scholarly journals The Relationship Between Chinese English Major Students' Learning Anxiety and Enjoyment in an English Language Classroom: A Positive Psychology Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Fang ◽  
Xiaofei Tang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
English Major ◽  
Psychology Perspective

Many studies have explored learner psychology in relation to second language acquisition (SLA) in order to understand the effectiveness and difficulties of language learning. In the last two decades, emotional factors in students' language learning have garnered much attention in the field of SLA. However, more recently, studies have begun to focus on enjoyment and its relationship with anxiety. By collecting data at a provincial key university in southeast China, the study discussed in this paper investigated English major university students' emotions related to learning English. By collecting questionnaire responses from 140 English major undergraduates and conducting interviews with six students, the findings revealed that the participants' levels of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) were significantly higher than their levels of foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and that they experienced FLE more frequently than FLCA. It was also found that the participants' FLE was more related to their teachers and peers and their FLCA was more related to their emotions, such as fear of a negative evaluation and speaking without sufficient preparation. In addition, this study also provides a few pedagogical implications for improving foreign language learning outcomes and teaching efficiency in English teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Student Language Anxiety in Learning English (A survey to non-English Major students in rural area)

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Tuti Hidayati
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
English Major ◽  
English Classroom

Learners’ difficulties in learning a foreign language cannot merely be linked to the lack of ability or intelligence. Language anxiety or the feeling of tension, apprehension, fearfulness, and worry in language class had been pointed to greatly influence learner’s progress in mastering the target language. Highly anxious learners were found to achieve less and had low motivation. This study reports a survey investigating the level of language anxiety and its perceived causes and discusses some alternatives to deal with it. The participants were 114 non-English major students in State Islamic College of Teungku Dirundeng Meulaboh in West Aceh. Data were collected employing Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope, (1986). The finding indicated that the students participating in the study exhibited a moderate level of language anxiety obtaining FLCAS mean score 102.17. The main cause of language anxiety was attributed to fear of negative evaluation with the highest average mean 3,5. Communication apprehension and test anxiety were in the second and third rank with the average mean 3,3 and 3,1 respectively. Meanwhile, English classroom items were perceived to contribute the least to the students’ tense experience given the average mean 2,7. It is suggested that making the learners realize that they are not alone experiencing anxiety in learning a foreign language is crucial. Furthermore, it is important that teachers embrace a supportive and non-threatening role to provide a more effective foreign language learning.

English Major Students' Attitudes towards Movies and Series as Language Learning Resources

2015 ◽  
pp. 276-295
Author(s):  
Buğra Zengin ◽  
Duygu Doğan ◽  
Feryal Çubukçu
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning Resources ◽  
Original Language ◽  
English Major ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Low Exposure

This chapter focuses on the attitudes of the fourth-year English Language Teaching (ELT) students towards strategies related to using movies and series as foreign language learning resources. The subjects were teacher candidates (at a state university in the west of Turkey). The current study demonstrates that foreign-language majors are not immune to downsides of a low-exposure EFL setting. The participants also state that only their family members - but not friends - are likely to cause a shift to the dubbed version of movie/series they want to view in the original language and with L2 captions (intralingual captions / in the source language) otherwise. This study suggests that backseat TV systems on buses can provide solutions. The backseat TV systems are welcome by most of the participants, in particular by those whose intercity travelling habits are found to be quite high.

scholarly journals The Sources of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety of Iranian English Language Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Firooz Sadighi ◽  
Mehdi Dastpak
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors

Foreign language learning anxiety is one of the affective factors which influence language learning negatively. It has several sources and different types. The present study aimed at investigating the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety of Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 154 EFL learners participated in the study. They were required to fill out a foreign language anxiety questionnaire which was developed based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). The results of the study indicated that “fear of making mistakes”, “fear of negative evaluation”, and “lack of vocabulary knowledge” were the main factors which caused anxiety among students. Some strategies are recommended for the students to use in order to cope with the anxiety-provoking factors. 

scholarly journals The use of Quizlet to enhance vocabulary in the English language classroom

2019 ◽  
pp. 304-309
Author(s):  
Salvador Montaner-Villalba
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Acquisition ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Academic Year

