Language Anxiety Among English Foreign Language Learners
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to find out how much language anxiety EFL university students have, what causes it, and how they deal with it. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature regarding the causes of language anxiety, the causes, and how people cope with it, as most researchers have not yet combined those three factors into a single study. The current study used a mixed method,a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used. FLCAS was used as a questionnaire to collect quantitative data. At the same time, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to select the qualitative method. This study included 40 male and female EFL university students from the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences at one of Jakarta’s private universities. Their ages range from 18 to 25 years. In this study, the questionnaire items revealed two levels of anxiety: 1) low anxiety (62%) and 2) moderate anxiety (38%). Three causes of language anxiety were identified using a combination of questionnaire items and semi-structured interviews: 1) Inadequate confidence in speaking English in class; 2) Fear of making mistakes when speaking English; and 3) Lack of vocabulary/grammar knowledge.
Keywords: foreign language anxiety, speaking anxiety, FLCAS, level of anxiety, causes of anxiety
References
[1] Sadiq JM. Anxiety in English Language Learning: A Case Study of English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia. English Language Teaching. 2017;10(7):1-7.
[2] Tuppang KS. Investigating Students’ Writing Anxiety: A Study at English Teacher Education of Satya Christian University [Internet]. Unpublished thesis. Salatiga: Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana; 2014. Available from: https://repository.uksw.edu/ bitstream/123456789/5494/3/T1_112010131_Full%20text.pdf
[3] Aghajani M, Amanzadeh H. The effect of anxiety on speaking ability: An experimental study on EFL learners. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research. 2017;4(7):154-164.
[4] Önem E. The relationship among state-trait anxiety, foreign language anxiety and test anxiety in an EFL setting. Dil Dergisi. 2010;(148):17-36.
[5] Oteir IN, Al-Otaibi AN. Foreign language anxiety: A systematic review. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ). 2019:10.
[6] Hardiani CA. Kecemasan dalam menghadapi masa bebas pada narapidana anak di Lembaga Pemasyarakatan Anak Kutoarjo [Internet]. Yogyakarta: Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta; 2012. Available from: https://eprints.uny.ac.id/9709/
[7] McReynolds P. Assimilation and anxiety. Emotions and anxiety: New concepts, methods, and applications. 1976. 35-86 pp.
[8] Shabani MB. Levels and Sources of Language Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation among Iranian EFL Learners. Theory & practice in language studies. 2012;2(11).
[9] Alloy LB, Riskind JH, Manos MJ. Abnormal Psychology. Current Perspective. 9th Edition. New York : The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc; 2005.
[10] Subekti AS. An Exploration Of Learnersâ€T M Foreign Language Anxiety In The Indonesian University Context: Learners†T M And Teachersâ€T M Voices. TEFLIN journal. 2018;29(2):219-244.
[11] Kitchenham A. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research [Internet]. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc; 2010. Available from: https://bayanbox.ir/view/2229366504315040052/ENCYCLOPEDIA-OF-CASESTUDY- RESEARCH-2.pdf
[12] Horwitz EK, Horwitz MB, Cope J. Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern language journal. 1986;70(2):125-132.
[13] Liu HJ, Cheng SH. Assessing language anxiety in EFL students with varying degrees of motivation. Electronic journal of foreign language teaching. 2014;11(2).
[14] Ün E. Sources & Levels of Foreign Language Anxiety in Turkish University Students Relative to; Language Proficiency, Intentions for Use and Perceived Barrier. Unpublished Master’s Thesis. Konya: Selçuk University; 2012.
[15] Marcos-Llinás M, Garau MJ. Effects of language anxiety on three proficiency-level courses of Spanish as a foreign language. Foreign language annals. 2009;42(1):94- 111.
[16] Marwan A. Investigating students’ foreign language anxiety. Malaysian Journal of ELT research. 2016;3(1):19.
[17] Nety N, Nurhaeni N. Students’self Confidence In Speaking English. English Education Journal. 2020:8-16.
[18] Fatmawati M, Haura R, Supiani S. ‘Factors affecting EFL learners’ confidence in speaking English at the MEC English course Banjarmasin’, paper presented at the AULLA & FILLM Conference, James Cook University, Cairns, 15th–19th July 2020
[19] Kondo DS, Ying-Ling Y. Strategies for coping with language anxiety: The case of students of English in Japan. Elt Journal. 2004;58(3):258-265.
[20] Lizuka K. Learner coping strategies for foreign language anxiety. Tokyo: JALT2009 conference proceedings; 2010. 103-112 PP.