Levels Of Language Anxiety Research Articles

Rural learners’ communication apprehension and urban learners’ fear of negative evaluation in speaking performance: What lies within?

Anxiety-trigerring conditions that can facilitate and debilitate learning must be made known to teachers. Besides, studies comparing foreign language anxiety in rural and urban areas are inconclusive and incongruous. Thus, this study is intended to explore learners’ language anxiety in speaking performance at urban and rural high schools. The investigation of language anxiety particularly addresses the extent of language anxiety, the anxiety factors as well as the relationship among language anxiety, school sites, and speaking. This study utilized a questionnaire, a test, and a learner interview to collect data by involving urban and rural school. Quantitative data analysis was carried out through descriptive statistics to find out learners’ language anxiety levels, and through Multiple Regression Correlation (MRC) to determine the relationship among the variables. Qualitative data analysis was conducted in relation to language anxiety sources by generating broad themes from the interview. The analysis revealed that (1) the extent of learners’ language anxiety was distinct from one another and subject to certain circumstances and their anxiety sensitivity; (2) four factors causing language anxiety were discovered; and (3) a new insight into the correlation between urban and rural learners, language anxiety, and speaking was noticeable. These findings suggest that teachers recognize the circumstances leading to anxiety, which is a basis for successful language acquisition and learning.

Foreign Language Anxiety among Korean Students at Keimyung College University in Daegu, South Korea

This paper investigated the foreign language anxiety among students frequenting the Global Zone at Keimyung College University (KMCU) in Daegu, South Korea. Needed linguistic data were obtained from KMCU students (N=216; n=140) using Horwitz’s (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), which was later translated to the Korean language to hasten reading comprehension. The sample size was determined using Yamane’s Formula. The subsequent analysis found no significant relationship between language anxiety and those collective variables on age, sex, and relative point/period where subject students started learning or speaking English. Horwitz et al. (2016) described three contributing factors of language anxiety: communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and fear of negative evaluation. The descriptive method and Pearson Chi-Square are used to analyze the data. The data show the level of language anxiety experienced by KMCU students frequenting the Global Zone. In general, the overall anxiety level of the same subject-respondents is interpreted to be “moderate.” These findings propose the need to integrate a new approach that engages non-native speakers in meaningful and stress-free classroom interactions that focus more on fluency than the accuracy of linguistic expressions in learning English as a Foreign Language.

English Language Anxiety and Motivation Towards Speaking English Among Malaysian Pre-University Students

This study aims to identify the level of English language anxiety and level of motivation in speaking English among Malaysian Pre-University students. The research sample was composed of pre-university students in Selangor, Malaysia. Using a quantitative research method, the researcher distributed a survey questionnaire which was developed by adapting existing questionnaires by Pappamihiel (2002) for English language anxiety scale and Schmidt, Boraie, and Kassabgy (1996) for motivation. Results of the data analysis established there was a low level of English language anxiety in speaking English among pre-university students, and moderate level of motivation, yet the level of intrinsic motivation was slightly lower than the level of extrinsic motivation in speaking English among pre-university students. The results showed there was a significant correlation between English language anxiety and motivation in speaking language. However, there was no significant difference in gender for English language anxiety and motivation. There was a significant difference on races for English language anxiety and insignificant differences on races for motivation. The findings of this study may serve as a platform for school authorities and policymakers in developing motivation and reducing language anxiety among students.

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.

L’impact de tâches communicatives de réalité virtuelle sur la volonté de communiquer à l’extérieur de la classe : perceptions d’apprenants de FLS à Montréal

Willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language (L2) depends on both stable and situational factors and research indicates that language anxiety (LA) and self-perceived communicative competence (SPCC) are its two main antecedents. Although researchers have suggested that the development of WTC should be a priority of L2 teaching, more research is needed in this regard. This exploratory study aims at determining the impact of communicative tasks, performed in virtual reality (VR), on WTC outside the classroom. The 19 participants were university students learning French as a second language in Montreal (Canada). Mixed methodology was used to measure and probe their levels of WTC, LA and SPCC, as well as to shed light on the challenges they faced when trying to interact in French in Montreal. The results indicate that VR tasks have the potential to increase WTC, mainly through the increase of SPCC. The pedagogical implications are discussed.

