Research Perspectives on Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in Turkish EFL Context: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Foreign language anxiety is an inevitable factor in the learning process, and it is believed that it is experienced mostly in productive skills especially in speaking since it is perceived
as the most challenging skill in a foreign language. This study aims to reveal the current situation of research conducted in the 21st century upon investigating foreign language
speaking anxiety (FLSA) in Turkey in order to identify what has been done so far and to find the research gap to be filled by future researchers. This study adopts the meta-synthesis
method which is an intentional approach aiming to bring studies together to synthesize and interpret data through qualitative studies. 24 Turkish-context qualitative studies,
chosen according to their publication year, and the ones conducted in the 21st century were analysed thematically in order to reach new interpretations. The findings revealed six
main themes as sources of anxiety, i.e., exploring some techniques and methods to decrease foreign language anxiety, teachers’ perceptions towards FLSA, overcoming
strategies against speaking anxiety, the effect and results of speaking anxiety upon learners and their communication & performance and identifying an ideal anxiety-free
classroom setting.

Keywords

• meta-synthesis
• qualitative research
• speaking anxiety
• EFL

21.yüzyılda Türkiye'de Yabancı Dil Konuşma Kaygısı Üzerine Yapılan Çalışmaların Derlemesi

Öz

Yabancı dil kaygısı, öğrenme sürecinde kaçınılmaz bir faktördür ve yabancı dil kaygısının, çoğunlukla üretken becerilerde hatta yabancı dilde en zor beceri olarak algılandığı için, özellikle konuşma becerilerinde yaşandığına inanılmaktadır. Yabancı dil öğrenme alanında, yabancı dil öğrenme kaygısı üzerine çeşitli amaçlarla çok sayıda çalışma yapılmıştır ve zamanla SLA alanındaki çalışmaların çoğu hem ulusal hem de uluslararası düzeyde yabancı dil konuşma kaygısını incelemeye yönelmiştir. Bu çalışma, 21.yüzyılda Türkiye'de yabancı dil konuşma kaygısının araştırılması üzerine yapılan araştırmaların mevcut durumunu ortaya koymayı ve şimdiye kadar neler yapıldığını tespit etmeyi ve gelecekteki araştırmacılar tarafından doldurulacak araştırma boşluğunu bulmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu çalışma meta-sentez yöntemini benimsemiştir, bu nedenle tematik analiz yoluyla analiz edilen 24 adet Türkiye bağlamında yapılan nitel araştırma incelenmiştir. Çalışmalar yayın yılına göre seçilmiş ve 21. yüzyılda yapılan çalışmalar alınmıştır. İncelenen çalışmaların bulguları dikkate alınarak tematik analiz sonucunda başlıca altı tema tespit edilmiştir: konuşma kaygısının kaynakları, yabancı dil konuşma kaygısını azaltma teknikleri, öğretmen görüşleri, kaygıyla başa çıkma stratejileri, yabnacı dil konuşma kaygısının öğrenenlerin iletişimi ve performansı üzerindeki etki ve sonuçları, ideal ve kaygısız sınıf ortamının tanımlanması. Bu alanda öğretmenlerin, yabancı dil öğrenen öğrencilerinin çoğunluğunun yüksek düzeyde yaşadığı yabancı dil konuşma kaygısına yönelik algılarını araştırmak, bunun farkında olup olmadıklarını ortaya çıkarmak, sorunsuz ve kaygısız bir öğretim-öğrenme ortamı yaratabilmek ve çözümler bulmak için daha fazla araştırma yapılabilir. Başka bir öneri, öğretmenleri, öğrencilerine öğrenme sürecinin başlangıcında üstesinden gelme stratejilerini öğretmek için eğitmek olabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• meta-sentez
• nitel araştırma
• yabancı dil konuşma kaygısı

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