A Study on Secondary School Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety: Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 23 Sayı: 1, 324 - 364, 30.04.2022

Tuğba Özsarı , Kağan Büyükkarcı

https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.1026046

Öz

This study examines secondary school students’ and their teachers’ perceptions of foreign language anxiety. Also, the current study aims to compare public and private secondary school students’ foreign language anxiety level. Demographic variables such as gender and grades were also investigated to reveal whether they were acting as provoking or easing factors for foreign language anxiety among students. The sample group of this study consisted of 379 secondary school students chosen randomly and 9 English language teachers from public and private secondary school in Sakarya province, Turkey. The data were collected through two measurement tools, a scale for students and a questionnaire for teachers, which included open and close-ended questions. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, and for the qualitative data analysis, content analysis was conducted. The findings of the research revealed that public school students experience moderate level of foreign language anxiety, while private school students experience low level of foreign language anxiety. The findings of current study demonstrate that there is meaningful difference between public and private school students in terms of their foreign language anxiety. In both schools, females were more anxious than males; however, the difference between two gender groups was significant in private school. Grade was not a predicting factor for foreign language anxiety in the current study. However, in both schools, 8th graders are the most anxious group of all. As for the teachers, they were well aware of their students’ anxieties, and they implemented useful strategies for decreasing this anxiety. Also, they adapted their pedagogical instructions in order to reduce their students’ foreign language anxiety. However, research findings demonstrated that there was a discrepancy between teachers’ and students’ perceptions in terms of test anxiety.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Foreign language anxiety, foreign language learning, student perceptions, teacher perceptions

Ortaokul Öğrencilerinin Yabancı Dil Kaygıları Üzerine Bir Çalışma: Öğrenci ve Öğretmen Algıları

Öz

Bu araştırma, ortaokul öğrencilerinin ve öğretmenlerinin yabancı dil kaygısı algılarını incelemektedir. Ayrıca, bu çalışma devlet ve özel ortaokul öğrencilerinin yabancı dil kaygı düzeylerini karşılaştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Cinsiyet ve not gibi demografik değişkenler de öğrencilerde yabancı dil kaygısını kışkırtıcı mı yoksa hafifletici etkenler olarak mı hareket ettiklerini ortaya çıkarmak için araştırılmıştır. Bu araştırmanın örneklemini Türkiye'nin Sakarya ilindeki devlet ve özel ortaöğretim okullarından rastgele seçilen 379 ortaokul öğrencisi ve 9 İngilizce öğretmeni oluşturmaktadır. Veriler, öğrenciler için bir ölçek ve öğretmenler için açık ve kapalı uçlu sorular içeren bir anket olmak üzere iki ölçüm aracıyla toplanmıştır. Nicel veriler betimsel ve çıkarımsal istatistiklerle analiz edilmiş, nitel veri analizi için içerik analizi yapılmıştır. Araştırma bulguları, devlet okulu öğrencilerinin orta düzeyde yabancı dil kaygısı yaşadıklarını, özel okul öğrencilerinin ise düşük düzeyde yabancı dil kaygısı yaşadıklarını ortaya koymuştur. Mevcut araştırmanın bulguları, devlet ve özel okul öğrencilerinin yabancı dil kaygıları arasında anlamlı bir farklılık olduğunu göstermektedir. Her iki okulda da kızlar erkeklere göre daha kaygılı; ancak özel okulda iki cinsiyet grubu arasındaki fark anlamlıydı. Bu çalışmada not, yabancı dil kaygısını yordayan bir faktör değildi. Ancak her iki okulda da 8. sınıflar en kaygılı gruptur. Öğretmenler ise öğrencilerinin kaygılarının farkındaydılar ve bu kaygıyı azaltmak için faydalı stratejiler uyguladılar. Ayrıca öğrencilerinin yabancı dil kaygısını azaltmak için pedagojik yönergelerini uyarlamışlardır. Ancak araştırma bulguları, öğretmen ve öğrenci algıları arasında sınav kaygısı açısından bir farklılık olduğunu göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Yabancı dil kaygısı, yabancı dil öğrenme, öğrenci algıları, öğretmen algıları