Second life: un entorno virtual para reducir la ansiedad de los estudiantes de lenguas extranjeras

La adquisición de un segundo idioma es un constructo complejo en el cual no sólo factores cognitivos juegan un papel crucial, sino también afectivos. En las últimas décadas, el análisis de los factores afectivos en el aprendizaje de segundas lenguas e idiomas extranjeros ha ganado prominencia. Diversas investigaciones han demostrado una fuerte correlación entre el aprendizaje de lenguas y aspectos como la personalidad, la motivación, la actitud o la ansiedad (p. ej., Gardner, 2020; Hewitt & Stephenson, 2011; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1989). El objetivo de este artículo es examinar si el nivel de ansiedad causado por el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras (FLA) podría disminuir usando mundos virtuales tales cómo Second Life (SL) para la enseñanza de idiomas. Esta investigación compara los niveles de FLA de un Grupo Experimental (EG), que completó tres actividades a través de SL, con un Grupo de Control (CG), que completó las mismas actividades en el aula tradicional. Los resultados indican que los niveles de FLA de los participantes en el EG disminuyeron a medida que las clases avanzaban en comparación con los participantes en el CG. Además, las conclusiones sugieren que la confianza de los participantes que trabajaban en SL aumentó con el paso del tiempo. Este incremento en la confianza de los alumnos podría atribuirse al papel crucial que desempeña el anonimato en los mundos virtuales.

RETRACTED: Anxiety level and critical thinking associated with foreign language learning, depending on educational and professional activities

• Foreign language proficiency is regarded for training professionals in any field • Identifying anxiety reasons allows reducing negative experience • The authors of the study used the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) The reasons for emerging foreign language anxiety and ways to manage it have been attracted researchers’ attention for more than 20 years. Identifying anxiety reasons and predicting the conditions for its emergence allows reducing negative experience, teaching students how to cope with educational challenges, and increasing the overall training effectiveness and creativity. To assess the foreign language anxiety level, the authors of the present study used the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). The Critical Thinking Test in Environmental Education (CTTEE) was used to assess critical thinking. The research population was represented by 200 undergraduates from Ogarev Mordovia State University and 200 undergraduates from Al Ain University. The research aim was to study the relationship between the sphere of student activity, the level of anxiety, and critical thinking in foreign language learning with the minimization of all factors that could somehow affect the learning outcomes. The novelty of this study is that it minimizes the influence of additional factors when determining the dependence of foreign language anxiety on the sphere of activity. In practice, the study findings can become a starting point for further research in the field of critical thinking or may be applied during the development of language training courses for students of non-linguistic specialties.

Level of Language Anxiety in Classroom among Students in a Higher Education Institute in Malaysia

The study aims to identify Higher Education students' level of language anxiety in the classroom. Moreover, the study also investigated the Higher Education Institute students' level of anxiety in each of the components in English language. 236 students from a Higher Education Institute participated in this study. The quantitative method has been used in this study and a set of questionnaire was adapted from FLCAS that was developed by Horwitz et al. (1986). For the finding, the study found that Higher Education Institute students have moderate level of language anxiety. Therefore, the study also revealed that the Higher Education Institute students have a moderate level of language anxiety in the test anxiety component and fear of negative evaluation component. On the other hand, Higher Education Institute students' have a high level of language anxiety in the communication apprehension component. The current study could help future educators to acknowledge more on language anxiety and help educators to find a good solution for these students.

THE DYNAMICS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY EXPERIENCED BY INDONESIAN EFL LEARNERS

Foreign language anxiety is known as one of the variables that negatively affect students’ achievement. It may be influenced by many factors and therefore it is dynamics, not a stable variable. The objective of this study is to describe the dynamics of foreign language anxiety (FLA) of Indonesian students over a ten-week period. The level of anxiety was measured by using Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) administered in two-time points. 344 students from two senior high schools participated in the study. To examine the changes in students’ FLA, repeated measures Manova, repeated measures Anova and one-way ANOVA were used. The results revealed that the students’ foreign language anxiety level changed over time, with Fear of Failing the Class decrease while two other constructs, Communication Apprehension and Fear of Negative Evaluation showed an increase. Further study is suggested to examine factors that contribute to the dynamics of each construct.

