Effectiveness of Psychoeducational Group Training on Turkish EFL Learners’ English Speaking Anxiety

Year 2018, Volume: 33 Issue: 4, 1020 - 1037, 31.10.2018

Nurseven Kılıç Ali Eryılmaz Safiya Yılmaz Dinç

Abstract

Feelings of anxiety, apprehension, and nervousness,
which are widely reported by foreign language (FL) learners, may cause learners
to fail in achieving their desired goals, and they can lose motivation due to the
detrimental effects of these feelings. Therefore, the purpose of this study was
twofold: (1) to investigate the effectiveness of psychoeducational group training
based on cognitive behavioural techniques (CBTs) to reduce the English as a foreign
language (EFL) learners’ English speaking anxiety and (2) to increase the learners’
subjective wellbeing through subjective wellbeing-increasing
activities (SWIAs). This study examined an experimental group and a control group
consisting of eight English preparatory school students in each group. The Positive
and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI),
and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used as pre- and post-tests to
identify any improvements over ten sessions. Then, the participants came together
for a follow-up session after one year. The data were analysed with the Mann-Whitney
U Test, the Wilcoxon signed ranks test, and the Friedman test. The findings revealed
that the sessions were effective on all variables, with significant increases in
the post-test scores of the experimental group regarding positive affect, negative
affect, life satisfaction, and state anxiety; however, there were no statistically
significant changes in the post-test scores of the control group for any variables.
In sum, the findings were significantly different in terms of the post-test scores
of the experimental group.

Keywords

Speaking anxiety, subjective well-being, cognitive-behavioral techniques, life satisfaction

İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğrenen Türk Öğrencilerin İngilizce Konuşma Kaygısına Yönelik Psikoeğitim Grup Çalışması

Abstract

Yabancı dil öğrencilerinin sıklıkla dile getirdikleri
kaygı, gerginlik ve endişe gibi duygular barındırdıkları negatif etkilerden ötürü
hedeflere ulaşamama ve motivasyon kaybına neden olabilmektedir. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmanın
iki amacı vardır: (1) Bilişsel Davranışçı Tekniklere dayalı psikoeğitim grup çalışmasının
Yabancı Dil olarak İngilizce öğrenen Türk öğrencilerinin İngilizce konuşma kaygısını
azaltmadaki etkililiğini incelemek; (2) öznel iyi oluşu artırmaya yönelik aktivitelerle
öğrencilerin öznel iyi oluşlarını artırmaktır. Çalışmada, her iki grupta sekiz hazırlık
sınıfı öğrencisi olmak üzere bir deneysel ve bir kontrol grubu yer almaktadır. On
oturum boyunca her bir oturumda ilerlemenin olup olmadığını test etmek amacıyla
Pozitif ve Negatif Duygulanım Ölçeği, Durum-Süreklilik Kaygı Ölçeği ve Yaşam Doyumu
Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Katılımcılar, oturumların tamamlanmasından bir yıl sonra
bir izleme oturumuna katılmışlardır. Veriler Mann-Whitney U Testi, Wilcoxon İşaretli
Sıralar Testi ve Friedman Testi ile analize alınmıştır. Bulgular; deney grubundaki
katılımcıların yer aldığı oturumların pozitif duygulanım, negatif duygulanım, yaşam
doyumu ve durumluk kaygı puanlarının dâhil olduğu tüm son-testlerde değişkenler
üzerinde etkili olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ancak, kontrol grubunda yer alan katılımcıların
son-test puanlarında herhangi bir değişken açısından istatistiksel bir farklılığa
rastlanmamıştır. Özetle, deney grubunun son puanlarında anlamlı bir farklılık olduğu
saptanmıştır.

