The Impact of language anxiety on academic achievement among learners pf EFL
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Date
2016
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university of Oum El Bouaghi
Abstract
This study aims to explore foreign language (FL) anxiety experienced by university students in Algeria, research has shown that affective variables do not operate independently of one another; instead, the causal relationships among them are complicated. Moreover, the environment where language learning takes place is paramount to the whole educational process. Consequently, we hypothesize that if personal and instructional factors related to foreign language anxiety are properly investigated, having as a purpose to test it, then learners' academic achievement will be probably better. To confirm the cited hypothesis, a total of 51 second- year english language subjects at Larbi Ben M'Hidi university participated in this study. The background questionnaire, the questionnaire of foreign language classroom anxiety scale, the anxiety towards in-class activity questionnaire, and anxiety towards test types evaluation were used in the study. The data was analyzed with multiple research methods including descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, independent-samples t-test analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Statistical analysis of the data has yielded the following findings: First, the results revealed that there existed different levels of FL anxiety in the 2nd year english language students at Larbi Ben M'Hidi university, Algeria. Twenty-seven percent of the subjects showed high-level FL anxiety; 59% showed medium-level FL anxiety; and 14% showed low-level FL anxiety. Among the four categories of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, the most anxiety that the subjects experienced was communication apprehension followed by test anxiety. Second, four personal sources (i.e., personality, communicative competence, english achievement,. and the amount of time spent in studying english after class per week) were found statistically to have significant correlation with students' FL anxiety levels, but three variables (i.e., gender, baccalaureate stream, and residential region) showed no significant correlation with FL anxiety. Third, this study indicated that classroom activities, teachers' behaviors and characteristics, and the types of tests were the main sources arousing 2nd year english language students' FL anxiety. Finally, the hypothesis is confirmed and three pedagogical strategies were offered according to the findings in this study.
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Enseignement : langue (anglais) : (Algeria), Foreign language : english