Listening Anxiety Experienced by English Language Learners: A Comparison between Iranian and Turkish Teacher Candidates

This study focuses on the listening anxiety experienced by teacher candidates (TCs) in Iran and Turkey. Using different data collection methods, including two questionnaires, listening test, and semi-structured interviews, this study tried to investigate the factors behind Foreign Language Listening Anxiety (FLLA) among Iranian teacher candidates (TCs). The participants of the study in Iran context were 29 teacher candidates studying at BA level in English Language Teaching. All of the participants were asked to complete these two questionnaires with the background information regarding their age, gender, years of language study. The participants’ answers to FLLAS and FLCAS were analyzed with spss to obtain frequencies and percentages. The results were compared to the same study by Bekleyen. The findings revealed that Iranian TCs experienced a high level of FLLA compared to Turkish TCs and showed a significant positive correlation between FLLA and FLCA, which means that teacher candidates with higher levels of language anxiety tended to have higher levels of listening anxiety. In addition, interview data suggested that Iranian and Turkish participants’ FLLA mostly originated from the same source: inadequacy of past education in listening skill. Furthermore, practice was the most frequent strategy used by participants in these two countries to overcome this kind of anxiety.

Exploring the Attitude towards English and Speaking Anxiety of the EFL Learners

This study sought to explore the attitude towards English and the level of the English language speaking anxiety of the EFL learners. The students were classified according to their age, sex, program, and employment status. Stratified random sampling was utilized in order to ensure that every member of all groups gets equal opportunity to be selected. The adapted Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale was used in determining the English language anxiety of the students while the Students’ Attitudes towards English questionnaire identified the perceptions of students in learning the English language. A focus group discussion was also done with selected students to corroborate the quantitative data gathered. Results revealed that females had higher level of anxiety than males. Working students were found to be more confident than non-working students. Moreover, there is a significant difference between the levels of English language anxiety according to sex and status. A significant relationship was noted between English language anxiety and attitude towards English. Hence, it is recommended that humanistic approaches must be utilized for teachers to build positive relationships with students, thereby accepting their individual differences, dealing with them more patiently, and creating a supportive and conducive classroom for learning. EFL teachers may make use of collaborative student-centered activities through paired or group work to eradicate competition among the students, to lessen tension, and eventually, lower the anxiety levels. Lastly, the study recommends the university administration to support activities, especially those which would provide avenues for students to improve their self-esteem.

ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ СТРУКТУРА ЯЗЫКОВОЙ ТРЕВОЖНОСТИ СТУДЕНТОВ

The work is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of language anxiety – anxiety that occurs in the process of learning or using a foreign language. The main purpose of the study was to develop a methodology for assessing language anxiety and identify its structure. The procedure for creating Language anxiety questionnaire for is described in detail. Based on the method of a weakly structured interview, possible variants of the occurrence and manifestation of language anxiety were analyzed. The respondents in the interview were 4 women and 3 men aged 20-26 years with incomplete higher or higher education. On average, the interview took 40 minutes. The purpose of the weakly structured interview was to provide the most complete description of possible manifestations of language anxiety. Based on the results of the interview, the first version of the language anxiety questionnaire was created. Testing the questionnaire on a sample of 102 students allowed using factor analysis and the Сronbach's alpha criterion to identify 5 factors of language anxiety: fear of negative evaluation, fear of the consequences of mistakes or misunderstanding, tension and negative expectations, fear of the teacher and the lesson situation, fear of language use. This allowed us to create a final version of the Language Anxiety Questionnaire and show its reliability (consistency) and validity. In addition to the questionnaire, the concept of «language confidence» is proposed and the Scale of language confidence is highlighted. It is concluded that it is important not only to reduce the level of language anxiety, but also to increase language confidence.

Reducing Student’s English Dialogue Anxiety in Online Learning through Board Game

The COVID 19 has been going on since April 2020 in Indonesia. It has resulted in the Indonesian government, especially the Ministry of Education and Culture, taking preventive steps to minimize contracting the virus. One of them is using online learning for students to go to school. However, there are challenges for teachers and students while learning in an online class, such as students who are often absent, students will quickly feel bored, students tend to be passive in the learning process, students do not master the learning material, and much more. It also happens in an English lesson, especially a dialogue activity. This research aims to prove whether using a board game can be effective media to reduce students’ language anxiety level or not during English learning in an online classroom. The kind of board game is the combination between snake and ladder and candy land, or it has been modified based on learning purpose. The research design used in this research is a quasi-trial non-equivalent control group design. The samples of this research are 60 ninth grades of junior high school students which are divided into the trial and control group. Data analyses used in this research are using SPSS mean score, data deviation, while hypothesis testing used in this research is the Mann-Whitney test. The result showed that a board game can reduce students’ anxiety levels. The data showed that the mean score of students after implementing board game reduces by 2.90 points, while the standard deviation increases by 2.901 points. From the Mann-Whitney test, it is known that Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) is 0.003 or < 0.05 which shows that H0 is rejected, and H1 is accepted. From the data analysis, it can be shown that the board game is effective media to reduce students’ language anxiety in dialogue activity during learning in an online class. Keywords: board game, language anxiety, online learning

