A Study Of Foreign Language Anxiety In English Listening Classroom

Since the1970s, anxiety in foreign language learning and second language acquisition has attracted more and more scholars’attention. Various studies have shown that language anxiety should be viewed as unique and specific to language learning process and one of the key factors which can predict language learners’ performance.Nevertheless, after a comprehensive survey of related literature, the author finds that most researches were conducted on the relationship between language anxiety and overall language performance. The studies concerning the relationship between general language anxiety and specific language skills especially listening comprehension are relatively scarce. Under such background, this thesis attempts to conduct an empirical study to investigate systematically the relationship between foreign language anxiety and English listening comprehension among non-English majors, expecting to make contribution to a growing body of literature on language anxiety with new angles and facilitate the teaching and learning of English listening.The major objectives of this empirical study include:1) the difference of anxiety at different listening proficiency level;2) the difference of performance at different anxiety level;3) the gender difference of foreign language anxiety;4) the correlation among foreign language anxiety, listening proficiency and listening performance;5) the possible range of facilitating anxiety and debilitating anxiety.The research data was collected among110first-year students (Grade2012) of non-English majors in Southwestern University of Finance and Economics using both quantitative and qualitative methods. In quantitative research, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al.(1986), listening proficiency test and listening performance test are conducted among the students.In qualitative research, observation and interviews are made among selected subjects and the results are categorized and analyzed. Different from other researches, FLCAS and listening performance tests are conducted two times in order to investigate their variation. Meanwhile, listening proficiency tests are conducted three times aiming to get more adequate and valid data.The major findings of the research indicate that the participants do experience considerable foreign language anxiety in their listening tests. During the research period, the anxiety experienced increases a little.Correlation analyses indicate that foreign language anxiety experienced correlates negatively with listening proficiency and listening performance of the participants. Listening proficiency of the participants correlates positively with their listening performance. Difference analyses indicate that the students who have low English listening proficiency felt more anxious than those with high listening proficiency, but only LPG and HPG in the first conduction of FLCAS yields a high significant difference. Students who feel highly anxious tend to have the lowest listening performance in the two conductions, but significant difference in listening performance is found only between MAG and HAG. Gender difference analysis shows that male students felt more anxious than female students while only male and female students in the first conduction report a significant difference in anxiety.The attempt to identify facilitating anxiety and debilitating anxiety is also made in the study and the results shows that the facilitating anxiety level is probably at49.00to132.00and the debilitating anxiety level is probably at73.00to140.00without considering other disturbance variables. Major findings of the study suggest that teachers should have better awareness of foreign language anxiety in listening process. More attention should be paid to anxiety which could probably debilitate listening performance. They should attempt to help students comprehend foreign language anxiety and master coping strategies to diminish anxiety effectively. Meanwhile, students should be encouraged to take initiative to communicate with their teachers and overcome anxiety experienced.