Exploring English Major Students’ Pronunciation Anxiety

Year 2023, , 522 - 548, 31.10.2023

Didem Erdel

https://doi.org/10.46778/goputeb.1255997

Abstract

This paper reports a descriptive account of English language learners’ perceived pronunciation anxiety, which is a relatively underexplored area of foreign language learning anxiety. The participants of the study were English Language and Literature students studying at a public university in Türkiye in the 2022-2023 academic year. The research data were collected through a questionnaire survey form consisting of the Measure of Pronunciation Anxiety in Foreign Language Classroom (MPA-FLC) and a personal information section and were analyzed via statistical tests in SPSS. The findings indicated that the students felt mild-to-moderate levels of pronunciation anxiety and that the pronunciation anxiety component with the highest rating was beliefs about pronunciation and its importance as a communicative skill. The study also sought to examine the effects of some learner characteristics on pronunciation anxiety. The findings demonstrated that the students’ gender, perceived English proficiency and previous language learning experiences influenced their anxiety levels whereas the variables of age and year of study in the department had no significant effects on student responses. The females, those students with lower levels of perceived proficiency, and those who received intensive English language education at the foreign language departments at high school reported higher pronunciation anxiety. The results are discussed in the light of available literature providing implications and recommendations for further research.

Keywords

Pronunciation Anxiety, Foreign Language Learning Anxiety, English Language Learning

İngilizce Ana Dal Öğrencilerinin Telaffuz Kaygısı

Abstract

Bu çalışma, İngilizce öğrenenlerin telaffuz kaygısını betimsel bir yaklaşımla araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları, 2022-2023 akademik yılında Türkiye'de bir devlet üniversitesinde öğrenim gören İngilizce Dili ve Edebiyatı Lisans Programı öğrencileridir. Araştırma verileri, Yabancı Dil Sınıfında Telaffuz Kaygısı Ölçeği (MPA-FLC) ve kişisel bilgiler bölümünden oluşan bir anket formu aracılığıyla toplanmış ve SPSS'de istatistiksel testler aracılığıyla analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular, öğrencilerin hafif ile orta düzeyde telaffuz kaygısı hissettiklerini ve en yüksek derecedeki telaffuz kaygısı alt boyutunun, telaffuza ve onun iletişimsel bir beceri olarak önemine dair inançlar olduğunu göstermiştir. Çalışma ayrıca bazı öğrenen özelliklerinin telaffuz kaygısı üzerindeki etkilerini incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Sonuçlar, öğrencilerin cinsiyetinin, algılanan İngilizce yeterliliğinin ve önceki dil öğrenme deneyimlerinin kaygı düzeylerini etkilediğini, yaş ve bölümdeki öğrenim yılı değişkenlerinin ise öğrenci yanıtları üzerinde anlamlı bir etkiye sahip olmadığını göstermiştir. Kadınlar, yeterlik algısı daha düşük olan öğrenciler ve lisede yabancı dil bölümlerinde yoğun İngilizce dil eğitimi alanlar daha yüksek telaffuz kaygısı bildirmiştir. Sonuçlar, mevcut alan yazın ışığında tartışılarak gelecek araştırmalar için öneriler sunulmuştur.

Keywords

Telaffuz Kaygısı, Yabancı Dil Öğrenme Kaygısı, İngilizce Öğrenimi

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