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1

Reflections from teachers and students on speaking anxiety in an EFL classroom

100%
Akkakoson S.
Journal of Language and Cultural Education
|
2016
|
vol. 4
|
issue 3
46-70
EN
This paper reports on part of the research project in which instructor perspectives on the role of anxiety in an EFL speaking classroom and anxiety-coping strategies students employ when speaking English have been investigated. The existence of students’ speaking anxiety was revealed via a teacher interview. A total of 88 students from the intact classes also responded to an interview form for an analysis of anxiety-coping strategies they utilised when speaking English in class. The qualitative data from both instruments was analysed using the content analysis. The findings of the teacher interview data put forward that students of this study have experienced speaking-in-class anxiety. This anxiety may influence their grades, to some extent. Three factors that may hinder students’ development of oral skills emerge, including their lack of self-confidence, having poor English background and having neither intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation to use English. Using the target language as the medium of communication in class is viewed by the teachers as a must in theory, but flexibility is allowed in practice. Moreover, the results of the student interview data show a wide range of strategies employed to deal with anxiety (ie social, affective, meta-cognitive, compensatory, cognitive and memory-related strategies). Social strategies are the most frequently-used techniques. Suggestions for improvement in the overall oral English (ie vocabulary focus, audiovisual focus, self-practice, social focus, auditory focus, meta-cognitive focus, compensatory focus and affective focus) have also been given by the student participants. An increased repertoire of vocabulary is viewed as the most effective tool for such improvement.
2
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The anxiety-proficiency relationship and the stability of anxiety: The case of Chinese university learners of English and Japanese.

100%
Jin Y., de Bot K., Keijzer M.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2015
|
vol. 5
|
issue 1
41-63
EN
Adopting a longitudinal design, this study investigates the effects of foreign language anxiety on foreign language proficiency over time within English and Japanese learning contexts. It also explores the stability of anxiety in English and Japanese over time and the stability of anxiety across English and Japanese. Chinese university students (N=146), who were simultaneously learning Japanese and English, participated in this study. Data were collected twice over a 2-month interval, using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, the English Proficiency Scale, and the Japanese Proficiency Scale. Results showed that anxiety changes had a significantly negative, but weak, correlation with the development of overall proficiency and the proficiency in sub- skills such as reading or speaking, for both English and Japanese, suggesting the interference of anxiety with proficiency levels. Anxiety in Japanese tended to decrease significantly over time, but no significant change was found for English. Furthermore, no significant difference between anxiety in Japanese and English was found at either testing time.
3
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Affective and situational correlates of foreign language proficiency: A study of Chinese university learners of English and Japanese

100%
Jin Y., de Bot K., Keijzer M.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2017
|
vol. 7
|
issue 1
105-125
EN
The study explores the effects of teacher support and student cohesiveness on foreign language (FL) learning outcomes and compares their effect with that of FL anxiety. One hundred and forty-six first-year Chinese undergraduates of Japanese, who were also learning English, participated in two surveys that were administered over a 2-month interval. Data were collected using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986), the Teacher Support Scale (Trickett & Moos, 2002), the Affiliation Scale (Trickett & Moos, 2002), the English Proficiency Scale, and the Japanese Proficiency Scale. It was found that (a) student cohesiveness was a positive predictor of FL proficiency, (b) teacher support, which was positively related to student cohesiveness and negatively to FL anxiety, did not show a direct relationship with FL proficiency, and (c) FL anxiety, which was negatively associated with FL proficiency, showed a better predictive power than student cohesiveness and teacher support.
4
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Exploring self-perceived communication competence in foreign language learning

100%
Lockley T.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2013
|
vol. 3
|
issue 2
187-212
EN
Speaking self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) is a construct with many potential implications for foreign language learning, but one that has been little studied. SPCC itself is a major predictive factor in willingness to communicate, a construct which has been widely conceptualised and researched. This study (N = 103) used a repeated measures ANOVA to investigate SPCC and its correlation with actual L2 speaking proficiency over the course of a year; there was no significant correlation. Qualitative data was then treated with grounded theory to establish why SPCC was inaccurate and to provide pointers as to how SPCC accuracy might be improved. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature in an attempt to establish a deeper understanding of SPCC, particularly in the Japanese context, its formulation and its implications for foreign language learning.
5
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Affective and situational correlates of foreign language proficiency: A study of Chinese university learners of English and Japanese