Kaynakça

• Abu-Rabia, S. (2014). Teachers' role, learners' gender differences, and FL anxiety among seventh‐grade students Studying English as a FL. Educational Psychology, 24 (5), 711-721.
• Aida, Y. (1994). Examination of Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope’s construct of foreign language anxiety: The case of students of Japanese. Modern Language Journal, 78 (2), 155-168.
• Argaman, O & Abu-Rabia, S. (2010). The influence of language anxiety on English reading and writing tasks among native Hebrew speakers. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 15 (2), 143-160.
• Aydin, S., Yavuz, F., & Yeşilyurt, S. (2006). Test Anxiety in Foreign Language Learning. Balikesir University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 9, 145-160.
• Aydin, S. (2008). An investigation on language anxiety and fear of negative evaluation among Turkish EFL learners. Asian EFL Journal, 30(1), 421-444.
• Aydin, S. (2009). Test anxiety among foreign language learners: A review of literature. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 5 (1), 127-137.
• Aydogdu, C. (2014). The relationship between foreign language learning anxiety, attitude toward English language, language learning strategies and foreign language achievement. Unpublished master’s thesis, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
• Bachman, N. (1975). Two measures of affective factors as they relate to progress in adult second-language learning. (Bilingual Education Project No. 007 906-908). Ontario, Canada: The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Bailey, P., Daley, C., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (1999). Foreign language anxiety and learning style. Foreign Language Annals, 32 (1), 63-76.
• Balemir, S. H. (2009). The sources of foreign language speaking anxiety and the relationship between proficiency level and degree of foreign language speaking anxiety. Unpublished Master’s thesis, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
• Barksdale, M. A. & Thomas, K. F. (2000). What's at stake in high-stakes testing: Teachers and parents speak out. Journal of Teacher Education, 51 (5), 384-397.
• Bas, G. & Özcan, M. (2018). Foreign language learning anxiety: A comparison between high school and university students. International Journal of Human Sciences, 15 (3), 1584-1596.
• Bekleyen, N. (2009). Helping teachers become better English students: causes, effects, and coping strategies for foreign language listening anxiety. System, 37, 664-675.
• Brown, H. D. (1973). Affective variables in second language acquisition. Language Learning, 23(2), 231-244.
• Büyükkarcı, K. (2016). Is it language learning anxiety and /or attitude of university students that determines their academic success?. Turkish Online Journal of English Language Teaching, 1(2), 57-65.
• Chastain, K. (1975). Affective and ability factors in second language acquisition. Language Learning, 25 (1), 153-161.
• Cheng, Y., Horwitz, E. K., & Schallert, D. L. (1999). Language anxiety: Differentiating writing and speaking components. Language Learning, 49(3), 417-446.
• Cheng, Y. (2002). Factors associated with foreign language writing anxiety. Foreign Language Annals, 35 (5), 644-656. Clement, R., Dörnyei, Z., & Noels, K. A. (1994). Motivation, self-Confidence, and group Cohesion in the foreign language classroom. Language Learning, 44(3), 417-448.
• Clement, R., Gardner, R. C., & Smythe, P.C. (1977). Motivational variables in second language acquisition: A study of Francophones learning English. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 9 (2), 123-133.
• Clement, R., Gardner, R. C. & Smythe, P. C. (1980). Social and individual factors in second language acquisition. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 12 (4), 293-302.
• Clement, R. (1986). Second language proficiency and acculturation: an investigation of the effects of language status and individual characteristics'. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 5 (4), 271-290.
• Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2007). Research method in education (6th ed.). New York: Routledge Publishing. Cohen, Y. & Norst, M. J. (1989). Fear, dependence and loss of self-Esteem: Affective barriers in second language learning among adults. RELC Journal, 20(2), 61-77.
• Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
• Cagatay, S. (2015). Examining EFL students’ foreign language speaking anxiety: The case at a Turkish state university. Social and Behavioural Sciences 199, 648-656.
• Çermik, E. (2015). The role of foreign language anxiety in English lessons of 8th grade students. Unpublished master’s thesis, Cag University, Mersin, Turkey.
• Demirdaş, O, & Bozdoğan, D. (2013). Foreign language anxiety and performance of language learners in preparatory classes. Turkish Journal of Education, 2 (3), 4-13.
• Dalkılıç, N. (2001). An investigation into the role of anxiety in second language learning. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
• Dewaele, J. M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2014). The two faces of Janus? Anxiety and enjoyment in the foreign language classroom. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 4 (2), 237-274.
• Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner individual differences in second language acquisition. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers.
