DOCSLIB.ORG

Foreign Language Teaching Anxiety: a Study of Teacher Anxiety in Non-Native Foreign Language Teachers in the Netherlands

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Foreign Language Teaching Anxiety: a Study of Teacher Anxiety in Non-Native Foreign Language Teachers in the Netherlands University of Amsterdam Faculty of Humanities MA in Language and Education (Linguistics) Foreign Language Teaching Anxiety: A Study of Teacher Anxiety in Non-Native Foreign Language Teachers in the Netherlands Student: Soufiane El Ouastani (11926201) Supervisor: Dr. Rose van der Zwaard 2018 Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which foreign language teaching anxiety shaped the experiences of non-native foreign language teachers in the Netherlands. Specifically, this study aimed to: (1) determine the scope and the severity of foreign language teaching anxiety in non-native foreign language teachers; (2) investigate whether there is a correlation between the levels of foreign language teaching anxiety and different foreign languages; (3) identify the potential sources of foreign language teaching anxiety among non-native foreign language teachers; (4) identify the strategies that non-native foreign language teachers employ to cope with their feelings of foreign language teaching anxiety and determine what possible classroom implications these strategies could have. 38 non-native pre-service and beginning in-service foreign language teachers participated in this study by completing a questionnaire and participating in follow-up in-depth, one-on-one, semi- structured interviews. The findings of this study demonstrated that non-native foreign language teachers in the Netherlands experience feelings of anxiety in relation to teaching a fore ign language. It was also found the levels of foreign language teaching anxiety among the participants were dependent on their different target languages. In addition, this study found that there are multiple sources of foreign language teaching anxiety among the participants. Finally, this study found that the participants employed different coping mechanisms to deal with their anxiety, some of which might negatively impact the quality of their classroom instruction. Table of contents 1. Introduction……………………………………………………………….………….……1 1. 1. Contextualisation……………………………………………………………….….…..…1 1. 2. Background……………………………………………………….……...………………2 1. 2. 1. Anxiety as a psychological construct…………….……………………………………2 1. 2. 2. Anxiety in the context of foreign language learning………..…………………………2 1. 2. 3. Foreign Language Anxiety……………………………….……………………………4 1. 3. Study……………………………………………………..……………….………………6 1. 4. Outline……………………………………………………………………………………7 2. Literature Review…………………………………………………….……………………7 2. 1. Foreign language teaching anxiety……………………………….………………………7 2. 2. Potential effects of foreign language teaching anxiety…………..………………………9 2. 3. Alleviating foreign language teaching anxiety………………………………………….10 3. Research Questions…………………………………………………..…………………..11 4. Methodology…………………………………..………………….………………………12 4. 1. Participants…………………………………………………………...…………………12 4. 1. 1. Non-native pre-service language teachers sample………...…………………………12 4. 1. 2. Non-native beginning language teachers sample…………………………………….14 4. 2. Instruments……………………………..……………………….………………………15 4. 2. 1. Questionnaire ………………………………………..………………………………15 4. 2. 2. Interview…………………………..……………………….…………………………16 4. 4. Procedures …………………………...…………………………………………………17 4. 4. 1. Data collection…………………………….………………….………………………17 4. 4. 2. Data analysis…………………………………………………………………………19 5. Results……………….……………………………………………………………………20 5. 1. Research question 1……………………………..………………………………………21 5. 1. Research question 2…………………………………..…………………………………22 5. 1. Research question 3…………………………………..…………………………………23 5. 1. Research question 4…………………………………..…………………………………27 6. Discussion and Conclusions……………………………………...………………………29 6. 1. Implications.………………………………………….…………………………………35 6. 2. Limitations of the study…………………………………………………………………36 6. 3. Suggestions for further research……………………...…………………………………37 Appendices …………………………………….…………………………………………… 40 References ……………………………………...……………………………………………46 El Ouastani 1 1. Introduction 1. 1. Contextualisation The process of learning a second or a foreign language is shaped by multiple, complex, acting and interacting dynamics. For example, variables such as attitude, aptitude and motivation, as well as the interrelationship between these variables, have long been established by a considerable volume of theoretical and empirical studies as having a vital, determining role in the learning of a foreign language (Gardner & Lambert, 1965, 1972; Carroll, 1981; Krashen, 1981). Learners’ individual learning styles, foreign language learning strategies and approaches, as well as the social context under which foreign languages are taught and learned, have all also been postulated as crucial predictors of foreign language learning success or failure (Oxford, 1990; Schuman, 1976). In recent years, researchers have identified anxiety as another major factor in the context of foreign language learning (Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986). In fact, anxiety has become one of the most important issues of concern among foreign language researchers and educators in their attempt to understand differences in foreign language learning achievement and performance. Anxiety and its classroom implications has been the subject of an ever-growing number of studies that have investigated the disorder extensively in a multitude of social, cultural and instructional settings and with learners of different foreign languages and of different levels (Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986; Horwitz, 1986, 1996, Maclntyre & Gardner 1994; Young, 1990, 1991a; Horwitz & Young, 1991; Aida, 