100%
Jin Y., de Bot K., Keijzer M.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2017
|
vol. 7
|
issue 1
105-125
EN
The study explores the effects of teacher support and student cohesiveness on foreign language (FL) learning outcomes and compares their effect with that of FL anxiety. One hundred and forty-six first-year Chinese undergraduates of Japanese, who were also learning English, participated in two surveys that were administered over a 2-month interval. Data were collected using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986), the Teacher Support Scale (Trickett & Moos, 2002), the Affiliation Scale (Trickett & Moos, 2002), the English Proficiency Scale, and the Japanese Proficiency Scale. It was found that (a) student cohesiveness was a positive predictor of FL proficiency, (b) teacher support, which was positively related to student cohesiveness and negatively to FL anxiety, did not show a direct relationship with FL proficiency, and (c) FL anxiety, which was negatively associated with FL proficiency, showed a better predictive power than student cohesiveness and teacher support.
6
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Beliefs and experiences in the English classroom: Perspectives of Swedish primary school learners

88%
Nilsson M.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2020
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vol. 10
|
issue 2
257-281
EN
This study investigates how Swedish learners make sense of and perceive English instruction and the process of foreign language learning in a target language-only primary school classroom. In small group discussions, 26 learners aged 9-10 were audio recorded while discussing questions related to their language learner beliefs and their classroom experiences. Learners expressed a strong consensus about the importance of both the teacher’s extensive target language input and the learners’ oral engagement, in alignment with the beliefs of the teacher. However, the analysis identified three mismatches among high anxiety learners in this context, related to incomprehensible teacher talk, social fear of making mistakes and classroom organization. As their voiced beliefs were at odds with their emotionally guided behavior of refraining from asking questions or volunteering to speak, their sense of agency was reduced. In this context, the target language-only approach appeared to have a negative impact on the emotional, organizational and instructional dimensions of foreign language instruction for many of the young learners. The findings illustrate the interrelated dynamics of beliefs, emotions and classroom context, and contribute to our understanding of learners’ foreign language anxiety and sense of agency in the primary foreign language classroom.
7
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Does the effect of enjoyment outweigh that of anxiety in foreign language performance?

88%
Dewaele J.-M., Alfawzan M.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2018
|
vol. 8
|
issue 1
21-45
EN
Interest in the effect of positive and negative emotions in foreign language acquisition has soared recently because of the positive psychology movement (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014, 2016; MacIntyre, Gregersen & Mercer, 2016). No work so far has been carried out on the differential effect of positive and negative emotions on foreign language performance. The current study investigates the effect of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) on foreign language performance in a group of 189 foreign language pupils in two London secondary schools and a group of 152 Saudi English as a foreign language learners and users of English in Saudi Arabia. Correlation analyses showed that the positive effect of FLE on performance was stronger than the negative effect of FLCA. In other words, FLE seems to matter slightly more than FLCA in foreign language (FL) performance. Qualitative material collected from the Saudi participants shed light on the causes of FLCA and FLE and how these shaped participants’ decisions to pursue or abandon the study of the FL.
8
Publication available in full text mode
Content available

Exploring self-perceived communication competence in foreign language learning

88%
Lockley T.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2013
|
vol. 3
|
issue 2
187-212
EN
Speaking self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) is a construct with many potential implications for foreign language learning, but one that has been little studied. SPCC itself is a major predictive factor in willingness to communicate, a construct which has been widely conceptualised and researched. This study (N = 103) used a repeated measures ANOVA to investigate SPCC and its correlation with actual L2 speaking proficiency over the course of a year; there was no significant correlation. Qualitative data was then treated with grounded theory to establish why SPCC was inaccurate and to provide pointers as to how SPCC accuracy might be improved. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature in an attempt to establish a deeper understanding of SPCC, particularly in the Japanese context, its formulation and its implications for foreign language learning.
9
Publication available in full text mode
Content available

