Payghan, Fatemeh (2018) A Study on the Levels and Reasons of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety among Secondary School Students of Zabol. Masters thesis, university of zabol.
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A M.A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree.pdf Download (242kB) | Preview |
Abstract
It is widely believed that learning a foreign language (FL) can be a stressful activity for some learners. Many researchers have, therefore, examined the role of anxiety in language learning. The purpose of this study was to explore the levels and causes of language learning anxiety. It also aimed to find out whether there is a significant difference between the level of anxiety of male and female students. In addition, the impact of age on Foreign Language learning anxiety was investigated. The Participants were 600 students of seventh, eighth, and ninth grade of different schools in Zabol, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran with Persian as their L1. The sample was not ethnically diverse; in fact, all the participants were Iranians and their first language was Farsi. Half of students were female and half were male students. In order to have a further understanding of the students’ foreign language anxiety, 25 high-anxious male and female students were selected as the interviewees according to the scores they obtained in the questionnaires. In addition, the researcher interviewed 10 English teachers about students’ anxiety to find out what solutions they use to overcome this anxiety. In this study, questionnaires, interviews and document study were applied as instruments. The results of data analysis indicated that a) foreign language classroom anxiety level had a significant relationship with learning English as a foreign language among secondary school students; b) most students experienced anxiety in classrooms and the sources of anxiety were associated with tasks involving speaking in front of others, misunderstanding teachers’ questions, being called on by teachers, and waiting one’s turn; c) Demographic background (age and gender) did not have a positive effect on the secondary school students’ anxiety level; d) teachers were capable of realizing their students’ foreign language learning anxiety and have some strategies to overcome foreign language learning anxiety which include half English and half Persian strategy, reducing test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, confidence-building activity skills, and strategy training; and e) students’ expected from their English teachers to help them overcome their foreign language learning anxiety by means of strategies as vocabulary learning, use of speaking and translation strategies, less formal and more friendly environment, and formative assessment.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Anxiety, Second language, Foreign Language learning, Foreign language anxiety, secondary school |
| Subjects: | P Language and Literature > PE English |
| Depositing User: | Mrs najmeh khajeh |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Dec 2018 07:12 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Feb 2019 08:48 |
| URI: | http://eprints.uoz.ac.ir/id/eprint/2344 |
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