Factors determining foreign language speaking anxiety: A study on high school students
Abstract
Numerous factors are known to significantly impact the process of learning a foreign language. These factors can influence learners' attitudes toward language learning, whether positively or negatively. It is essential for educators and trainers to take into account students' emotions and consider various factors in the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Recognizing the crucial role emotions play in language acquisition, this study aims to assess the level of foreign language speaking anxiety among 228 high school students, selected using purposive sampling, and to identify the factors influencing their anxiety. Data was gathered through the Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Scale and demographic questions. The findings indicate that the participants experienced moderate levels of anxiety. Both descriptive and inferential statistics demonstrated that students' interest for English, prior experience abroad, and interest in English outside of academic requirements had a statistically significant impact on their foreign language speaking anxiety. The study also identified specific in and out-class activities that influenced anxiety levels. The most popular in-class activities included games, watching movies/short videos, songs, and pair/group work. Outside the classroom, students stated that they mostly engaged in listening to songs, watching movies with subtitles, and playing games in English. In conclusion, the research emphasizes the significance of personal factors together with in and out-of-class dynamics influencing students' anxiety while speaking a foreign language.
Keywords
Foreign language anxiety, Communication apprehension, Fear of beign negatively evaluated, test anxiety
Supporting Institution
In this study, the author would like to thank TUBITAK for its support.
Ethical Statement
This research was conducted within the scope of TUBITAK 2204 High School Students Research Projects Competition with the ethics committee permission dated November 29, 2023 and numbered E-23702741-604.01.01.01-90832994 received from Sarıçam District Directorate of National Education.
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