Dear friends and colleagues,
I would like to start our first discussion on language learning anxiety. Please feel free to write your comments and suggestions. You are welcome to write in Turkish or English. However, writing comments in English can increase the chance of sharing our experience with more people.
1. Have you ever experienced anxiety when learning English/any other language? When and under what conditions did you feel most anxious in the language classroom? What did you do to cope with it?
2. (To language teachers)Do you think your learners experience anxiety in the language classrooms?
If yes, when do they usually experience it? Do you take any particular precaution(s) to help them lower their anxiety in your classroom? What kind of strategies do you use to help them cope with anxiety?
Brief comment on Foreign Language anxiety:
Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA), introduced by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986), is identified as a “situation-specific” anxiety and described as a type of reaction which is unique in foreign language learning situations (Horwitz et. al. 1986; Horwitz, 1986). MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) described FLA as “the feeling of tension and apprehension specifically associated with second/foreign language contexts, including speaking, listening, and learning”. Language anxiety can affect learning and learner at different levels: academic, affective, and social level. Primarily, Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) influences language skill development at the academic level. Secondly, FLA influences learner at affective level, and their perceptions of their abilities or their expectations are found to be influenced by the anxiety they experience. MacIntyre, Noels, and Clement (1997) found that high anxious learners had lower self-ratings of language performance. Finally, foreign language anxiety affects learners’ social skills. Anxiety is found to affect learners’ choice of when and where to communicate in the foreign language. Typically, anxious learners have a tendency not to communicate very often (MacIntyre &Gardner, 1991a, 1991b; MacIntyre &Charos, 1995).
23 comments:
Duygu, this is a wonderful idea, creating an online venue where people can collaboratively share ideas about reducing language anxiety. But, too bad that the situations have not been that helpful. Sorry for that. But, I will happily join these conversations if you continue to work on this here.
Eunjeong,
I am looking forward to learning more about your anxiety reducing program and your valuable suggestions on how to reduce anxiety. I am extremely excited about this project because my previous "prospective language teacher" students and I did not have a lot discussion time in the classroom on this topic; thus, I hope this common discussion ground can help us meet the deficit we had in the past. I wholeheartedly hope and believe that we can learn a lot from each other by sharing our experiences, beliefs and thoughts, and form a more fruitful learning environment for people/students/teachers who wants to help themselves, significant others or their students!
I do not remember a moment of anxiety when learning a foreign language.I have tried learning several languages .However,I have had no experience about anxiety.
For learners the situation is different.Learning a foreign language may be a difficult situation .Especially, among Turkish learners, speaking is a nightmare.The main reason is the fear of making mistakes due to the misbelief that one should have a high level of vocabulary and grammar knowledge.Moreover,they think that their friends and instructors would laugh at them in case of a mistake.Apart from this,it is not so easy to speak in public .The type of personality,whether being introvert or extrovert, determines the results.
Hi Duygu,
I am an instructor at the University of Gaziantep. This is my fourth year in ESL teaching. I am glad to answer these questions because you are my close friend. I hope I will contribute to her research.
Students come across with many difficulties when learning a second language. There are some emotional factors in foreign language learning which affect our learning abilities such as motivation and anxiety. I think anxiety is the main factor for language learning. When I am thinking about my university life I had different types of teachers. I had some teachers who were well prepared and some who were not. I had some teachers who just came to class and started teaching. He never got involved with us, he never asked questions about us and he never showed any concerns about our feelings. In his class we never felt comfortable and we were afraid to ask questions. We weren’t the students who were good risk takers because we were afraid of him and his negative evaluation. So this is an example of the factors which influence anxiety level…yes THE INSTRUCTOR!!! We shouldn’t forget that we were students in the past ,so we should create a good learning environment which we wanted when we used to be students and we shouldn’t make the same mistakes that our instructors made .
