Language anxiety in eel learners in pakistani academic context
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Date
2011
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UMT Lahore
Abstract
Feelings of tension, apprehension, depression and nervousness have been reported
by foreign language learners in learning and particularly speaking the language. Such
feelings mostly exert considerable negative and harmful effect on learners'
communication in the foreign language. In recent years, many researchers have tried to
investigate the causes and effects of foreign language anxiety on learners' performance
and communication, but the specific factors and their effects of foreign language anxiety
have not been clearly established yet. Some of the studies tried to capture this complex
phenomenon from learners' perspective while others intended to explore it from the
teachers' perspective.
This study attempts to examine the views and perceptions of Pakistani language
teachers and learners on the phenomenon of language anxiety in speaking skills with a
focus on English as a foreign language. Like previously conducted researches, this study
also tries to investigate various factors which can potentially provoke anxiety in the
learners of English language in Pakistan and have detrimental effect on their
communication, resulting in language anxiety. The present study investigates the
complex phenomenon of speaking anxiety by using qualitative semi-structured individual
interviews and focus-group discussion. Thirty four participants participated in the
research, out of which twenty seven were learners and seven participants were
experienced language teachers. The findings suggested that speaking anxiety stems in
learners from their self created perceptions and beliefs about themselves and in speaking
the English language, strict and formal classroom environment, linguistic difficulties,
difference in schooling system and social status etc. As a result of these factors obvious
physical changes were observed in the learners which assured that they were
experiencing speaking anxiety.