Language Anxiety In Foreign/Second Language Learning: A Review Of The Literature

In recent years, more and more researchers have recognized that the success of foreign language/ second language (FL/SL) learning depends largely on the learner herself or himself. So they paid a lot of attention to learner variables, among which great importance in FL/SL learning outcomes has been attached to affective elements such as attitude, empathy, motivation, anxiety, etc. An increasing number of studies have indeed confirmed that the affective aspect of the learner is one of the biggest influence on language learning success or failure (Gardner, Tremblay & Masgoret,1997). Meanwhile, anxiety-the most common manifestation of negative affect-has been found to be a pervasive and prominent force in language learning context (E.K.Horwitz, M.B.Horwitz & Cope, 1986).Along with several lines of inquiry, great progress has been made in this field. One of the most promising areas has been research into foreign language anxiety and related constructs, like learner beliefs, personality, cultual differences, language achievement, and so on. By virtue of the abundant studies, these various factors concerning FL/SL learning have all been proved to be anxiety-provoking or closely correlate to language anxiety. Then, what specific researches have been done in this area and what do they show? The purpose of the current paper is to conduct an all-sided and critical review of some empirical studies on relationship between anxiety and the related elements in FL/SL learning of post-puberty learners (adolescents and adults). The literature to be reviewed comes from twenty-six studies, conducted over the past two decades, that either have included anxiety in models of language learning or are focused directly on the role of anxiety in language learning (Appendix A contains a list of the reviewed studies, arranged by year of publication).The thesis consists of five chapters.Chapter one provides an introductory discussion about the importance of affective variables, and the subset anxiety, in FL/SL learning. Since affect filters all learning and cognition, high anxiety, as a negative emotion, impedes language performance and achievement.Chapter two involves the theoretical foundation of the reviewed language anxiety studies. The first section defines the concept of anxiety from literature both on non-classroom-related anxiety and FL/SL-learning-related anxiety. Since experts do not agree consistently on the definition of general anxiety, after making a comprehensive survey in the whole literature, the author tries to identify some distinctive attributes of this construct: 1) a psychological construct;2) emotional cognition related; 3) a complex and multi-dimentional entity. As for conceptualization of language anxiety, MacIntyre and Gardner's theory (trait anxiety, state anxiety, situation specific anxieties) and Horwitz et al.'s approach (communication apprehension, test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation) are presented. It is based on their great contribution that subsequent research has begun to conclude consistently. The second section analyzes classifications of language anxieties concerning some specific research areas (facilitating and debilitating anxiety; input, processing and output anxiety; general language anxiety and language skill specific anxiety).Chapter three moves to the research issues raised in the studies, including the questions and findings. For the purpose of a pellucid discussion, the major correlates of anxiety are tentatively divided into eight categories: demographic variables (gender, prior language learning experience, years of study), language aptitude and skill, cultural differences, learner beliefs (self-beliefs, learner beliefs about language learning), motivation, personality variables (perfectionism, willingness to communicate), instructional condition (instructional practices, instructor-learner interaction, learning atmosphere) as well as language achievement (broad-based measures, language specific task performance). A brief explanation and discussion about each of these terms is provided before the research questions and findings. Then, discussion about the research findings are provided. A table, "correlates of language anxiety", is included.Chapter four deals with the research methodologies used in the studies under consideration. The general information about the environment of foreign language learning or second language learning (FLL / SLL), methods as well as participants is summarized. Then a detailed discussion on the research design is carried out. Of all the reviewed studies, 24 used quantitative methods and eight qualitative (some adopted both.). Data collection instruments and analysis procedures in the two approaches are reviewed respectively. Two tables, "research methods" and "research participants" are also included in this chapter.Based on the exhaustive discussion in the previous three parts, chapter five gives an overall evaluation of the researches. Firstly, attention is paid on the limitations in terms of conceptualisation of language anxiety and research methodology. Secondly, implications for theoretical improvement as well as practical applications are drawn. Lastly, possibilities for further research are also explored, concerning theoretical foundation, research issues, and research methodology.On the whole, the researches reviewed in the current paper have revealed a significant role language anxiety plays in FL/SL learning. It is also justified that investigation into the relationship between language anxiety and the correlates is a very good way to elicite sources of this pervasive emotion. Teachers are suggested to gain in their understanding of this issue through these meaningful research findings in this field, try to create a nonthreatening learning environment and at the same time help students cope with language anxiety, finally enhance FL/SL learning and teaching.