When I examine my students during the class I can easily say that I have some students who are reluctant to speak. They are really excited to express themselves, they always raise their hands. On the other hand, I have students in my class who never say a word. I generally allow sufficient processing time when they feel comfortable in answering. If they are still silent, I usually call on the students directly. ”yes , İpek it is your turn ”This very hard for some students but they have no other choice…There are other students who are afraid of making mistakes while pronouncing a word or using words which are difficult in pronunciation and choose not to speak in front of their peers. Generally I say to my students “If your friends understand you if you send the message correctly don’t worry about making mistakes.” I give importance to fluency not accuracy during the classes especially in oral communication classes. Besides making mistakes while talking my students compare their speaking capability with other students for example during their presentations they feel stressed because of the group members. They think the others are better, but after five minutes they forget every negative feeling and start talking fluently .To overcome this problem I generally give frequent, early and positive feedback that support students’ beliefs that they can do well. I try to create an atmosphere that is open and positive. If students feel secure in the class the result will be shown in the academic process. I help students feel that they are valued members of a learning community. As for me the most important of all is during the class I am their teacher and outside the school I am their friend. So this makes them feel relaxed. Thus , we shouldn’t forget the importance of the teachers role in language learning we should show respect and empathy.
In conclusion, language anxiety is a complex phenomenon. It depends on the students background, prior language experience, learning personality and classroom circumstances. Our task as second language teachers is to create a flexible atmosphere in our classes for effective language learning and an attitude in our learners that reflects genuine interest and motivation to learn the language. By reducing language anxiety ,I believe that they will be good at language learning.
AYBİKE HÖKELEKLİ
ı am a student in a prep class at University of Gaziantep.. first of all i want to say my idea about this topic, i think it is so benefit discussing for people who try to learn foreign language.. i believed that ''if you want to solve a problem in your life , firstly you should find that where problem came'' during my life like I did now.. I have same problem with you and i think its the biggest reason is my old education life for ME.. I have been tring to learn English since I was at primary school.. And still am at same level.. And when i think about this I cant decide who criminal is.. me or another people of my education life.. At least 8 years we spent our time and still we are at same level !!! if (s)he was just me i would say its reason is me but most of my friends are same even there are so many worse.. Why?? because each years we are starting from same place '' a,b,c,d.... What is your name?....'' I was at primary school same and universty we started same. And i think this situation made us afraid from English. Think!!all the time you are doing same thing and each one finally you can't be succesfull. And it is making us worry about it like it is a soo dificult thing. But when you think it with relax brain you will understand it isnt any difficult.. a small example. if to learn a language was diffficult how a children, baby would learn ! there are so easy way to overcome in like this situation ; BELIVE and STUDY.. And I belive that you can't be succesfull if you mean just books in study. If we wanna be sucesfull especially in a language we should read, write, speak, travel, watch in this language. Because language is a part of culture..And it can live just its habit of culture.. So if we want to learn a part of this culture.We have to come inside this culture.. Yeliz Gizem ASLAN
I am student at university now and I am learning English.. But I have learnt it since I was at primary school.. When I think about why I have learnt this subject for along time , I understand the ways about learning or teaching are sometimes wrong and insufficient and students sometimes don't do about learning.. The teacher and student works together so they must understand eachother.. Their realionship is very important in learning time.. New language means you write, listen, speak or read everyhing everday becomes change.. you must think what you say in different language .. my idea it can be very diffucult if you don't do practise .. practise and learn vocablary are the most necessary..
and you are never shy in classroom. everbody im the clasroom are new learner so everybody are equal.. You never think people or what they say when you speak or you try someting.. You focus only your subject.. Nida KARAKÖYLÜ ..
Now.I am learning English prep class in gaziantep university.But Tomorow I don't know it will happen.Because English is very ungreatful.Why Did I say? Because I was learnt in military school for 2 years.But I don't repeat vocabulary and gramer.Now in dificulties I am learning English that is very important me. Bucause It is my future.For these reasons My anxiety about English I may will be forget it. Thanks. Uğur ÖZDEMİR
I am student in a prep class at Universty of Gaziantep and i have been learning English for 10 years but we were learning only grammer in secondary and high school.we learned grammer again and again and we didnt learn speaking or listening.Now i know grammer but i dont speak quickly and i dont understand when somebody talk to me in English in addition students like me study only pass the exams.also my uinversty exams include a lot of grammer questions and a bit listening and speaking so we dont study only grammer maybe a little speaking for passing the exams;in my opinion we need a lot of practices about speaking and listening.
ı am a student in a prep class at University of Gaziantep.. first of all i am writing my opinion about Teaching in our prep class.
for me i think the way about teching english which we use it is very good and usefull also when i am in my class while iam learning i feel comfort and good .
really iam happy and please from that education which i am having it and about the comforte which i feel it when iam learning i think its reasons are first our teachers also my friends because we have to have a good relationship between each other and thanks for god i think we have in a full shape .
