A Qualitative Study of Students’ Foreign Language Anxiety in a Rural School

【Abstract】 This paper reports a qualitative study of students’ foreign language anxiety in a rural school. By observing and interviewing, the researcher has collected data and summed up students’ anxiety into two main groups, language classroom anxiety and test anxiety, each of which is also sub-categorized. Furthermore, some teaching implications for rural language teachers have been put forward.

【Key words】Students’ Foreign Language; in a Rural School

【作者簡介】薄蓉蓉(1983-)，女，南京医科大学外国语学院讲师，研究方向：应用语言学，课程与教学论。

1. Introduction

Language anxiety is fear or apprehension occurring when a learner is expected to perform in the second or foreign language (Gardner and MacIntyre, 1993). Language anxiety ranks high among factors influencing language learning, regardless of whether the setting is formal or informal.

Since 1990s, literatures in relation to foreign language anxiety become abundant. Some of the works are reviews or introductions (Wang Yinquan & Wan Yushu,2001; Li Jiongying & Lin Shengshu, 2007); some positivists have done research to find out the relationship between foreign language anxiety and foreign language achievements (Shi Yunzhang & Liu Zhenqian, 2006; Guo Yan & Qin Xiaoqing, 2010). In recent years, the research field expands: light is more shed on web-based learning environment (Chen & Lee, 2011).

Although the research on foreign language anxiety has made progress on different levels, there are still issues that need to be investigated. First, the subjects are mainly college students, and middle school students, especially those who are from rural areas, are seldom touched upon. Second, most of the research has been carried out by quantitative methods, that is, subjects’ anxiety is mechanically tested by scales such as FLCAS (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale). However, as Bailey states, “[T]he tasks of defining, manipulating and quantifying affective factors pose serious problems for researchers. A case in point is anxiety.” (Bailey, 1983) Thus, it is necessary to carry out a qualitative study of students’ foreign language anxiety in a  rural school.

2. Research design

2.1 Research purpose and questions

This study is to explore the affective state of a particular group of rural students and find out what anxiety they have in common, so that teachers could be more aware of students’ individual needs.

The research questions include: 1) What foreign language anxiety do they have? 2) How are they affected by anxiety? 3) What can teachers do to mitigate students’ anxiety?

2.2 Research site and subjects

The school locates in a rural area of Jiangsu Province. There are more than 20 classes in junior and each class has more than 50 students. The researcher is assigned to be an assistant teacher in one of the classes in grade 3, junior. Three of the students are randomly invited to take part in this research. In the following part of data analysis, their identities will be anonymously substituted with S1, S2 and S3.

2.3 Data collection

The researcher goes to the school four times during a whole term, and stays with the students for more than 4 hours each time. Three participants are observed, interviewed and asked to write passages according to the research questions. Some of the interviews have been recorded and transcribed. Notes and reflective diaries are written by the researcher.

3. Data analysis

For the purpose of this study, data are divided into two manageable chunks.

3.1 Language classroom anxiety

The first analytic category is language classroom anxiety. Students’ anxious responses to the language classroom activities are covered under different sub-categories.

3.1.1 Speaking

Researcher (R): But you never raise your hand or… Is it too difficult?

S1: Not only me, but everyone in this class does not like to take part in any activity in English class. I know the answers sometimes, but I do not want to speak it out in public. I know it’s really strange. Maybe you cannot understand...Many people believe that speaking in English is intentionally to show off...If I say something wrong, they will laugh at me and stare at me in a strange expression that cannot be exactly described...

S2: ...My pronunciation is disgusting. I can feel it. Others will laugh at me…

Their comments illustrate Foss and Reitzel’s connection between communication anxiety and foreign language anxiety. Foreign language anxiety seems to share certain characteristics with communication anxiety, for example, high feelings of self-consciousness, fear of making mistakes, and a desire to be perfect when speaking. Students begin to care about others’ evaluation. They are anxious of speaking in English, of making mistakes, and of losing face in front of their peers.

