A Thorough Investigation into Foreign Language Writing Anxiety in a Turkish EFL Context

Abstract

This study sought to investigate foreign language (L2) writing anxiety of Turkish students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) by focusing on the L2 writing anxiety levels; the prevailing types, perceived causes and effects of L2 writing anxiety; and the strategies that students employed to alleviate L2 writing anxiety. The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design consisting of a quantitative survey and qualitative open-ended interviews with the students studying at English Language and Literature undergraduate program at a state university in Türkiye. A total of 138 students responded to the questionnaire and eight volunteers among them were interviewed face to face. The survey data were analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics while interview records were analysed through thematic analysis. The findings converged on the point that the students displayed high levels of L2 writing anxiety and that time constraints and assessment orientation were the prominent factors leading to anxiety. The students’ L2 writing anxiety varied significantly across perceived L2 proficiency levels, demonstrating higher-level anxiety for the students reporting themselves as less proficient L2 users. Based on the interview reports, the student-perceived causes and effects of writing anxiety as well as the factors and relieving strategies were identified. Finally, recommendations for more effective strategies for alleviating English language learners’ L2 writing anxiety were discussed.

Keywords

• writing anxiety
• foreign language anxiety
• EFL learners
• L2 writing
• second/foreign language

Türkiye’de İngilizcenin Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğretimi Bağlamında Yabancı Dilde Yazma Kaygısı Üzerine Kapsamlı Bir Araştırma

Öz

Bu çalışma, İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen Türk öğrencilerin yabancı dilde yazma kaygı düzeylerini, yaygın yazma kaygısı türlerini, algılanan kaygı nedenleri ve etkileri ile birlikte öğrencilerin bu kaygıyla baş etme stratejilerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Araştırmada, Türkiye'deki bir devlet üniversitesinin İngiliz Dili ve Edebiyatı lisans programında öğrenim gören öğrencilerle yapılan bir anket ve bir açık uçlu görüşmeye dayanan paralel karma yöntemler deseni benimsenmiştir. Ankete toplam 138 öğrenci katılmış, bu öğrenciler arasından gönüllü olan sekiz öğrenci ile yüz yüze görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Anket yoluyla elde edilen araştırma verileri betimleyici ve çıkarımsal istatistiklerle, görüşme kayıtları ise tematik analizle çözümlenmiştir. Bulgular, öğrencilerin yüksek düzeyde yabancı dilde yazma kaygısı sergiledikleri ve zaman kısıtlaması ile değerlendirme odaklı olmanın kaygıya neden olan faktörlerin başında geldiği noktasında birleşmiştir. Yazma kaygısı, algılanan İngilizce yeterlilik düzeylerine göre değişkenlik göstermiş, kendilerini daha az yetkin olarak değerlendiren öğrencilerde daha yüksek düzeyde kaygı olduğu bulunmuştur. Görüşme raporlarından hareketle öğrenciler açısından yazma kaygısının nedenleri, etkileri ve kaygıyı hafifleten faktörler ve stratejiler belirlenmiştir. Son olarak, İngilizce öğrenenlerin yabancı dilde yazma kaygısını hafifletmeye yönelik daha etkili stratejilere dair öneriler tartışılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• yazma kaygısı
• yabancı dil kaygısı
• İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenenler
• ikinci dilde yazma
• ikinci/yabancı dil

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