1994; Yang, 2012; Al-Saraj, 2014, Woodrow, 2006). As a result, anxiety has become one of the most extensively investigated psychological variables in foreign language research. A review of the available literature on anxiety-related research in the field of foreign language learning demonstrates that the disorder has more often than not been found to stymies foreign language learning. Indeed, notwithstanding some of the early inconclusive findings (see Scovel, 1978 for an overview) and some of the noteworthy conflicting views regarding the correlation between anxiety and foreign language learning (see Sparks & Ganschow, 1991 for an example), anxiety has been largely shown to unequivocally cause problems for foreign language learners. According to Maclntyre and Gardner (1991), anxiety influences foreign language learning by interfering with “the acquisition, retention and production of the new language” (p.86). El Ouastani 2 1. 2. Background 1. 2. 1. Anxiety as a psychological construct Anxiety is generally defined as “the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system” (Spielberger, 1983, p. 1). Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder (Kessler & Greenberg, 2002). It is a multidimensional and complex psychological state that encompasses a compound of cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions (Sarason, 1988). What makes anxiety a complex and a fiendishly difficult state to deal with lies in the fact that what triggers it could differ from one situation to another and from one individual to another (Ohata, 2005). In other words, the many sources of anxiety are dependent on context and on an individual’s own perception of what is a threat. Accordingly, psychologists have generally approached anxiety through three different perspectives. Psychologists generally distinguish between three types of anxieties, namely trait anxiety, state anxiety and situation-specific anxiety. State anxiety refers to the fear and the psychological turmoil experienced by individuals under particular circumstances (Spielberger, 1983). This type of anxiety is often seen as a response to particular situations and is more likely to change from one situation to another. Trait anxiety refers to “differences between people in the tendency to perceive stressful situation as dangerous or threatening and to respond to such situations with elevations in the intensity of their state anxiety reactions” (Spielberger, 1983, p.1). Therefore, and unlike state anxiety, trait anxiety is permanent and consistent across a wide range of situations. Situation-specific anxiety refers to the predisposition to experience anxiety reactions in well-defined situations, such as public speaking or participating in class, for instance (MacIntyre & Gardner, 1991). In other words, situation-specific anxiety is a trait anxiety limited to a specific situation (MacIntyre, 1999). This perspective on anxiety emerged as an alternative to state anxiety, because of the view that certain specific situations are more likely to induce anxiety reactions than others, and that reactions to these situations may vary (Horwitz, 2001). 1. 2. 2. Anxiety in the context of foreign language learning Anxiety in the context of foreign language learning is a relatively recent field of study. Interest in the relationship between anxiety and foreign language learning achievement and performance is a concomitant of the 1970s shift in educational research toward learner differences. This period was marked by researchers beginning to consider learner El Ouastani 3 characteristics as a possible explanation for differences in foreign language learning outcomes. Therefore, researchers began to examine the potential effects of affective variables, such as motivation, attitude and anxiety, on foreign language learning achievement and performance (e.g. Gardner & Lambert 1972; Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986). Over the years, the amount of research conducted on the relationship between anxiety and
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 21 Individual Differences in Second Language Learning
    Individual Differences in Second Language Learning 525 21 Individual Differences in Second Language Learning ROD ELLIS 21.1 Introduction Learners vary enormously in how successful they are in learning a language. This is true for both first language (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition, although there is an important difference. In the case of L1 acquisition, children vary in their rate of acquisition but all, except in cases of severe environmental deprivation, achieve full competence in their mother tongue; in the case of L2 acquisition (SLA), learners vary not only in the speed of acquisition but also in their ultimate level of achievement, with a few achiev- ing native-like competence and others stopping far short. How can we explain these differences in achievement? Broadly speaking, three different sets of explanatory factors have been identified; social, cognitive, and affective. This chapter, however, will consider only those factors that lie inside the learner – the cognitive and affective factors – and will focus on L2 learning. Individual difference research has a considerable history in applied lin- guistics. Horwitz (2000a), reviewing publications in The Modern Language Journal from the 1920s up to the end of the 1970s, documents how interest in L2 learners’ differences evolved over the decades. She notes a marked change in the labels used to refer to individual differences: “The terms good and bad, intelligent and dull, motivated and unmotivated have given way to a myriad of new terms such as integratively and instrumentally motivated, anxious and com- fortable, field independent and field sensitive, auditory and visual” (p. 532, original emphasis).