Foreign Language Anxiety: Classroom VS Distance Learning

Anxiety is a powerful affective factor that makes a negative impact on the foreign language learning and performance. It is important to be aware of the learning conditions that can influence the foreign language anxiety level. The primary aim of this study was to examine the difference in students' foreign language anxiety level in classroom and distance learning environments. The given investigation was conducted in the Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Ukraine, in the spring semester, 2020, and involved 38 students of the 1-st and 2-nd years of studying. The comparative analysis of the students' foreign language anxiety levels in traditional classroom and distance learning environments has been carried out. A survey method engaging the use of FLCAS with 5-point-items Likert scale was employed. The obtained results have demonstrated a significant increase in communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation anxiety types as well as a slight decrease in test anxiety and fear of making mistakes. The factors that caused such changes have been analyzed and defined. Among the main negative-bearing factors are the changes in the learning context and the character of distance online learning per se. The reasons for positive changes in the students' foreign language anxiety levels are − flexibility of the schedule, growing autonomy of the students and improved test-taking skills. Possible ways of reducing foreign language anxiety, such as developing students' awareness of foreign language anxiety and its symptoms, computer-based communication competency, peer support and learner autonomy have been suggested. The major conclusion made is that anxiety is a labile foreign language learning factor, which can be changed in the new learning context. Hence, the task of foreign language teachers is to reduce foreign language anxiety by taking into account the aforementioned factors.

Association between Oral Error Corrections of University Teacher and English Majors’ Language Anxiety in Philippine Higher Education Context

This study sought to answer the question on the level of English language anxiety in the ESL and mainstream classrooms of 61 total number of English major students utilizing the 20-item self-assessment questionnaire of English Language Anxiety Scale (ELAS) developed by Pappamihiel (2002). Actual one-hour footage of classroom was documented through a MONACORR audio-recorder, thrice with each teacher. The recorder was given to one of the teachers’ students without knowledge for the authenticity of their oral corrections. After having identified the existing oral error corrections by the English teachers through audio-recording, a self-made questionnaire was answered by the students to find what is the rate of occurrence of the identified oral error correction styles. The frequency count, weighted mean, and Chi-square tests were the statistical tools used to answer the problems posed in this study. Findings divulged after the transcription, teachers were only utilizing elicitation, explicit correction, recast, and repetition. Moreover, students perceived that elicitation oral error correction type is often used while explicit correction, recast, and repetition are only used sometimes by their English teachers. Meanwhile, ELAS results indicate levels of language anxiety in the ESL classes and mainstream, although language anxiety is significantly higher in ESL classes. As to correlation, it was found out that the rate of occurrence of explicit correction, recast, and repetition as perceived by ESL English major students of their English teachers’ oral error correction types have no significant relationships to their English language anxiety. This study suggests that oral error correction has nothing to do with the English language anxiety of English major students and that English teachers shall retain the practice of the oral error correction for it does not give high level of learners’ anxiety in learning English.Â

Heritage language anxiety and major language anxiety experienced by Korean immigrants in Australia

ABSTRACT This study investigated the levels of heritage language anxiety (HLA) and major language anxiety (MLA) experienced by three generations of Korean immigrants (i.e. first, 1.5 and second generations) in their daily life contexts (i.e. with family members, with friends and with/around native speakers) in Australia. The study also examined the language background variables (i.e. age at exposure to Korean/English, self-rated Korean/English proficiency, and frequency of Korean/English use) and their relationships with HLA and MLA. All three generations showed relatively low levels of HLA in their daily life contexts and rated their Korean proficiency as high, implying that Korean language or HL has been well maintained by Korean immigrants in Australia. While the first-generation Korean participants expressed moderate to high levels of MLA, the 1.5- and second-generation groups showed very low levels of MLA. Self-rated language proficiency and frequency of language use showed strong and significant correlations with language anxiety. Pedagogical implications for heritage language (i.e. Korean) learning for 1.5- and second-generation Koreans, as well as major language (i.e. English) education for the first-generation Koreans, are discussed.

