| All language teachers have seen manifestations of anxiety in students in their classrooms. Anxiety can have a detrimental effect on students' learning and acquisition of a foreign language. Anxiety as a phenomenon in education and other settings has been studied, but until recently, it has not been a major focus of language learning research. Research has presented conflicting results regarding how anxiety works in language learning and what effect it has on the learner and the learning. This dissertation examined the relationship between certain learner variables and foreign language anxiety in adolescent foreign language students.; Certain learner characteristics were hypothesized to predict foreign language anxiety levels. These learner characteristics were examined through the administration of the following tests and questionnaires to 103 second-year French students in three Madison, WI-area high schools: (1) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, 1986); (2) Test Anxiety Scale (Sarason, 1978); (3) Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (McCroskey, 1970); (4) Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965); (5) Modern Language Aptitude Test, Short Form (Carroll and Sapon, 1959); (6) Self-Rating of Foreign Language Skills.; Significant correlations were found between foreign language anxiety and all learner characteristics. Regression analysis showed test anxiety and public speaking anxiety accounted for the largest portion of the variance.; A second research question examined the extent to which foreign language anxiety impaired performance in foreign language classes. Students' first and second semester grades and final exam grades were compared to their level of foreign language classroom anxiety as shown on the Horwitz scale. Significant correlations were found between foreign language anxiety and achievement indicators.; Based on the results from this study, suggestions for modifications in instructional methodology were made which might allow teachers and students to more effectively deal with the difficulties that foreign language anxiety can pose in the language learning process. Suggestions for future research are also made in order to have a more comprehensive understanding of the role anxiety may play in foreign language learning/acquisition. |
