The Effects Of Anxiety On Chinese Students' Oral English Performance

Since 1980s, there has been an increase in the number of Chinese students learning English as a way to success. In particular, a number of them are interested in improving their oral proficiency. However, despite their initial enthusiasm, students often experience high level of anxiety. Being one of affective variables, anxiety, especially anxiety in oral performance, has aroused comprehensive attention.Foreign language anxiety is distinct from other forms of anxiety and has been shown to have detrimental effects on the output of speaking in the target language. In general, speaking context appears to be particularly prone to anxiety arousal. In view of this, the current study investigates the effect of foreign language anxiety on students'oral performance and explores the characteristics of highly anxious students in oral activities.101 non-English majors from two universities in Jinzhou participate in the study. Four instruments are utilized: anxiety questionnaire, oral tasks, observation and interview. The quantitative component of the study first examines the existence of anxiety in English class and then identifies the impact of foreign language anxiety on students'speaking proficiency. Through careful observation of anxious students'behaviors in speaking and an interview with them, the qualitative component of the study explores both the extro-characteristics and the intro-characteristics of anxious students in oral performance. The result suggests that learners do experience anxiety in English learning. A majority of the subjects have a certain degree of anxiety. Correlation analysis reveals that English classroom anxiety has a negative impact on students'oral performance. The analysis further explores that students'anxiety can interfere with their oral performance. The observation reveals that anxious students maintain a negative attitude to oral activities and demonstrate few facial expressions and body movements. The anxious students'comments in the interview show that they are apt to make fewer errors, and care more about evaluations from others. These features provide evidences for the distinction between anxious students and their counterparts.The findings suggest that students who experience negative effect of anxiety are not likely to exhibit high proficiency in oral performance. Therefore, implications on creating more effective language learning are put forward. Instructors are supposed to view foreign language anxiety as a serious problem and to create comfortable learning environment to alleviate anxiety in oral performance; students are suggested to maintain proper attitude to anxiety and adopt adequate learning strategies; researchers can make further studies by referring to the findings in this study and provide more valuable information for language teaching and learning.Foreign language anxiety is a complex and multi-faceted construct. It is hoped that this study has offered significant insight into the impact of foreign language anxiety on language teaching, learning and performance.