I'm student at unıversity of gaziantep now and I'm trying o learn English :)I don't have English sub-structure.so it isnt easy.Im not brave so Im scared to speak English.I believe that I was msiisng vocabulary.If I knew the rules of grammar, so I have difficulty at english.Even though I do not find myself in good enough condition as a class.prep class student MUHAMMET BAĞCI...
ı am a studentin prep class at the University of Gaziante.We have many difficulties when learning a second languge.There are some emotional factors in foreign language learning which effect our learning abilities.some people think that if ı speak wrongly in the class my friends will laugh because of the this situation and some people believe that i dont know enough words to speak.i think it is not true if we understand each other these are not a problem in addition nobody is perfect and every students try to learn english in the classroom so we should try to speak and try
to develop our pronunciation and vocabulary shortly english without they say finally if we dont do anything we never learn english
whatever they say it shouldnt be important for us Muhammed Ali ŞAHİN
from a prepclass student..
I recognized some insufficient ways in english education system in turkey. if it's logical to explain ı'll say that: from my scene , from 4. class at primary school to now each class season some subject restart. that makes us bored and delayed. we missed the other learnin' techniques.. it is a big loss!! we'r supposing we learning english for years. unfortunately we thought wrong. it's the fact we learnt the same things for years.. for me our eng. edu. syst wanna a big innovation.. a language cannot learn by studying from books!! did we learnt turkısh from bokks?? ı thınk this question's answer can helps us:) at learnin' any foreign language we're like a baby! do not know anything about it. of course we will need books. okey. but they just help us for grammer and unknown words. definetly we have to practise what we learn, we need to repeat remeber use again and again etc.. briefly it isnot inadequate learnin' english just from books! please recognize the defiency..
i am a student in prep class at university of gaziantep.firstly,i have learnt english since primary school.but i just studied math,chemist etc. to win university.i didnt care when i was at high school.so,i didnt know enough english when i came prep class.i can do exercises about grammer but i cant speak english because i dont do practise..i think speaking lesson should be more than two hours.now i m only afraid to repeat prep class.english is very importent for my job and i have to learn it very well.in addition this,i wont have forgatten by the end of 2015.thanks.DUYGU CAN
i'm a prep student at gaziantep university and now i am studying english.actually i have been studying english for about 9 years.when i say this,generally people expect that i speak english like natives but i cant.so why?i think this problem is about education.because they always teach us grammar.they dont teach us how to speak like english or american, how to write and read in english.of course grammar is necessary but we must learn speaking and listening.well,how can we learn english with this education system(because changing the system is difficult)?firstly we shouldnt be shy because being shy stop learning.when i spoke english first time i frightened making pronouncation or grammar mistakes but later i understood that it doesnt matter because if i dont speak this language if i dont make mistakes how can i learn it?,so we mustnt frighten and must be relaxed.if we trust ourselves,we can overcome our anxieties easily....Alper Aktekin
i am a student in prep class at university of gaziantep..however,it is not first experience about learning english for me..because i have been studying english since my primary school years..at that time i was interested in learning english..but i believe that the education was quite simple.we saw the same things for years so i could not improve me sufficiently..i think the reason is mistakes of system.teachers or managers did not give enough importance about reading,speaking and listening abilities..lack of this abilities are the most important reasons of this anxiety..if the students dont have this abilities,they will be shy in the lessons and they cant express them easily.teachers must give chance to students when they speak wrongly and learners must try learning for improving themselves..learners never care what the others think when doing mistakes.of course it depends on the learners but i think when they do that they can prevent this anxienty and they will be more succesful..Uğur Can ORAL
i am learning English at Gaziantep University. while i am learning English, the most important problem is vocabulary and speaking for me.i can learn words,but i dont know how i will talk clearly and rapidly.
I am studying in prep-class at Gaziantep Univrsity.I think,learning new language can be difficult for us.Because every thing is different, but ıt must not be cause of fear for us.İf we are curıous ıt will be easier.Also we should try to learn the language equally.For examle for spaking and writing aren not given enough importance in our schools.Unfortunately we focus on grammer and also when we finish all of the grammer subjects we start rewising them again.it isn't useful for us.By the this way we will have done languages like other lessons such as, maths, biology.Language is communication device.It isn't lesson or subject.I think students and teachers shouldn't forget this.