    [Show full text]
  • Turkish College Students' Willingness to Communicate In
    TURKISH COLLEGE STUDENTS’ WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Yesim Bektas Cetinkaya, M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2005 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Keiko K. Samimy, Adviser _______________________ Professor Joseph A. Gliem Adviser Professor Alan R. Hirvela College of Education Copyright by Yesim Bektas Cetinkaya 2005 All right reserved ABSTRACT English, which is defined as an international language, is used by more than one and a half billion people (Strevens, 1992) as a first, second, or foreign language for communication purposes. Consequently, the purpose of teaching English has shifted from the mastery of structure to the ability to use the language for communicative purposes. Thus, the issues of whether learners would communicate in English when they had the chance and what would affect their willingness to communicate gain importance. Recently, a “Willingness to Communicate” (WTC) model was developed by McIntyre et al. (1998) to explain and predict second language communication. The objective of the present study was to examine whether college students who were learning English as a foreign language in the Turkish context were willing to communicate when they had an opportunity and whether the WTC model explained the relations among social-psychological, linguistic and communication variables in this context. The present study was a hybrid design that combined both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis procedures. First, a questionnaire was administered to 356 randomly selected college students in Turkey.
    [Show full text]
  • Dynamic Properties of Language Anxiety
    Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz SSLLT 10 (1). 2020. 67-87 http://dx.doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2020.10.1.4 http://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt Dynamic properties of language anxiety Tammy Gregersen American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0744-9655 [email protected] Abstract This article begins by examining previous empirical studies to demonstrate that language anxiety, or the negative emotional reaction learners experience when using a second language (MacIntyre & Gardner, 1999), is a dynamic individual dif- ference learner variable. I show that it forms part of an interconnected, con- stantly-in-flux system that changes unpredictably over multiple time scales. While at certain times this system might settle into an attractor state that accommo- dates contradictory conditions, perturbations that arise may lead to development and change with the curious possibility that minor disruptions generate large ef- fects while major alterations go unnoticed. In essence, language anxiety (LA) is part of a continuous complex system in which each state evolves from a previous one. After I establish LA as a dynamic variable using the aforementioned criteria, I outline the implications and challenges for researching LA using a dynamic para- digm, which include focusing on individuals, transforming LA research questions, designing interventions and re-thinking data gathering methodologies.