This research focuses on vocabulary acquisition in foreign language learning. The latest trends of teaching as well as the huge advance of technology allow teachers to utilize online and mobile applications through diverse apps. This quasi-experimental design research investigated Quizlet, in its mobile version, on vocabulary acquisition in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). One group of A2 (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) EFL learners at a state secondary school in Valencia (Spain) (N=24) participated in this study. Learners from the Treatment group (henceforth, T-group) underwent a pre-test and a post-test to assess their acquisition of the assigned vocabulary lessons which were extracted from the course syllabus. After utilizing Quizlet for vocabulary learning for the academic year 2017-2018, the results proved that these learners improved significantly their level of EFL vocabulary at the post-test. Accordingly, this research recommends utilizing Quizlet in its mobile version at secondary education.

scholarly journals REVISITING TRANSLATION AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOL: CONTRASTING BELIEFS OF DIVERSELY PROFICIENT STUDENTS

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
Anisatul Karimah
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Learning Practices ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
English Major ◽  
Research Findings

Translation as a learning tool or strategy, which is also known as pedagogical translation, has reemerged as a topic of discussion after being overshadowed by the popularity of the communicative approach. While a number of experts and scholars perceive translation or the use of L1 as interference, several others believe that translation does not really disappear from foreign language learning practices. As many research findings showed beneficial impacts of using translation activities to enhance foreign language learning, other research looked into learners’ perception of the use of pedagogical translation. An interesting contradiction was found stating that diversely proficient students had different perceptions of the usefulness of translation activities as a learning tool (Calis & Dikilitas, 2012; Dagiliene, 2012). Therefore, this research attempted to investigate learners’ beliefs on translation practices as a learning tool in their foreign language classroom respective to their proficiency levels. University students of non-English major were involved in this research. Questionnaire and interview were employed to gather relevant data. The findings reveal how translation as a learning strategy was perceived by learners with different ranges of proficiency levels.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Relationship of English Language Learning Anxiety and English Language Learning Strategy Use Among English Major Undergraduates in Shi Jiazhuang, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1569-1575
Author(s):  
Wang Fei
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Language Learning Strategy ◽  
English Major ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety ◽  
The Relationship

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.

scholarly journals A Case Study on the Problems and Suggestions in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning at Higher Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menderes Unal ◽  
Elif Ilhan
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Training System ◽  
Language Teachers

This study explores and identifies some reasons for the problems of foreign language learning (English) and teaching from the perspective of instructors and learners using the case study model. The data of the study was gathered by a semi-structured interview form, and the study group of the research was composed of English language instructors and graduate students at Ahi Evran University. Random sampling method was used to determine 15 instructors and 20 graduate students to face-to-face interview, and the data of the study was analysed by content analysis method, which the students and instructors agreed on students who have been problematic in language learning process. In addition to students, examination systems, instructional programs, language teachers’ qualifications and learning environments have been considered as barriers to language learning. On the other hand, students and instructors suggested starting learning/teaching English earlier, much more practice and exams on all four skills; elective courses; more practice and communication; revisions in teacher training system, considering individual differences; motivating and encouraging students; and designing well equipped language environment and teaching materials.

scholarly journals ROLA PAMIĘCI ROBOCZEJ W NAUCE JĘZYKA OBCEGO I WIELOJĘZYCZNOŚCI

Neofilolog ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 205-218
Author(s):  
Adriana Biedroń
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Treatment Interaction ◽  
Definition Of

Working memory is now one of the most frequently studied individual differences in various fields of science, including cognitive and developmental psychology, neuroscience, and second language acquisition. It affects cognitive functioning, including all aspects of learning a foreign language, and its deficits severely impair learning outcomes. This article focuses on practical application of this knowledge (see Gregersen & MacIntyre, 2014) in a language classroom. To this end, we first present a definition of a working memory and its components altogether with their relevance for various areas of foreign language learning. This is followed by a review of research on linguistically gifted individuals, polyglots, and savants as well as bilinguals from the perspective of memory aptitude. The last section offers some pedagogical implications, such as aptitude-treatment interaction and working memory training. The article ends with suggestions for further research in this area.

scholarly journals Introducing blended learning in the English language classroom: Students’ attitudes and perceptions before and after the course

2017 ◽  
pp. 33-49
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Research University ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
Before And After

The increased demands for foreign language learning and the dwindling number of contact hours have urged teachers to look for innovative methods of instruction such as blended learning (BL). A study was conducted at a Russian university (The National Research University Higher School of Economics) in order to explore the attitudes and perceptions of the students toward blended learning in the English language classroom. The research instruments were tests and questionnaires administered to students before and after the course. The online portion of the course was realized through the corporate learning management system (LMS). The study revealed a noticeable evolution in students’ perceptions and attitudes towards using blended learning in foreign language instruction. This shift and the consequential outcomes of the study are discussed.

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