AN EXPLANATORY MIXED METHOD STUDY ON PRE-SERVICE LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION TOWARDS THEIR INSTRUCTORS

Year 2017, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 631 - 650, 30.04.2017

Suzan Kavanoz

Abstract

Promoting higher communication efficiency among teacher candidates and acting as models are among the main professional responsibilities of teacher educators. This makes the task of teachers even more important in language education classes where students are prospective language teachers and their development as language teachers highly depend on the way teacher educators teach and communicate (Wen & Clément, 2003). This sequential mixed-method study examined Communication Apprehension (CA) levels of a convenience sample of pre-service language teachers at a state university with an emphasis on the influence of gender, year level, and achievement on CA towards lecturers. Given that CA is a psychological experience, a self-reported questionnaire, Communication Apprehension with the Lecturers Scale (CALS), (Eren-Gümüş & Kolburan-Geçer, 2008) was used for measuring participants’ levels of CA with their instructors. In order to compare CA levels of students in each group, a cross-sectional survey design was selected (Creswell, 2002). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. In addition to quantitative data analysis, the researcher purposefully elicited written comments of pre-service language teachers in order to gain deeper insights into the phenomenon. The data obtained through open-ended survey questions were subjected to qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that communication should have a greater role in teacher education and teacher educators should refrain from exhibiting behaviors that can prevent prospective teachers from communicating with them.

Keywords

Communication apprehension, language teacher education, gender, achievement, year level, teacher misbehaviors

AN EXPLANATORY MIXED METHOD STUDY ON PRE-SERVICE LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION TOWARDS THEIR INSTRUCTORS

Abstract

Keywords

Communication apprehension, language teacher education, gender, achievement, year level, teacher misbehaviors

References

• Allen, M., Witt, P. L., & Wheeless, L. R. (2006). The role of teacher immediacy as a motivational factor in student learning: Using meta-analysis to test a causal model. Communication Education, 55(1), 21-31.
• Andersen, J. F., Andersen, P. A., & Jensen, A. D. (1979). The measurement of nonverbal immediacy. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 7(2), 153-180.
• Banfield, S. R., Richmond, V. P., & McCroskey, J. C. (2006). The effect of teacher misbehaviors on teacher credibility and affect for the teacher. Communication Education, 55(1), 63-72.
• Beatty, M. J., McCroskey, J. C., & Heisel, A. D. (1998). Communication apprehension as temperamental expression: A communibiological paradigm. Communications Monographs, 65(3), 197-219.
• Bergin, C., & Bergin, D. (2009). Attachment in the classroom. Educational Psychology Review, 21(2), 141-170.
• Bloom, V L. (1998): A Component Theory of Communication Apprehension. Communication Quarterly, 46 (4) 492-506.
• Booth‐Butterfield, S., Mosher, N., & Mollish, D. (1992). Teacher immediacy and student involvement: A dual process analysis. Communication Research Reports, 9(1), 13-21.
• Borzi, M. G., & Mills, T. H. (2001). Communication apprehension in upper-level accounting students: An assessment of skill development. Journal of Education for Business, 76(4), 193-199.