Research Article
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Year 2020, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 189 - 199, 01.12.2020

Abstract

Supporting Institution

İstanbul Aydın Üniversitesi

References

  • Ay, S. (2010). Young adolescent students’ foreign language anxiety in relation to language skills at different levels. The Journal of International Social Research, 3(11), 83-92.
  • Balemir, S. H. (2009). The Sources of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety and the Relationship between Proficiency Level and Degree of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (Doctoral dissertation, Bilkent University, 2009).
  • Bekleyen, N. (2009). Helping teachers become better English students: Causes, effects, and coping strategies for foreign language listening anxiety. Elsevier Ltd, 37 (20) 664–675.
  • Cao, Y. (2011). Investigating situational willingness to communicate within second language classrooms from an ecological perspective. Elsevier Ltd, 39 (20) 468e479. doi:10.1016/j.system.2011.10.016.
  • Cohen, A. D. (2010). Focus on the Language Learner: Styles, Strategies and Motivation. An introduction to applied linguistics, 2, 161-178.
  • Çağatay, S. (2015). Examining EFL students’ foreign language speaking anxiety: The case at a Turkish state university. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 648-656.
  • Gregerson, T., & Horwitz, E. K. (2002). Language learning and perfectionism: Anxious and no anxious language learners' reactions to their own oral performance. The Modern Language Journal, 86(4), 562-570. doi.org/10.1111/1540-4781.00161
  • Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, A. J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal.70 (2), 125-132.
  • Horwitz, E. K. (1991). Preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of a foreign language anxiety scale. In E.K. Horwitz, & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety: From theory and research to classroom implications. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. pp. 37-39.
  • Kayaoğlu, M. N., &Sağlamel, H. (2013). Students’ perceptions of language anxiety in speaking classes. Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 2(2), 142-160.
  • Koch, A. S., & Terrell, T. D. (1991). Affective reactions of foreign language students to natural approach activities and teaching techniques. In E. K. Horwitz & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety: From theory and research to classroom implications (pp. 109-126). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). ‘The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language’. Language Learning, 44, 283-305.
  • MacIntyre, P., Dörnyei, Z., Clément, R., & Noels, K. (1998). Conceptualizing Willingness to Communicate in a L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation. The Modern Language Journal, 82(4), 545-562. doi:10.2307/330224
  • 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.
  • Saltan, F. (2003). EFL speaking anxiety: How do students and teachers perceive it? Unpublished Master’s Thesis, METU, Ankara.
  • Tuan, N. H., & Mai, T. N. (2015). Factors affecting students’ speaking performance at Le Thanh Hien High School. Asian Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 8-23.
  • Trang, T. (2012). "A review of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope’s theory of foreign language anxiety and the challenges to the theory". English Language Teaching: 5/1: 69. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v5n1p69
  • Young, D. J. (1990). An investigation of students’ perspectives on anxiety and speaking. Foreign Language Annals, 23(6), 539-553.
  • Zhang, L. J. (2001). Exploring variability in language anxiety: Two groups of PRC students learning ESL in Singapore. RELC Journal, 32(1), 73-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003368820103200105.

An Exploration of Students’ Perceived Sources of Speaking Anxiety

Year 2020, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 189 - 199, 01.12.2020

Abstract

The objective of this study was to find out sources of anxiety felt by intermediate English language learners when speaking English, and to obtain instructors’ suggestions so as to decrease the learners’ foreign language speaking anxiety. It was conducted with 60 students and ten English language instructors at the Preparatory School of Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey; in 2019-2020 academic year. The research was designed as a mixed method approach. Quantitative data was accumulated by means of a questionnaire dispersed to the students; qualitative data was accumulated by means of follow-up interviews dispersed to the teachers. The results uncovered that the students had a moderate level of foreign language speaking anxiety. The most anxiety inducing items were identified as the harsh attitudes of classmates, having to volunteer answers in the classroom, a comparison of language classes with other classes, getting left behind and being corrected for every mistake. Suggestions from the instructors were creating a comfort zone and a friendly atmosphere in the classroom, doing group-work and pair-work activities, encouraging and praising students for their participation and avoiding immediate error correction.

References

  • Ay, S. (2010). Young adolescent students’ foreign language anxiety in relation to language skills at different levels. The Journal of International Social Research, 3(11), 83-92.
  • Balemir, S. H. (2009). The Sources of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety and the Relationship between Proficiency Level and Degree of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (Doctoral dissertation, Bilkent University, 2009).
  • Bekleyen, N. (2009). Helping teachers become better English students: Causes, effects, and coping strategies for foreign language listening anxiety. Elsevier Ltd, 37 (20) 664–675.
  • Cao, Y. (2011). Investigating situational willingness to communicate within second language classrooms from an ecological perspective. Elsevier Ltd, 39 (20) 468e479. doi:10.1016/j.system.2011.10.016.
  • Cohen, A. D. (2010). Focus on the Language Learner: Styles, Strategies and Motivation. An introduction to applied linguistics, 2, 161-178.
  • Çağatay, S. (2015). Examining EFL students’ foreign language speaking anxiety: The case at a Turkish state university. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 648-656.
  • Gregerson, T., & Horwitz, E. K. (2002). Language learning and perfectionism: Anxious and no anxious language learners' reactions to their own oral performance. The Modern Language Journal, 86(4), 562-570. doi.org/10.1111/1540-4781.00161
  • Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, A. J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal.70 (2), 125-132.
  • Horwitz, E. K. (1991). Preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of a foreign language anxiety scale. In E.K. Horwitz, & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety: From theory and research to classroom implications. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. pp. 37-39.
  • Kayaoğlu, M. N., &Sağlamel, H. (2013). Students’ perceptions of language anxiety in speaking classes. Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 2(2), 142-160.
  • Koch, A. S., & Terrell, T. D. (1991). Affective reactions of foreign language students to natural approach activities and teaching techniques. In E. K. Horwitz & D. J. Young (Eds.), Language anxiety: From theory and research to classroom implications (pp. 109-126). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • MacIntyre, P. D., & Gardner, R. C. (1994). ‘The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language’. Language Learning, 44, 283-305.
  • MacIntyre, P., Dörnyei, Z., Clément, R., & Noels, K. (1998). Conceptualizing Willingness to Communicate in a L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation. The Modern Language Journal, 82(4), 545-562. doi:10.2307/330224
  • 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.
  • Saltan, F. (2003). EFL speaking anxiety: How do students and teachers perceive it? Unpublished Master’s Thesis, METU, Ankara.
  • Tuan, N. H., & Mai, T. N. (2015). Factors affecting students’ speaking performance at Le Thanh Hien High School. Asian Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 8-23.
  • Trang, T. (2012). "A review of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope’s theory of foreign language anxiety and the challenges to the theory". English Language Teaching: 5/1: 69. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v5n1p69
  • Young, D. J. (1990). An investigation of students’ perspectives on anxiety and speaking. Foreign Language Annals, 23(6), 539-553.
  • Zhang, L. J. (2001). Exploring variability in language anxiety: Two groups of PRC students learning ESL in Singapore. RELC Journal, 32(1), 73-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003368820103200105.
There are 19 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Sinem Doyman 0000-0001-7385-0426

Hülya Yumru 0000-0003-2999-243X

Publication Date December 1, 2020
Acceptance Date August 4, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2020 Volume: 6 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Doyman, S., & Yumru, H. (2020). An Exploration of Students’ Perceived Sources of Speaking Anxiety. International Journal of Media Culture and Literature, 6(2), 189-199.


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