• Ehrman, M. E. & Oxford, R. E. (1995). Cognition plus: Correlates of Language learning success. The Modern Language Journal, 79, 67-89.
• Elaldı, S. (2016). Foreign language anxiety of students studying English Language and Literature: A sample from Turkey. Educational Research and Reviews, 11(6), 219-228.
• Elkhafaifi, H. (2005). Listening comprehension and anxiety in the Arabic language classroom. The Modern Language Journal, 89 (2), 206-220.
• Er, S. (2015). Foreign language learning anxiety of Turkish children at different ages. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 2(2). 68-78. Retrieved February 10, 2019 from http://iojet.org/index.php/IOJET/article/view/81/106
• Eysenck, M. W. (1979). Anxiety, learning, and memory: A reconceptualization. Journal of Research in Personality, 13, 363-385. Gardner, R. C., & Smythe, P. C. (1975). Second language acquisition: A social psychological approach (Research Bulletin No. 332). Ontario, Canada: University of Western Ontario, Ontario Curriculum Institute.
• Gardner, R. C., Smythe, P. C., & Clement, R. (1979). Intensive second language study in a bicultural milieu: An investigation of attitudes, motivation and language proficiency. Language Learning, 29(3), 305-320.
• Gardner, R. C., & MacIntyre, P. D. (1993). A student’s contribution to second language learning: Part II, affective factors. Language Teaching, 26 (1), 1-11.
• Gradman, H. L., & Hanania, E. (1991). Language learning background factors and ESL proficiency. The Modern Language Journal, 75 (1), 39-51.
• Gregersen, T. & Horwitz, E. K. (2002). Language Learning and Perfectionism: Anxious and Non-Anxious Language Learners’ Reactions to Their Own Oral Performance. The Modern Language Journal, 86 (4), 562-570.
• Gregersen, T. (2003). To Err Is Human: A reminder to teachers of language-anxious Students. Foreign Language Annals, 36(1), 25-32.
• Gursoy, E. & Arman, T. (2016). Analyzing foreign language test anxiety among high school students in an EFL context (note 1). Journal of Education and Learning, 5 (4), 190-200.
• Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70 (2), 125-132.
• Horwitz, E. K. (1995). Student affective reactions and the teaching and learning of foreign languages. International Journal of Educational Research, 23 (7), 573-579.
• Horwitz, E. K. (2000). Horwitz comments: It isn’t over 'til it's over: On foreign language anxiety, first language deficits, and the confounding of variables. The Modern Language Journal, 84 (2), 256-259.
• Horwitz, E. K. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 112-126.
• In’nami, Y. (2006). The effects of test anxiety on listening test performance. System, 34, 317-340.
• Kırkgöz, Y. (2007). English language teaching in Turkey: Policy changes and their implementations. RELC Journal, 38 (2), 216-228.
• Kırkgöz, Y. (2009). Globalization and English language policy in Turkey. Educational Policy, 23 (5), 663-689.
• Kitano, K. (2001). Anxiety in the college Japanese language classroom. The Modern Language Journal, 85, 517-566.
• Kleinmann, H. H. (1977). Avoidance behaviour in adult second language acquisition. Language Learning, 27 (1), 93-107.
• Krashen, S. D., & Seliger, H.W. (1976). The role of formal and informal environments in second language learning: A pilot study. Linguistics, 17 (2), 15-21.
• Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. New York: Pergamon Press.
• Kurt, G., & Atay, D. (2007). The effects of peer feedback on the writing anxiety of prospective Turkish teachers of EFL. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 3 (1), 12-23.
• Kvale, S. (1996). Interview Views: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Liu, M., & Huang, W. (2011). An exploration of foreign language anxiety and English learning motivation. Educational Research International, 2011, 1-8. Retrieved March 3, 2019, from http://www.hindawi.com/journals/edu/2011/493167/.
• Liu, M. (2006). Anxiety in Chinese EFL students at different proficiency levels. System, 34, 301-316.
• Lucas, J. (1984). Communication apprehension in the ESL classroom: Getting our students to Talk. Foreign Language Annals, 17 (6), 593-598.
• MacIntyre, P. D. (1995). How does anxiety affect second language learning? A reply to Sparks and Ganschow. The Modern Language Journal, 79 (1), 90-99.
• MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1989). Anxiety and second-language learning: toward a theoretical clarification. Language Learning, 39 (2), 251-275.
• MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1991). Methods and results in the study of anxiety and language learning: A review of the literature. Language Learning, 41(1), 85-117.
• MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). The subtle effects of foreign language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language learning. Language Learning, 44(2), 283-305.
• Nunan, D. (1992). Research methods in language learning (18th ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Ohata, K. (2005a). Language anxiety from teachers’ perspective: interviews with seven experienced ESL/EFL teachers. Journal of Language and Learning, 3(1), 122-155.
• Ohata, K. (2005b). Potential sources of anxiety for Japanese learners of English: Preliminary case interviews with five Japanese college students in the U.S. TESL Journal, 9 (3), 1-21.
• Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P. & Daley, C. E. (2000). Cognitive, Affective, Personality, and Demographic Predictors of Foreign-Language Achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 94 (1), 3-15.
• Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P. & Daley, C. E. (1999a). Factors associated with foreign language anxiety. Applied Psycholinguistics, 20 (2), 217-239.
• Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P. & Daley, C. E. (1999b). Relationships between anxiety and achievement at three stages of learning a foreign language. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 88, 1085-1093.
• Oxford, R. L. & Ehrman, M. (1993). Second language research on individual differences. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 13, 188-205.
• Oxford, R. E. (1992). Who are our students? : A synthesis of foreign and second language research on individual differences with implications for instructional practice. Tesl Canada Journal, 9 (2), 30-49.
• Öztürk, G. (2012). Foreign language speaking anxiety and learner motivation: A case study at a Turkish state university. Unpublished master’s thesis, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
• Öztürk, H., & Çeçen, S. (2007). The effects of portfolio keeping on writing anxiety of EFL students. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 3(2), 218-236.
• Saito, Y., & Samimy, K. K. (1996). Foreign Language Annals, 29 (2), 239-249.
• Saito, Y., Garza, T. J, & Horwitz, E. K. (1999). Foreign language reading anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 83 (2), 202-218.
• Samimy, K.K. & Rardin, J.P. (1994). Adult language learners’ affective reactions to community Ianguage Learning: A Descriptive Study. Foreign Language Annals, 27 (3), 379-390.
• Sarason, I. G. (1984). Stress, Anxiety, and Cognitive Interference: Reactions to Tests. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(4), 929-938.
• Saricoban, G. & Saricoban, A. (2012). Ataturk and the History of Foreign Language Education in Turkey. The Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 8 (1), 24-49.
• Scovel, T. (1978). The effect of affect on foreign language learning: a review of the anxiety research. Language Learning, 28(1), 129-142.
• Segool, N. K., Carlson, J. S., Goforth, A. N. & Barterian J. A. (2013). Heightened test anxiety among young children: elementary school students’ anxious responses to high-stakes testing. Psychology in the Schools, 50 (5), 489-499.
• Sellers, V. D. (2000). Anxiety and reading comprehension in Spanish as a foreign language. Foreign Language Annals, 33 (5), 512-520.
• Sertçetin, A. (2006). Classroom foreign language anxiety among Turkish primary school students. Unpublished master’s thesis, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
• Skehan, P. (1991). Individual differences in second language learning. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 13, 275-298.
• Sparks, R. L. & Ganschow, L (1991). Foreign language learning differences: Affective or native language aptitude differences? . The Modern Language Journal, 75 (1), 3-16.
• Spielberger, C. D. (1966). Anxiety and Behavior. London: Academic Press.
• Sener, S. (2015). Foreign language learning anxiety and achievement: a case study of the students studying at Canakkale On Sekiz Mart university. International Periodical For the Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic, 10 (3), 875-890.
• Tobias, S. (1979). Anxiety research in educational psychology. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71 (5), 573-582.
• Tsiplakides, I., & Keramida, A. (2009). Helping Students Overcome Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in the English Classroom: Theoretical Issues and Practical Recommendations. International Education Studies, 2 (4), 39-44.
• Tuncer, M., & Doğan, Y. (2015). Effect of foreign language classroom anxiety on Turkish university students’ academic achievement in foreign language learning. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 3 (6), 14-19.
• Vogely, A. J. (1998). Listening comprehension anxiety: Students' reported sources and solutions. Foreign Language Annals, 31 (1), 67-80.
• Wang, Y.C. (2009). Anxiety in English language learning: A case study of Taiwanese university students on a study abroad programme. Unpublished doctoral thesis, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
• Woodrow, L. (2006). Anxiety and Speaking English as a Second Language. RELC Journal, 37 (3), 308-328.
• Worde, R. V. (2003). Students’ perspectives on foreign language anxiety. Inquiry, 8(1), 1-15.
• Young, D. J. (1990). An investigation of students' perspectives on anxiety and speaking. Foreign Language Annals, 23 (6), 539-553.
• Young, D. J. (1991). Creating a low-anxiety classroom environment: What does language anxiety research suggest? The Modern Language Journal, 75, 426-439.
• Young, D. J. (1992, March). Language anxiety from the foreign language specialist's perspective: Interviews with Krashen ,Omaggio Hadley, Terrell and Rardin. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Indianapolis, IN.
• Young, D. J. (1986). The relationship between anxiety and foreign language oral proficiency ratings. Foreign Language Annals, 19 (5), 439-445.
• Zhao, A. (2009). Foreign language reading anxiety: Investigating English-speaking university students learning Chinese as a foreign language in the United States. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Florida State University, Florida, United States.