A Situated Approach to the Understanding of Elusive Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety

Year 2022, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 54 - 72, 20.02.2022

Erdi Şimşek

https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1060144

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Although foreign language anxiety, considered as one of the most important negative factors affecting students' foreign language performance, has been receiving interest from researchers for decades, the literature suggests only limited number of studies which ground on dynamic approaches to explore the elusive nature of anxiety. Mainly focussing on the effects of error correction, native/non-native teacher instruction and presence of a video camera on students’ language anxiety in four different lessons, this mixed-method study aims to investigate the elusive foreign language classroom anxiety in as many different ways as possible in order to inspire a follow-up study. During these four lessons, On-line Anxiety and Liking Meter was used so as to observe participants’ levels of anxiety and liking in every 10 minutes, and Overall Anxiety and Liking Questionnaire was administered after each session. Additionally, retrospective interviews were conducted with the participants after each lesson. As it was difficult to have a fully coherent view due to the scope of the study and limited number of participants, several different situations resulting in certain insights were presented. The results suggested that error correction, speaking activities, video recording, low self-esteem and some exogenous factors caused anxiety arousal while task-based activities, ice-breakers ane familiarity with teacher helped to reduce the anxiety. The findings revealed a significantly negative correlation between the anxiety and liking, and there was not any difference between native and non-native teachers in terms of their effects on anxiety.

Keywords

anxiety, dynamic approaches, error correction, communicative approach, foreign language education

Thanks

Acknowledgement: This research is part of author's Master's dissertation.

Anlaşılması Zor Yabancı Dil Sınıfı Kaygısını Anlamak İçin Durumlu Bir Yaklaşım

Abstract

Öğrencilerin yabancı dil performansını etkileyen en önemli olumsuz faktörlerden biri olarak kabul edilen yabancı dil kaygısı, onlarca yıldır araştırmacıların ilgisini çekse de, kaygının anlaşılması zor doğasını keşfetmeye yönelik dinamik yaklaşımları benimseyen çalışmalar sınırlı sayıdadır. Temelde dört farklı derste hata düzeltme, ana dili İngilizce olan ve olmayan bir öğretmen tarafından yapılan öğretim ve video kamera varlığının öğrencilerin dil kaygısı üzerindeki etkilerine odaklanan bu karma yöntemli çalışma, bir devam çalışmasına ilham vermek için, anlaşılması zor yabancı dil sınıfı kaygısını mümkün olduğunca çok farklı yönden araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu dört ders boyunca her 10 dakikada bir öğrencilerin kaygı ve beğeni düzeylerindeki değişimi gözlemlemek için Bağlantılı Kaygı ve Beğeni Ölçer; her oturumdan sonra ise Genel Kaygı ve Beğeni Anketi uygulanmıştır. Ayrıca katılımcılarla her dersten sonra geriye dönük nitel görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın kapsamı ve katılımcı sayısının sınırlı olması nedeniyle tam tutarlı bir görüşe sahip olmak zor olduğundan, belirli iç görülere yol açan birkaç farklı durum sunulmuştur. Sonuçlar, hata düzeltme, konuşma etkinlikleri, video kaydı, düşük benlik saygısı ve bazı dış faktörlerin kaygıya yol açabildiğini gösterirken; görev temelli etkinliklerin, buz kırıcıların ve öğretmene aşina olma durumunun kaygıyı azaltmaya yardımcı olabileceğini göstermiştir Bulgular, kaygı ve hoşlanma arasında anlamlı derecede negatif bir ilişki olduğunu ortaya koymuş ve anadili İngilizce olan ve olmayan öğretmenler arasında, öğrencilerin kaygı seviyelerine etkileri açısından temel bir fark gözlemlenmemiştir.

Keywords

kaygı, dinamik yaklaşımlar, hata düzeltimi, iletişimsel yaklaşım, yabancı dil eğitimi

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