Foreign language learning anxiety among Iranian students in the Philippines

• Main Author: Outadi, Mahbobeh
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2011
• Subjects: Anxiety; Language and languages—Study and teaching—Psychological aspects; Language and Literacy Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6099; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/13042/viewcontent/CDTG004983_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study investigated the existence of Foreign Language Learning Anxiety (FLLA) among Iranian university students (as EFL learners) in Philippines academic setting (as ESL setting). It further sought to examine the predominant type of anxiety and studied its manifestations amongst this group of learners. 205 participants comprised the subjects of the study who were coming from different universities either in Manila or other cities such as Cebu and Baguio. The current study used Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986)’s theoretical framework in which FLLA is consisted of three different types namely; (1) communication apprehension, (2) fear of negative evaluation, and (3) test anxiety. Following Zhao (2007) a fourth type was added to these three types named as academic anxiety. Quantitative approach and foreign language classroom anxiety scale (developed by Horwitz et al, 1986) was employed to answer the first two questions. Qualitative research design and a self-made questionnaire were used to answer the third question regarding the manifestations. Results showed that Iranian students experience approximately high level of FLLA while fear of negative evaluation was the predominant type among others. They were also found to show varied physical and psychological manifestation. Lack of language proficiency, unrealistic expectations and erroneous beliefs regarding language learning, experiencing a new academic setting and classroom practices, lack of motivation, cultural differences, teachers’ attitudes toward error correction, tendency to save the positive face and so on were suggested as causes of their language learning anxiety.