Hİ!I am a student in foregion language higher school.learning language is very coplex.you can't look it with only one aspect.it means that three are lots of anxiety.first,whıch one is useful for our life(especially businees);speking ability,gramer(writing) ability or both? and is the education system enough and well?shortly,students are in indecision.Next question is that is going native countries really necessary to learn language super level?for example,somebody hasn't enough money or time for this.the most importantly,how do we learn new words? not meaning of words,only learning word in native.for example ,from english to english.i think new methods should be improved for solution.thanks for sharing this topic with us.
how to we learn a language easily and correctly? there are a lot of ways for success ıt. but we shouldn't forget while we learn ıt,we will meet contless problem.I am a prep class student and I want to tell about my matters. the first times I slogged very much. because I hadn't got self confidence.I was shy while I was speaking I boggled.I didn't want to speak.another problem I was afraid the english. I thought english is very difficult I NEVER success ıt.then I decide to work and I saw If you want and study,you can achieve ıt.how to we study? firstly we attend lesson regularly. don't you miss a part of lesson.we must listen teacher carefully and we must take notes but not all of them only you write notes in plain. they should be understandable.secondly,we must do listening for example we can watch english films or listen to english songs.All of them useful for us.last but not least we must practice. we always speak english each other.What I mean ıs that If we do all of them, we will achieve ıt.
I am a student in prepclass at University of Gaziantep.This is a great project for student who learn foreing language.It help us about mention our problems.Firstly,the most important problems are speaking and vocabulary while learning English. Especially,speaking is very difficult activity for student.But our education system always ignores it.So we still cant speak English clearly or well allthough we have learnt English since we were primary school.In fact,the other important subject about education of foreing language that teachers in primary or secondary school should be well informed and experienced for teaching english to children. Because when we are child we can learn easily and we can form an opinion easily about everthing.For example my english teacher in primary school is unpractised and stuffed shirt(!). When we said wrong thing, he was laughing.Also he didnt come to lessons several time. So the teachers should pay attention not to lower them.Also i think we shouldnt be shy in the class and we should speak every time in spite of making mistakes and so if you make mistakes,you try again and again then you will be able to find truthful.In addition to this,a new language means a lot of new vocabulary so we must study and do practise for learning new vocabularies.In conclusion learning foreing language is very necessary nowadays for keeping up with changing world and meeting new peole or culture and job so we must learn English but this education in our school or country is wrong and inefficient...Gülşah KÖSEOĞLU
I am a student in prep class at university of Gaziantep.I am going to study english language and literature next year.I like learning english,but the process of english learning ı have a lot of problems.Despite of these problems I want to continue learning english.Because ı believe these problems can solve.One of the most important problem,ı can`t speak fluently and articulate correctly.For this reason,I am worried about while I am talking a foreigner or during the lesson.Another problem I don`t understand when spoken too guickly.For example,there is listening part during exams and I can do grammer very well and can understand reading,but ı can`t understand listening and ı am so sorry for this.But ı think the lack of our schools` education causes this situation.Because we are usually learned grammer grammer and again grammer during primary and high school.It is not as important as listening,writing and vocabulary.If it is given important these we won`t have any problem in english.I think...
I am a student in prep class at university of Gaziantep.I am going to study english language and literature next year.I like learning english,but the process of english learning ı have a lot of problems.Despite of these problems I want to continue learning english.Because ı believe these problems can solve.One of the most important problem,ı can`t speak fluently and articulate correctly.For this reason,I am worried about while I am talking a foreigner or during the lesson.Another problem I don`t understand when spoken too guickly.For example,there is listening part during exams and I can do grammer very well and can understand reading,but ı can`t understand listening and ı am so sorry for this.But ı think the lack of our schools` education causes this situation.Because we are usually learned grammer grammer and again grammer during primary and high school.It is not as important as listening,writing and vocabulary.If it is given important these we won`t have any problem in english.I think...
I am a student in prep class of gaziantep üniversity.learning of english is very important for education and working life so ı have to learn it but while ı was learning this language ı had many difficulties .one of this difficulties is listening , It is very problem for me because when ı listened people ı didn't understand some their's vocabulary so ı didn't understand their conversation . other difficulties are writing and vocabulary the reason of these difficulties in primary school not given enough impartance to them
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