    [Show full text]
  • Empirical Studies in Applied Linguistics
    UZRT2018 : empirical studies in applied linguistics Edited book / Urednička knjiga Publication status / Verzija rada: Published version / Objavljena verzija rada (izdavačev PDF) Publication year / Godina izdavanja: 2020 Permanent link / Trajna poveznica: https://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:131:737635 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.17234/UZRT.2018 Rights / Prava: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Download date / Datum preuzimanja: 2021-10-07 Repository / Repozitorij: ODRAZ - open repository of the University of Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences UZRT 2018 Empirical Studies in Applied Linguistics Edited by Renata Geld and Stela Letica Krevelj 1 FF press UZRT 2018: Empirical Studies in Applied Linguistics Edited by Renata Geld and Stela Letica Krevelj, FF press http://wp.ffzg.unizg.hr/ffpress ISBN: 978-953-175-843-7 Collection © 2020 FF press Papers © 2020 The Contributors Cover image © 2017 Ivana Rež ek Layout: Silvia Kurolt All parts of this publication may be printed and stored electronically. CONTENTS Foreword 5 Sanja Marinov & Višnja Pavičić Takač On the nature of relationship between self-regulation and lexical competence 19 Gábor Szabó The Application of Objective Measures of Text Difficulty to Language Examinations 34 Sandra Mardešić, Ana Gverović & Ana Puljizević Motivation in modern language studies: A pilot study in Italian language 56 Mirna Trinki & Stela Letica Krevelj Multilingualism in English language classrooms in Croatia: Can we think outside the box? 75 Ivana Cindrić & Mirta Kos Kolobarić
    [Show full text]
  • Students' Perspectives on Foreign Language Anxiety
    Students’ Perspectives on Foreign Language Anxiety Page 1 of 15 Students’ Perspectives on Foreign Language Anxiety by Renée von Wörde from Inquiry, Volume 8, Number 1, Spring 2003 © Copyright 2003 Virginia Community College System Abstract Von Wörde identifies those factors which may contribute to anxiety and those which may reduce anxiety in learning a second language. Introduction Research (Aida, 1994; Bailey, 1983; Crookal and Oxford, 1991; Ely, 1986; Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986; Horwitz & Young, 1991; Ganschow & Sparks, 1996; Krashen, l985b; MacIntyre, 1995; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1988, 1989, 1991; 1994; Muchnick & Wolfe, 1982; Price, 1988, 1991; Schlesinger, 1995; Trylong, 1987; von Wörde, 1998; Young, 1990, 1991, l992) has consistently revealed that anxiety can impede foreign language production and achievement. Indeed, Campbell & Ortiz, (1991) report perhaps one-half of all language students experience a startling level of anxiety. Language anxiety is experienced by learners of both foreign and second language and poses potential problems "because it can interfere with the acquisition, retention and production of the new language" (MacIntyre & Gardner, 1991, p. 86). Krashen (1985a, 1985b) maintained that anxiety inhibits the learner's ability to process incoming language and short-circuits the process of acquisition. An interaction is often found among anxiety, task difficulty, and ability, which interferes at the input, processing, retrieval, and at the output level. If anxiety impairs cognitive function, students who are anxious may learn less and also may not be able to demonstrate what they have learned. Therefore, they may experience even more failure, which in turn escalates their anxiety. Furthermore, Crookall and Oxford (1991) reported that serious language anxiety may cause other related problems with self-esteem, self-confidence, and risk-taking ability, and ultimately hampers proficiency in the second language.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effects of Language Anxiety on Second Language Learners: a Literature Review
    University of Mary Washington Eagle Scholar Student Research Submissions Spring 5-8-2020 The Effects of Language Anxiety on Second Language Learners: A Literature Review Claire Marsala Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research Part of the Linguistics Commons Recommended Citation Marsala, Claire, "The Effects of Language Anxiety on Second Language Learners: A Literature Review" (2020). Student Research Submissions. 319. https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/319 This Honors Project is brought to you for free and open access by Eagle Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Research Submissions by an authorized administrator of Eagle Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Effects of Language Anxiety on Second Language Learners: A Literature Review Modern language programs in the United States are struggling. A multitude of social and political variables contribute to this decline. One such variable that affects almost every second language learner is language anxiety, a feeling of panic stress that uniquely occurs in the context of the second language acquisition process, especially in a typical classroom setting. The increase in understanding of language acquisition over the last few decades has revealed the significance of language anxiety in this process. MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) define language anxiety as “the feeling of tension and apprehension specifically associated with second language contexts, including speaking, listening, and learning” (284). Although a relatively new concept, dozens of studies have been conducted to test the effects of language anxiety. As an attempt to make sense of this sea of studies, I will present the current research on how language anxiety and affective filters impact second language learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Pronunciation Anxiety and Willingness to Communicate in the Foreign Language Classroom
    Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Acquisition of Second Language Speech Concordia Working Papers in Applied Linguistics, 5, 2014 © 2014 COPAL Pronunciation Anxiety and Willingness to Communicate in the Foreign Language Classroom Małgorzata Baran‐Łucarz University of Wrocław Abstract Numerous studies have proven language anxiety to have a detrimental effect on foreign language (FL) and second language (L2) performance (e.g., Horwitz et al., 1986; MacIntyre & Gardner, 1989). Furthermore, while anxiety has been found to be one of the most immediate determinants of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in a FL (e.g. Clement et al., 2003; MacIntyre et al., 2001), other observations (Gregersen & Horwitz, 2002; Phillips, 1992; Price, 1991) show that it is particularly concern over pronunciation mistakes and speaking in front of the whole class that cause embarrassment and anxiety in FL students. Linking these two facts might lead to an explanation why many post‐puberty learners avoid speaking tasks in the FL classroom, which deprives them of practice and improvement in communicative skills—usually their main goal of FL learning. The aim of the present paper is to report results of a study conducted to verify whether Pronunciation Anxiety (PA) is an important determinant of students’ WTC in a FL classroom – the first part of a two‐fold project on the relation between PA and WTC inside and outside of the classroom. I provide a brief theoretical introduction of the two variables in question and a description of the research design, followed by a discussion of results and final conclusions. Pronunciation Anxiety and WTC in the FL Classroom 37 Proficiency in speaking skills constitutes the main aim of most foreign language (FL) learners.
    [Show full text]
  • The Interplay Among L2 Willingness to Communicate, Speaking Test Anxiety and Speaking Proficiency
    The Interplay Among L2 Willingness to Communicate, Speaking Test Anxiety and Speaking Proficiency Ngo Cong-Lem Department of Applied Foreign Languages, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang Le Quy Don – Long Binh Tan High School, Dongnai, Vietnam. Despite abundant research on willingness to communicate (WTC), few studies have probed into the relationship between L2 WTC and learners’ anxiety in taking speaking test. The current study was conducted to examine the interplay among L2 WTC, speaking test anxiety, and speaking proficiency. Participants recruited for this study were 40 tenth-grade students at a high school in the southern part of Vietnam. The research instruments comprised a speaking-test anxiety and an L2 WTC scale developed by the researchers, tapping into students’ WTC in different communication contexts. The results indicated that L2 WTC was positively associated with the participants’ speaking proficiency and negatively related to their speaking test anxiety. Anxiety was found to negatively impact the learners’ performance on their speaking test. Moreover, students were also found to be more willing to communicate in English in out-of- school situations compared to inside classrooms. No gender difference in L2 WTC was recorded. Pedagogical implications for enhancing EFL learner’ willingness to communicate as well as speaking ability are discussed. Introduction Engendering L2 willingness to communicate (L2 WTC) – the decision to speak a foreign language when having free choice (McCroskey & Baer, 1985) – can impact language acquisition process and is one of the ultimate goals for language training (Pawlak & Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2015). It is, however, commonplace that EFL learners, despite having extensive experience in learning English, are usually reluctant to speak the foreign language (MacIntyre, 2007).
    [Show full text]
  • Anxiety and Motivation in Second Language Learning
    California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Theses Digitization Project John M. Pfau Library 2004 Anxiety and motivation in second language learning Glenn Edward Moore Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project Part of the First and Second Language Acquisition Commons Recommended Citation Moore, Glenn Edward, "Anxiety and motivation in second language learning" (2004). Theses Digitization Project. 2448. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2448 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the John M. Pfau Library at CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses Digitization Project by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ANXIETY AND MOTIVATION IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master· of Arts in English Composition: Teaching English as a Second Language by Glenn Edward Moore September 2004 · ANXIETY AND MOTIVATION IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino by Glenn Edward Moore September 2004 Approved by: Date Rong Chen ABSTRACT Affective factors play an important role in the learning of a second language. Emotions such as anxiety and motivation can significantly affect a second language student's learning success and ability to perform in the language in question. Too much anxiety can create a formidable barrier to learning and performance. Given impetus by Krashen's (1985) theory of the "affective filter," much research has e~amined the role of affective factors in adult second language learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Language Anxiety in Second Language Writing: Is It Really a Stumbling Block?
    LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING: IS IT REALLY A STUMBLING BLOCK? SUJEONG CHOI University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa ABSTRACT This study investigates how foreign language anxiety is related to second language writing anxiety among second language (L2) English learners in Korea and how English writing anxiety affects second language writing performance. It also investigates possible sources of anxiety from the learners’ perspective, which should provide better understanding of possible obstacles that L2 learners may face during language learning. The data came from two survey instruments, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS; Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986) and the English Writing Anxiety Scale (EWAS; Lee, 2005), as well as a background questionnaire. The surveys were administered to an intact class of 26 junior high school students of English as a foreign language, where the teacher had implemented an innovative writing portfolio assignment. The study’s results indicate that there is a significant positive correlation between the FLCAS and the EWAS. There was not a significant correlation between EWAS and writing performance as observed in the student portfolios, but students with high EWAS scores did tend to show poor performance on the writing portfolio. Several causes of anxiety in the classroom from the students’ point of view were uncovered. The research findings suggest that instructors should seek more effective ways to ease the anxiety that students might feel when learning and writing English so as to support successful language learning experiences. INTRODUCTION Horwitz and Cope (1986) defined anxiety as “the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system” (p.
    [Show full text]
  • Relative Importance of Learning Variables on L2 Performance*
    Relative Importance of Learning Variables on L2 Performance* Gabriela Olivares-Cuhat (University of Northern Iowa) Abstract In this article, the results of a pilot study investigating the relative importance of various lear- ner variables on L2 performance are presented. The study was conducted with the participa- tion of forty students enrolled in a beginning Spanish class at a large midwestern university. The CANAL-S test, FLCAS and SILL surveys were administered to evaluate language learning aptitude, anxiety and learning strategy use. Demographic data and exam grades were also recorded. The data was first analyzed within the framework of a causal model with corre- lational and multiple regression analyses. A second step involved the evaluation of the rela- tive importance of the learner variables. Third, the validity of the causality postulated between foreign language anxiety and L2 performance was examined. Overall, this paper confirmed the prevailing role played by language learning aptitude and anxiety, and demonstrated the applicability of a multivariate model to analyze the impact of individual differences on L2 performance. 1 Introduction Since Carroll and Sapon's groundbreaking work on aptitude (1959), many learner variables have been proposed to account for individual differences found in language learning. Today, these various attributes are grouped into general categories, including cognitive (e.g. language aptitude and learning styles), affective (e.g. attitudes, motivation and learning anxiety), meta- cognitive (e.g. use of language learning strategies) and demographic factors (Horwitz 2008). Now, in spite of the extensive body of research found on these topics, only few studies have attempted to explain how different types of learner variables interact and compete with one another in the L2 classroom.
    [Show full text]
  • Second Language Writing Anxiety, Computer Anxiety, Motivation and Performance in a Classroom Versus a Web-Based Environment
    Télé Université Second Language Writing Anxiety, Computer Anxiety, Motivation and Performance in a Classroom versus a Web-based Environment Thesis submitted as partial requirement for the Master’s degree in Distance Education By Effie Dracopoulos June 2012 0 Acknowledgements I am eternally grateful to my supervisor, Dr. François Pichette, for his encouragement, guidance, and support throughout the various stages of my thesis. His expertise in the areas of writing anxiety, ESL, and distance learning has added considerably to the value of my thesis and studies. He has made himself available for consultation in a number of ways over the course of this project, and has done so with a reassuring attitude and a pleasant disposition. Dr. Pichette has not only enabled me to develop a deep understanding of my subject and of the process of conducting research, but has also instilled in me a sense of belonging to the scientific community. I thank him wholeheartedly for his expert counsel, for his significant contribution to my thesis, for his encouraging me to persist when I was overtaken by too many responsibilities, and for his understanding of the challenges of juggling work, school and family. I also wish to thank Professor Pierre Gagné, Chair of the Unit of Education and Research (UER) at TÉLUQ, for his supportive presence behind the scenes over the years. This study would not have been possible without the collaboration of those of my colleagues who helped conduct the study surveys in their classrooms at the School of Continuing Studies, McGill University. I thank them immensely for their participation, feedback, and collegiality.
    [Show full text]