Washback Effects of Board-Based Speaking Tests


 
 
 This study analyzes the opinions of a group of three English as a Foreign Language programs, on the washback effects of board-based oral tests on the students’ language proficiency and foreign language anxiety levels, and on the professors’ instructional choices and decision making. With purposive sampling strategies and triangulation techniques, strong washback effects on learners’ foreign language anxiety levels and professors’ instructional choices, with lesser effects on learners’ proficiency levels and instructors’ decision making, were identied.
 
 

Language Anxiety in Focus: The Case of Filipino Undergraduate Teacher Education Learners

This study has focused on determining the level, sources, and causes of foreign language anxiety of students taking up teacher education courses in the Philippines and how language anxiety affects the English proficiency of the respondents and their language learning. A total of 242 learners from a Philippine-based learning institution answered an English proficiency exam (EPE) and a questionnaire comprising two parts: a 30-item English Language Anxiety Scale (ELAS) and a set of questions on causes of anxiety and effects on language learning. Means, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were calculated and used to characterize language anxiety level, sources, and causes. Correlation and regression analyses of the language anxiety variables and English proficiency of the respondents were then conducted. Follow-up interviews were also done for selected respondents in order to understand the nature and mechanism of the investigated relationships. The results confirmed that the speaking activity, error correction, and communicating with English speakers are sources of high anxiety of the Filipino learners, while the writing activity, negative self-perception, and noncomprehension are sources of moderate anxiety. All of the sources of anxiety were shown to have a significant negative relationship with second language anxiety, and simple regression analysis revealed that foreign language anxiety is a significant predictor of English proficiency. However, further analysis of the specific sources of anxiety using multiple regression analysis identified speaking activities anxiety as the only significant predictor of English proficiency.

Language anxiety and the online learner

AbstractForeign language classroom anxiety is a construct that has been investigated since the 1980s, yet few studies have examined language anxiety in the context of the online learning environment. In this literature review, the following guiding questions were examined: (a) What is foreign language classroom anxiety? (b) What are the research findings on language anxiety among online learners? (c) What can instructors do to help alleviate their online students' perceived levels of language anxiety? In addition to an exploration of the guiding questions, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, which was developed by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986), is described in detail as well as how language educators can use it as a tool in their own classrooms to measure their students' perceived language anxiety levels. The pedagogical implications include recommended techniques and interventions for helping online language learners feel less isolated, less anxious, and more connected to their teacher and to their peers. Given the large number of students who are currently engaged in online or remote language learning due to COVID‐19, it is important to consider how affective factors, such as anxiety, can impede learning outcomes. Furthermore, language educators and their students were required to transition rapidly to the online environment without sufficient time or preparation for it, which is an additional cause of stress for both students and instructors alike. The article concludes with suggestions for future research on online language anxiety.

Quantitative Analysis of the Foreign Language Anxiety: Chinese and Pakistani Postgraduates in Focus

The current research study aims at inspecting various levels of apprehension and anxiety faced by university postgraduates in Pakistan and China when learning a foreign language (FL). The target population of this research was the university postgraduates from a Chinese university in Wuhan, and a public sector university in Lahore, Pakistan. The sample of this study was 206 postgraduates, out of which 106 (male =28, female= 78) from a Chinese university and 100 (male=53, female= 47) from a Pakistani university in Lahore. The sample was selected randomly and aged (21-30), and all participants belonged to the postgraduate level. Horwitz’s foreign language classroom anxiety scale (known as FLCAS) was used as a survey model, a theoretical framework for collecting data from both universities. The Statistical Package of a Social Sciences (SPSS version23) was used to get quantitative results. Descriptive statistics were used to investigate the anxiety level. Mean score and standard deviation were computed of both groups, besides it, the independent samples t-test was run to compare the mean score of both groups and infer if there existed any difference in the target language anxiety level. The results revealed that Chinese postgraduates face more anxiety than Pakistani postgraduates, and there existed significant differences in foreign language anxiety levels of both groups. Based on the results, it can be implicated that combined efforts of mentors and students can pave the way in tackling anxiety among university postgraduates.