A Study On Chinese Listening Anxiety Of Elementary And Intermediate Learners

Influenced according to the learner-centered theory, the study on individual factors of learners in second language acquisition research is developing gradually. Foreign language anxiety is an important individual factor which influences second language learners and has a long time since its research began. As the research perspective spread, studies focus on anxiety of the four basic language skills including listening, speaking, reading and writing appeared. The amount of specialized studies on listening anxiety is small and it is even less in the field of teaching Chinese as a second language. This thesis aims to investigate the listening anxiety condition of elementary and intermediate students, find the possible influencing factors and propose some guidance on the anxiety problems in Chinese listening learning and teaching.This thesis first reviewed the major achievement of foreign language anxiety and listening anxiety as the basis including theory, object and method of the thesis. Referencing various research methods and combining the research requirement, the thesis designed a Chinese listening anxiety scale oriented for elementary and intermediate students. And then surveyed elementary and intermediate students of different nationalities by random and analyzed the data by implementing descriptive analysis, nonparametric tests, multi-linear regression, the Pearson correlation, variance analysis and factor analysis of SPSS, Statistical Product and Service Solutions.Result showed that generally speaking, elementary and intermediate students would be in a higher level of listening anxiety given the circumstance of utilizing knowledge and skills of listening in the exams; relatively, given the circumstance in the class for acquiring knowledge and developing skills, the level of listening anxiety would be low; listening capability would not affect the willingness of the student while studying and daily communication.The thesis further investigated individual factors affecting listening anxiety degree of elementary and intermediate students such as gender, age, nationality, experience, self-evaluation of listening anxiety and listening self-efficacy. Result showed that individual factors such as gender and nationality have no statistically significant difference on listening anxiety and age and experience have statistical relations which nearly can be neglected with listening anxiety, while these objective individual factors do have several differences on one or two types of listening anxiety and some specific listening anxiety conditions. Self-evaluation of listening anxiety has low level of positive correlation with listening anxiety degree and listening self-efficacy has low level of negative correlation with listening anxiety degree.The thesis also further discussed the major listening anxiety types affecting listening anxiety degree of elementary and intermediate students. Through multi-linear regression analysis and special exploratory factor analysis, it concluded that listening types related to listening capability and listening environment are of higher importance.The thesis finally concluded all the results acquired through empirical investigation. And the thesis proposed several coping ways of listening anxiety of elementary and intermediate students in the aspects such as listening teaching, listening teaching material, listening strategy conducting and listening anxiety relief. With regard to listening teaching, teachers should do specific analysis on students’ listening anxiety, help students strengthen listening competence and take listening teaching and auxiliary function into operation in different listening situations. With regard to listening teaching material, content of Chinese culture should be properly dealt with and the importance of recording, as major accessory of teaching material, should be attached. With regard to listening strategy conducting, measures can focus on obtaining comprehensible input. With regard to listening anxiety relief, familiar listening scenes and listening modes should be attempted.