Anxiety in Second Language Learning
Collected by Ahmed Hosny
It is a distinct complex of self-perceptions,
beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to
classroomlanguagelearningprocess.
What is the definition of learning anxiety?
Causesoflearninganxiety:
.a.)Communicationanxiety
.b.)Fearofnegativeevaluation
.c.)Testanxiety
d.)Anxiety intheEnglishclassroom
(whichincludesteacherandteaching
styles)
Communication
Anxiety:
• Most of the learners’ anxiety comes from their self-
concept of ability.
• They are also comparing their skills with native
speakers of the target language, which lead to
embarrassment and sham that they are not
pronouncing exactly like the native speakers.
• Of all the skills taught in the foreign language class,
students perceive speaking ability the most
important.
 Speaking skill is usually the first thing that learners
compare with that of peers, teachers, and native
speakers.
 Hence, learners’ low self perception of speaking
ability is a cause or source of anxiety in second
language learning.
• Fear of negative evaluation. Students’ fears are brought on by the
environment of the foreign language classroom, where they are
constantly being evaluated.
• The evaluation from the only fluent speaker in the room, the
teacher, is crucial to a second language student.
• The evaluation or criticisms from peers is also a major cause of
anxiety.
FearofNegativeEvaluation:
 Anxious learners thought their skills in language were
weaker than their peers’ and they were looking down
at them.
 They are afraid to speak out loud in front of the class,
during speaking practice.
 They would speak out loud and answer more
questions if they were not afraid to give the wrong
answer.
Testanxiety:
• There is a great deal of students who experience test anxiety,
when many grammar items must be remembered.
• Many students report that knew the grammar but forgot it while
taking the test.
• Anxiety is produced when students remember, after the test, that
they made a mistake and put down a wrong answer because of
their nervousness during the test.
• Test anxiety can also be brought on by the question types
that are on the test.
• If the student has never seen that specific question format he
or she might experience test anxiety during that test and
futuretests.
• In language testing, the greater degree of student evaluation
and the more unfamiliar and ambiguous the test tasks and
formats,the more the learneranxiety is produced.
Anxiety in the English classroom:
• The instructor can serve as a source of anxiety.
• Some instructors think that intimidating their students will
cause them to become motivated to learn the foreign
language.
 Instructors who believe their role is to correct
students constantly when they make any error, who
feel that they cannot have students working in pairs
because the class may get out of control, who believe
that the teacher should be doing most of the talking
and teaching, and who think their role is more like a
drill sergeant’s than a facilitator’s may be
contributing to learner language anxiety.
• Use group work to give students practice saying new
phrases before asking them to perform individually.
• Acknowledge students' anxious feelings and help
them realize that anxiety is a widespread
phenomenon.
• Encourage students to concentrate on
communicative success rather than formal accuracy.
• Ask yourself how it must feel to be a student in your
language classroom from time to time.
•
Here is a few tips to follow to reduce anxiety:
Thanks for Listening

Anxiety in second language learning

  • 1.
    Anxiety in SecondLanguage Learning Collected by Ahmed Hosny
  • 2.
    It is adistinct complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to classroomlanguagelearningprocess. What is the definition of learning anxiety?
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Communication Anxiety: • Most ofthe learners’ anxiety comes from their self- concept of ability. • They are also comparing their skills with native speakers of the target language, which lead to embarrassment and sham that they are not pronouncing exactly like the native speakers. • Of all the skills taught in the foreign language class, students perceive speaking ability the most important.
  • 5.
     Speaking skillis usually the first thing that learners compare with that of peers, teachers, and native speakers.  Hence, learners’ low self perception of speaking ability is a cause or source of anxiety in second language learning.
  • 6.
    • Fear ofnegative evaluation. Students’ fears are brought on by the environment of the foreign language classroom, where they are constantly being evaluated. • The evaluation from the only fluent speaker in the room, the teacher, is crucial to a second language student. • The evaluation or criticisms from peers is also a major cause of anxiety. FearofNegativeEvaluation:
  • 7.
     Anxious learnersthought their skills in language were weaker than their peers’ and they were looking down at them.  They are afraid to speak out loud in front of the class, during speaking practice.  They would speak out loud and answer more questions if they were not afraid to give the wrong answer.
  • 8.
    Testanxiety: • There isa great deal of students who experience test anxiety, when many grammar items must be remembered. • Many students report that knew the grammar but forgot it while taking the test. • Anxiety is produced when students remember, after the test, that they made a mistake and put down a wrong answer because of their nervousness during the test.
  • 9.
    • Test anxietycan also be brought on by the question types that are on the test. • If the student has never seen that specific question format he or she might experience test anxiety during that test and futuretests. • In language testing, the greater degree of student evaluation and the more unfamiliar and ambiguous the test tasks and formats,the more the learneranxiety is produced.
  • 10.
    Anxiety in theEnglish classroom: • The instructor can serve as a source of anxiety. • Some instructors think that intimidating their students will cause them to become motivated to learn the foreign language.
  • 11.
     Instructors whobelieve their role is to correct students constantly when they make any error, who feel that they cannot have students working in pairs because the class may get out of control, who believe that the teacher should be doing most of the talking and teaching, and who think their role is more like a drill sergeant’s than a facilitator’s may be contributing to learner language anxiety.
  • 12.
    • Use groupwork to give students practice saying new phrases before asking them to perform individually. • Acknowledge students' anxious feelings and help them realize that anxiety is a widespread phenomenon. • Encourage students to concentrate on communicative success rather than formal accuracy. • Ask yourself how it must feel to be a student in your language classroom from time to time. • Here is a few tips to follow to reduce anxiety:
  • 13.