Keywords

Konuşma kaygısı, öznel iyi-oluş, bilişsel-davranışçı teknikler, yaşam doyumu

References

• Aida, Y. (1994). Examination of Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope’s construct of foreign language anxiety: The case of students of Japanese. The Modern Language Journal, 78(2), 155–168.
• Alrabai, F. (2015). The influence of teachers’ anxiety-reducing strategies on learners’ foreign language anxiety. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 163–190. doi:10.1080/17501229.2014.890203
• Andrade, M. & Williams, K. (2009). Foreign language learning anxiety in Japanese EFL university classes: Physical, emotional, expressive, and verbal reactions. Sophia Junior College Faculty Journal, 29(1), 1-24.
• Andrews, F. M., & Withey, S. B. (1976). Social indicators of well-being. New York: Plenum Press.
• Aydın, B. (1999). A Study of Sources of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety in Speaking and Writing Classes. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Anadolu Üniversitesi, Eskişehir.
• Bekleyen, D. N. (2004). Foreign Language Anxiety. Çukurova Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 13(2), 27–40.
• Buss, D. M. (2000). The evolution of happiness. American Psychologist, 55(1),15–23. doi:10.1037/0003066X.55.1.15
• Butkovic, A., Brkovic, I., & Bratko, D. (2012). Predicting Well-Being From Personality in Adolescents and Older Adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(3), 455–467. doi:10.1007/s10902-011-9273-7
• Cheng, Y., Horwitz, E. K. & Schallert, D. L., (1999). Language anxiety: Differentiating writing and speaking components. Language Learning, 49(3), 417–446. doi:10.1111/0023-8333.00095
• Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 4th Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
• Dağlı, A., & Baysal, N. (2016). Yaşam Doyumu Ölçeğinin Türkçe’ye Uyarlanması: Geçerlik Ve Güvenirlik Çalişmasi. Elektronik Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 15(59).
• Dalkılıç, N. (2001). An investigation into the role of anxiety in second language learning (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Çukurova University, Turkey.
• Demir, A., & Koydemir, S. (2016). Grupla psikolojik danışma. Ankara: Pegem Yayınları.
• Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95(3), 542–575.
• Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71-75.
• Diener, E., Sapyta, J. J. & Suh, E., (1998). Subjective well-being is essential to well-being, Psychological Inquiry, 9(1), 33-37. doi: 10.1207/s15327965pli0901_3
• Dunn, O. J. (1964). Multiple comparisons using rank sums. Technometrics, 6(3), 241-252.
• Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(2), 377-389. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377
• Eryılmaz, A. (2012). A model of subjective well-being for adolescents in high school. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(2), 275-289. doi:10.1007/s1-0902-011-9263-9
• Eryılmaz, A. (2014). Üniversite Öğrencileri İçin Geliştirilen Öznel İyi Oluşu Artırma Programının Etkililiğinin İncelenmesi. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 1(31), 111-128.
• Eryılmaz, A. (2015). The effectiveness of a peer-helping psychoeducational group studyme that increases subjective well-being. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling,1-13. Advance online publication. doi:10.1080/0306-9885.2015.1057473
• Eryılmaz, A. (2015). Positive psychology in the class: The effectiveness of a teaching method based on subjective well-being and engagement increasing activities. International Journal of Instruction, 8(2), 17-32. doi: 10.12973-/iji.2015.822a
• Fallah, N. (2017). Mindfulness, coping self-efficacy and foreign language anxiety: A mediation analysis. Educational Psychology, 37(6), 745-756. 1-12. doi:10.1080/01443410.2016.1149549
• Fordyce, M. W. (1983). A psychoeducational group study to increase happiness: Further studies. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 30(4), 483–498. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.30.4.483
• Fredrickson BL., Joiner T. (2002). Positive emotions trigger upward spirals toward emotional well-being. Psychol Sci, 13:172-175.
• Gardner, R.C. & MacIntyre, P. D. (1993). A student’s contributions to second language learning. Part II: Affective Variables. Language Teaching, 26(1), 1–11.
• Gençöz, T. (2000). “Pozitif ve Negatif Duygulanım Ölçeği: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması”. Türk Psikoloji Dergisi, 15, 19-26.
• Goh, C.C.M. & Burns, A. (2012). Teaching speaking : A Holistic Approach. New York: Cambridge University Press.
• He, D. (2013). What makes learners anxious while speaking English: A comparative study of the perceptions held by university students and teachers in China. Educational Studies, 39(3), 338–350. doi:10.1080/0-3055698.2013.764819
• Hewitt, E., & Stephenson, J. (2012). Foreign language anxiety and oral exam performance: A replication of Phillips’s MLJ study. Modern Language Journal, 96(2), 170–189. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2011.01174.x
• Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive therapy and research, 36(5), 427-440.
• Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & C. J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125–132.
• Horwitz, E. K., & D. J. Young (1991). Language Anxiety: From Theory and Research to Classroom Implications. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
• Horwitz, E. K. (1988). The beliefs about language learning of beginning university foreign language students. Modern Language Journal, 72(3), 283–294.
• Horwitz, E. K. (1990). Attending to the affective domain in the foreign language classroom. In S. S. Magnum (Ed.), Shifting the instructional focus to Elaine Hewitt and Jean Stephenson 187 the learner (pp. 15–33). Middlebury, VT: Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
• Horwitz, E. K. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 112–126. doi:10.1017/S0267190501000071
