Foreign language learning anxiety in China: theories and applications in English language teaching

Author(s):  
Xia Yu
2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esim Gursoy ◽  
Sule C. Korkmaz ◽  
Ebru A. Damar

Teaching English to young learners has gained speed in the past twenty years. Many countries in Europe are offering English at the primary level as advised by the EU. The efforts to lower the age for foreign language learning have echoed in countries in Asia as well. Turkey as one of these countries has changed its educational policy in 2012 and launched the new English Language Teaching Program for grades 2-8 in 2013. Along with many changes, the new system offers EFL in the second grade. The present study not only aims to investigate the views of prospective ELT teachers towards this change, but also to compare their views with those of trainers, and English teachers who were investigated in the earlier phases of the study. The results indicate that although all three groups of participants favor an earlier start in foreign language education, there are significant differences between groups in terms of the appropriate starting time and teaching methodologies used. Teachers were indecisive as they favored both the first and second tiers to introduce a foreign language. The results have implications for policy makers, teachers, teacher trainers, and prospective teachers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1569-1575
Author(s):  
Wang Fei

The study investigated the general state of foreign language learning anxiety and the relationship between foreign language learning anxiety and foreign language learning strategy among English major college students in Shi Jiazhuang, China. The quantitative research method was adopted in this study. The instruments were Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale and Strategy Inventory Language Learning. The subjects were 400 English major students from Shi Jiazhuang College. The results showed that there exists a negative relationship between foreign language learning anxiety and the use of foreign language learning strategy. According to the findings of this study, it is necessary to reduce learners’ foreign language learning anxiety so as to apply more types of foreign language learning strategies efficiently, especially for those foreign language learners with high-level learning anxiety. Some suggestions were put forward for pedagogical implications, which will make Chinese learners be more successful during the process for foreign language acquisition.


2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po-Chi Kao ◽  
Philip Craigie

In this study we examined which coping strategies could predict anxiety about learning English as a foreign language. Our participants were 120 Taiwanese university students who completed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) and the modified version (Marwan, 2007) of the Foreign Language Anxiety Coping Scale (Kondo & Yang, 2004). The results showed that positive thinking was the coping strategy that the participants used most often when they were experiencing foreign language learning anxiety. Use of the coping strategy of positive thinking was also the strongest predictor of all coping variables of a lower level of foreign language learning anxiety. The results also revealed that resignation contributed to higher levels of foreign language learning anxiety than did use of other coping strategies. Results in the current study have implications for both teachers and students to become more aware of the relative efficacy of different coping strategies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-102
Author(s):  
Bui Phu Hung

This paper attempts to make an argument for meaningful learning as an essential factor in the teaching of English as a foreign language. Meaningful learning rests its theories against cognitive processing. While contemporary literature shows knowledge of language in general is essential for second language use, this research is mainly concerned with ways of improving students’ language use. It has proved that meaningful learning facilitates the retention of knowledge as it makes learners organize their knowledge logically. In the classroom, the teacher should offer activities that relate the new input to learners’ existing knowledge, for which cognitive engagement is required. In English language teaching, it is important for teachers to know that learner-centeredness should be applied because they are the ones who process knowledge. This paper begins with an overview of different approaches of foreign language teaching, then presents theories in which meaningful learning is grounded and rooted. The discussion of how one’s knowledge of a first language is essential for foreign language learning is given prior to giving implications of meaningful learning in the Vietnamese context.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1584
Author(s):  
Gökhan Baş ◽  
Mehmet Özcan

This research aimed to identify the differences in foreign language learning (FLL) anxiety levels between high school and university students based on some variables such as gender, current educational status, parents’ (father and mother) educational status, and monthly income of families.  The survey model was adopted in the research.  The research included high school (n = 333) and university (n = 341) students from Nigde and Afyonkarahisar provinces. In the research, “Foreign Language Learning Anxiety Scale” (FLLAS) was used in order to collect data. For the analyses of the data, independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed. The results of the research indicated that gender, fathers’ educational status and monthly income of family variables did not have a significant impact on foreign language anxiety levels of high school and university students. It was also found that students’ educational status as well as their mothers’ educational status variables influenced their FLL anxiety significantly.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-84
Author(s):  
Sevim Maviş ◽  
Fevzi Dursun

The purpose of this study is to discover the issues in teaching English from the perspective of teachers. The qualitative method was employed in the study by using semi-structured interview forms to 19 teachers from a central Black Sea region province of Turkey. The teachers highlighted the impact of learning-teaching process, teacher training, teacher-stakeholder relationship and students during the study. According to the teachers, students' prejudices against foreign language learning, interest in the subject, awareness of the importance of language learning, speaking skills, participation in the lesson and the environment they take the courses affect the language learning process. Nevertheless, the reasons for the problems are a lot more complex than this. The students are also need to be supported by the education system, by the parents and by teachers in this process. For instance, the results shows that there is a need for activities that will make students more active, and more suitable environments and materials (i.e. books) are needed for English language teaching. Also, the teachers need to the support of parents, administrators, and the other teachers to become more efficient. This research once again reveals the importance of interrelation of all factors and stakeholders as well as students' willingness and thoughts in teaching English.


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