Exploring The Relationship Between Interpreting Learners’ Achievement Goals And Anxiety

As vital factors affecting foreign language learning,motivation and anxiety have been popular research topics.As an important branch of motivation,achievement motivation is extensively researched in educational environments.Previous research confirms that achievement motivation can affect second language(L2)learning by influencing L2 learners’ cognitive behaviors,learning strategies,and emotional states.Anxiety,as a common emotion,is particularly strong in the process of L2 learning."Foreign language classroom anxiety"(FLCA)refers to a type of anxiety learners experience in specific foreign language contexts.FLCA provides a new perspective to investigate language learners’ anxiety.Despite the fruitful research results in the field of SLA,relevant theories and models have been rarely applied to the field of interpreting studies.Interpreting is a highly difficult and stressful subject of study and it is very difficult,if not impossible,to acquire interpreting skills without strong motivation and stress coping ability.Therefore,more attention should be paid to interpreting learners’ motivation and anxiety.This study examined interpreting learners’ achievement goals and classroom anxiety in a tertiary-level interpreter training context.By exploring various achievement goals and dimensions of classroom anxiety displayed by interpreting trainees,this study attempted to analyze the effects of achievement goals on anxiety to help interpreting learners develop appropriate achievement goals,reduce classroom anxiety and contribute to productive interpreting training.This current study was theoretically grounded on Elliot’s(2001)achievement goal theory and Horwitz’s(1986)classifications of foreign language classroom anxiety and proposes a framework specific to the interpreting setting.The methods of questionnaire and interview were used to collect research data from interpreting students.Findings of the study were summarized as follows:(1)The interpreting learners showed strong inclination toward a mastery-approach goal and a performance-avoidance goal;(2)The interpreting learners were faced with foreign language classroom anxiety and feared public speaking,which were the most common causes of anxiety;(3)The avoidance-orientated achievement was positively related to the classroom anxiety ratings and the mastery-approach goal was negatively related to the classroom anxiety ratings.Based on the research findings,the author proposed several suggestions for interpreting training,hoping to help interpreting learners set positive achievement goals and reduce foreign language classroom anxiety.