The anxiety-proficiency relationship and the stability of anxiety: The case of Chinese university learners of English and Japanese

88%
Jin Y., de Bot K., Keijzer M.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2015
|
vol. 5
|
issue 1
41-63
EN
Adopting a longitudinal design, this study investigates the effects of foreign language anxiety on foreign language proficiency over time within English and Japanese learning contexts. It also explores the stability of anxiety in English and Japanese over time and the stability of anxiety across English and Japanese. Chinese university students (N=146), who were simultaneously learning Japanese and English, participated in this study. Data were collected twice over a 2-month interval, using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, the English Proficiency Scale, and the Japanese Proficiency Scale. Results showed that anxiety changes had a significantly negative, but weak, correlation with the development of overall proficiency and the proficiency in sub- skills such as reading or speaking, for both English and Japanese, suggesting the interference of anxiety with proficiency levels. Anxiety in Japanese tended to decrease significantly over time, but no significant change was found for English. Furthermore, no significant difference between anxiety in Japanese and English was found at either testing time.
10
Publication available in full text mode
Content available

The impact of contemplative practices on foreign language anxiety and learning

88%
Scida E. E., Jones J. E.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2017
|
vol. 7
|
issue 4
573-599
EN
This study looked at the impact of the integration of contemplative practices on foreign language anxiety, positive and negative affect, self-efficacy, classroom climate, and language learning in students enrolled in an advanced intermediate Spanish language course in the USA. Data included pre- and post-test surveys, exam scores to measure learning outcomes, student interviews, and course evaluations. In the contemplative group, students engaged in brief 10-minute contemplative practices once a week, while the non-contemplative group followed the same syllabus but was not exposed to contemplative practices. Analysis of the data showed no significant differences in foreign language anxiety, self-efficacy or affect between the non-contemplative and contemplative groups at post-test but significantly higher scores on classroom climate measures in the contemplative group. Significantly higher grades were found on course exams for students in the contemplative group. Analysis of the pre-/post-survey data revealed a significant decrease in foreign language anxiety in both groups over the semester but not for affect or self-efficacy. This study extends the existing research on contemplative practices to a new context-affect and learning in foreign language courses.
11
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN OUT-OF-CLASS PERFORMANCE.IDENTIFYING LANGUAGE-ANXIETY SOURCES, ITS EFFECTS, AND COPING STRATEGIES

71%
Morena K.
Neofilolog
|
2016
|
issue 46/1
29-43
PL
Language researchers have long been aware that anxiety can be associated with the language learning process and negatively correlate with academic achievement, motivation and successful oral performance. Foreign language anxiety was first defined as a negative feeling associated with a language classroom and resulting from a fear of negative evaluation, tests and communication apprehension (Horwitz and Young, 1991). Some learners also reported that they experienced language anxiety in out-of-class oral performance, that it negatively affected their feeling of competence, and beliefs about their successful language acquisition, and also triggered physiological and cognitive responses. The research aimed at identifying sources of language anxiety and its manifestations in adult EFL learners in out-of-class settings, and a set of six strategies was proposed to help learners mitigate the feeling of foreign language anxiety.
12
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Taking stock: A meta-analysis of the effects of foreign language enjoyment

71%
Botes E., Dewaele J.-M., Greiff S.
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
|
2022
|
vol. 12
|
issue 2
205-232
EN
Studies examining the positive emotion of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) have recently increased exponentially, as researchers are applying the tenets of positive psychology in applied linguistics. It is therefore an appropriate time to take stock of the current literature and conduct a preliminary meta-analysis. The relationships between FLE and four variables, namely, foreign language anxiety (FLA), willingness to communicate (WTC), academic achievement, and self-perceived achievement were examined. A total of k = 96 effect sizes were analyzed with an overall sample size of N = 28,166 in random-effects models with correlation coefficients. There was a moderate negative correlation between FLE and FLA. In turn, moderate positive correlations were found between FLE and WTC, FLE and academic achievement, and FLE and self-perceived achievement. These positive associations confirm the value of FLE in FL learning and further affirm the need for researchers to examine positive psychology constructs in the foreign language classroom.
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