender and FLLAS2 (proficiency in English listening) significantly predicted students' English listening test performance. These findings confirm the negative effects of FLLA on students' English listening test performance. They also indicate that English proficiency and gender mediate FLLA's effects on the latter, with English proficiency not only directly but also indirectly affecting the latter.

An Investigation on Metacognitive Listening Strategy Use and Listening Anxiety in EFL Classrooms

Employing a survey design, this study aims to examine learners’ metacognitive listening strategies, their listening anxiety and whether there is a relationship between these two research matters in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. The participants included 112 freshman students at a university context and they were taking a listening and comprehension course during the study. Two scales were used to collect the data for this study; Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) was used to measure the participants’ listening anxiety and Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire (MALQ) was used to identify their strategy use. The collected data were analysed by using a statistical program and with the help of descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the participants experienced a moderate level of foreign language listening anxiety. In terms of their metacognitive listening strategy use, problem solving strategies were found to be used the most while mental translation strategies were used the least. It was also found that there was a low positive relationship between the participants’ listening anxiety and their listening strategy use. Furthermore, no significant change was found among low, moderate and high anxious learners in terms of the types of their metacognitive listening strategy use. Parallel with those findings, the study offers several suggestions for practitioners to apply in language classrooms and for researchers to further investigate the nature of these two phenomena.

English Listening Anxiety of Indonesian Speakers

Research on foreign language anxiety among Indonesian learners of English has gained some attention thus far. However, few studies have examined specifically English listening anxiety of Indoensian speakers. Previous research in other countries has suggested a number of variables contributing to the foreign language anxiety. Taking into consideration some of the factors that are distinctive for Indonesian learners’ contexts, this present study aims to find out the relationship between number of languages learned or acquired by the learners, gender of the learners, the learners’ English self-rating proficiency, and length of residence of the learners in the target language country with L2 listening anxiety of Indonesian learners of English. This study involved Foreign Language Listening Anxiety Scale (FLLAS) data that were obtained from 109 Indonesian university students and were analyzed quantitatively using Pearson’s correlation, Spearman’s rho, and one-way ANOVAs. The finding shows that there is a significant negative correlation between Indonesian learners of English listening anxiety with the learners’ length of residence in the target language country and the learners’ English self-rating proficiency. The significant difference in terms of length of residence in the target language country especially lied in between the no residence group and <1-year group, and between no residence group and >1 year. In the English self-rating, the significant difference lied in between Intermediate and advanced groups.

Foreign Language Listening Anxiety among French Language Learners in Malaysia

Foreign Language Listening Anxiety among French Language Learners in Malaysia