• Horwitz, E. K. (2010). Foreign and second language anxiety. Language Teaching, 43(2), 154–167. doi:10.1017/S026144480999036X
• Horwitz, E. K. (2013). Becoming a Language Teacher: A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching. Pearson.
• Huang, H. (2004). The relationship between learning motivation and speaking anxiety among EFL non-English major freshmen in Taiwan (Unpublished master’s thesis). Chaoyang University of Technology, Taiwan.
• Jee, M. J. (2014). Affective factors in Korean as a Foreign Language: anxiety and beliefs. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 27(2), 182–195.doi:10.1080/07908318.2014.918626
• Kılıç, N. (2014). A case study on collaborative group activities to reduce EFL learners’ foreign language speaking anxiety in a university context (Master's Thesis). Çağ University, Turkey.
• Koch, A. S., & Terrell T. D. (1991). Affective reactions of foreign language students to natural approach activities and teaching procedures. In E. K. Horwitz & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety (pp. 109–125). London: Prentice Hall International.
• Liu, M., & Jackson, J. (2008). An exploration of Chinese EFL learners’ unwillingness to communicate and foreign language anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 92(1), 71–86. doi:10.1111/j.15-404781.2008.00687.x
• Lucas, R. E., & Diener, E. (2008). Personality and subjective well-being. In O. P. John, R. W. Robins, & L. A. Pervin (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (3rd Ed., pp. 795–815). NY: The Guilford Press.
• Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111-131. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111.
• 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). Investigating language class anxiety using the focused essay technique. The Modern Language Journal, 75(3), 296–304. doi: 10.1111/j.15404781.1991.tb05358.x
• Maclntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language. Language Learning, 44(2), 283–306. doi: 10.1111/j.14671770.1994.tb01103.x
• McDowell, I. (2006). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Myers, D. G., & Diener, E. (1995). Who is happy. American Psychological Society, 6(1), 1–19.
• Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P., & Daley, C. E. (2000a). Cognitive, affective, personality, and demographic predictors of foreign-language achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 94(1), 3–15. doi:10.1080/00220670009598738
• Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P., & Daley, C. E. (2000b). The validation of three scales measuring anxiety at different stages of the foreign language learning process: The Input Anxiety Scale, the Processing Anxiety Scale, and the Output Anxiety Scale. Language Learning, 50(1), 87–117. doi:10.1111/0023-8333.00112
• Öner, N. & Le Compte, A. (1985). Süreksiz Durumluluk / Sürekli Kaygı El Kitabı. İstanbul: Boğaziçi Yayınları.
• Öztürk, G. & Gürbüz, N. (2014). Speaking anxiety among Turkish EFL learners: The case at a state university. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 10(1), 1–17.
• 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, Turkey.
• Peacock, M. (2003). Motivational strategies in the language classroom. English for Specific Purposes, 22(3), 321–323.
• Price, M. L. (1991). The Subjective experience of foreign language anxiety: Interviews with highly anxious students. In E. K. Horwitz & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety, (pp. 101-108). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
• Santos, A., Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2017). Communicative anxiety in English as a third language. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 20(7), 833-836.
• Scovel, T. (1978). The effect of affect on foreign language learning: A review of the anxiety research. Language Learning, 28(1), 129–142.
• Seligman, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55,5-14. doi:10.1037/0003066X.55-.1.5.
• Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). Achieving sustainable gains in happiness: Change your actions, not your circumstances. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7(1), 55-86.
• Spielberger, C. D. (1983). Manual for the state-trait anxiety inventory (Form Y). Palo. Retrieved from: http://www.med.uottawa.ca/courses/CMED6203/Index_notes/STAI.pdf
• Tanveer, M. (2007). Investigation of the factors that cause language anxiety for ESL / EFL learners in learning speaking skills and the influence it casts on communication in the target language (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Glasgow, Scotland.
• Thompson, A. S., & Khawaja, A. J. (2016). Foreign language anxiety in Turkey: the role of multilingualism. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 37(2), 115-130. doi: 10.1080/01434632.2015.1031136
• Tkach, C., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). How do people pursue happiness? Relating personality, happiness-increasing strategies, and well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7(2), 183–225. doi:10.1007/ s10902-005-4754-1.
• Tran, T. T. T., & Moni, K. (2015). Management of foreign language anxiety: Insiders’ awareness and experiences. Cogent Education, 2(1), 1-20. doi:10.1080/2331186X.2014.992593
• 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.
• Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063-1070.
• Williams, K. E., & Andrade, M. R. (2008). Foreign language learning anxiety in Japanese EFL university classes: Causes, coping, and locus of control. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 5(2), 181–191.
• Young, D. J. (1986). The relationship between anxiety and foreign language oral proficiency ratings. Foreign Language Annals, 19(5), 439-445.
• Young, D. J. (1990). An Investigation of Students’ Perspectives of 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(4), 426-437.
• Zhang, H. (2010). An Investigation of Foreign Language Anxiety on EFL Vocational High School Students in China (Seminar paper). Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin-Platteville.