Speaking Anxiety among Adults Learning English in Foreign Language Schools

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Strah od govora na stranom jeziku među odraslim polaznicima tečaja engleskog jezika u školama stranih jezika
• Author: Dora Jakovina
• Mentor: Anđel Starčević (mentor)
• Mentor: Marija Bartulović (mentor)
• Committee member: Višnja Josipović-Smojver (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of Pedagogy); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-17, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Pedagogy; Andragogy

Abstract

This graduation thesis investigates the notion of foreign language speaking anxiety among adults learning English in foreign language schools. Foreign language speaking anxiety is one of the affective factors that impacts language acquisition and is specific to the foreign language learning process. It is a complex phenomenon which has been extensively researched in the past few decades. However, the specific context of a foreign language school has not been in focus of researchers and has proven to be a niche worth investigating. The purpose of this study was to examine the modalities of foreign language speaking anxiety among adult learners of English, as well as to identify the specific in-class practices and methods, instructor characteristic and behaviors which potentially worsened or alleviated said anxiety within the foreign language school classroom.
The theoretical part of this thesis explores the sources, manifestations and solutions to foreign language anxiety and foreign language speaking anxiety. The research study was conducted in two parts. In the first, a questionnaire was administered to 50 course participants, identifying the most anxiety-inducting class procedures and activities as well as teacher characteristics and behaviors which alleviated anxiety. The results of the questionnaire, compared to other relevant research studies, were used as one of the bases for the formation of the focus-group protocols. In the second part of the study, two focus-groups were held in order to obtain a greater understanding of the topics which were selected from the questionnaire and the relevant literature. Speaking activities were found to be the most anxiety-inducing, especially those that required exposure in front of other participants. The role of the instructor was found to be crucial in creating an optimal atmosphere for learning. Group cohesion and support proved to be crucial for the participants.

• Keywords: foreign language anxiety; foreign language schools; English as L2
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:845114
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Linguistics; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Study programme: Title: Pedagogy (double major); Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra pedagogije (magistar/magistra pedagogije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-09-23 06:59:29