3.1.2 Listening

They are not only anxious of speaking, but also anxious when listen to others.

S3: Last month before you came, as the representatives of our school, we went to the county to take part in an English competition. When I did the listening part, my mind was totally blank.

R: Did you practice before?

S3: We have too much homework to do. When you came to our class for the first time, introducing yourself in English, we laughed at you on the sly. You know why? We couldn’t understand!

Teachers in rural school are not capable of instructing in English and most of the time they talk in Chinese, thus, students are seldom given the chance to cultivate listening and speaking ability in language classroom. In this sense, students are afraid of speaking or being spoken to in the target language, which they seldom use in classroom interaction.

3.1.3 Indigenous activities

There are some typical indigenous activities in English class. When the learning of one unit is completed, there is a special review class. The class is divided into two parts. In the first part, students should write down the words which are read by the teacher. All the papers will be handed and scored. In the second part, the teacher will ask the students to recite the text one by one. Students feel quite uncomfortable about these activities.

S1: I feel anxious before the review class. I have made great efforts to recite the text. Every time I believe I have well prepared. However, when I am nominated by the teacher, I feel more than suffocated. My brain seems to be paralyzed. I can only remember several sentences. Our teacher says nothing and always stares at me as if I am a lazy guy and make no preparation.

3.2 Test anxiety

Test anxiety is the tendency to become alarmed about the consequences of inadequate performance on a test or other evaluation, regardless of whether the fears are realistic. Their anxiety about tests is twisting, but still can be generally summed up into three main parts.

3.2.1 Anxiety on family’s attitude

Parents’ scolding makes the students uneasy.

S3:My dad and my mum always quarrel with each other at home. Before this mid-term exam, they even severely fought at home… I don’t do well in the exam… Again, they scolded me and said that I could be more industrious in study...

Parents’ reproaches will cause test anxiety. However, anxiety also emerges when parents are too much tolerant or attentive.

S2: When I was eight, my mother passed away because of heart sickness. My father shouldered the responsibility of raising the whole family. He has dedicated a lot to me. If I fail the test, I will be upset for a long time. He has placed great hope on me...

3.2.2 Anxiety on teacher’s attitude

Many researchers relate language anxiety to teacher-learner interactions (Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope, 1986). Teachers’ speech is a direct cause for students’ anxiety.

S1: All of us fear for being scolded by the teacher or being beaten up by parents if we don’t do well as they have expected. Do you know why Mrs. Wang didn’t shout at us today? Because you are in the classroom! In the past when you were not here, we were always severely scolded if we didn’t do well.

Anxiety is also brought by invisible hurt.

S1: When I went to the platform and got back my paper, Mrs. Wang stared at me for seconds, saying nothing. I would never forget that moment. The expression in her eyes was so terrible.

3.2.3 Anxiety on competitiveness

As Bailey reported, comparisons with others are related to anxiety. One student mentions his anxiety on ranking.

S3: When our score and ranking of the examination are presented in the public tablet, I dare not look at the results though I actually a little bit want to. I hope my ranking can be higher than others.

4. Conclusion

This study shows that foreign language anxiety of rural middle school students can be summed up in two main parts, language classroom anxiety and test anxiety, each of which has sub-categorization. With the help of data from the research and the reviews of the literature, several implications for the language teachers can be raised.

Since students fear for speaking in public, some teaching methods, such as Collaborative Language Learning can be used. On one hand, students feel less stressful when talking in groups; on the other hand, students’ communicative competence and collaborative sense will be gradually formed.

Teachers should boost the self-esteem and self-confidence of students by providing multiple opportunities for classroom success in the language. Scored classroom activities such as dictation and public reciting should be moderately reduced.

Teachers should pay more attention to their own behavior and try to avoid “language attack”, which may cause unimaginable result. Warm encouragement is eagerly needed.

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