Foreign Language Anxiety in Classroom Settings: Impact on Oral Production and Analysis of Possible Technology-Enhanced Learning Strategies

Details

Supervisors

Meunier, Fanny

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en langues et lettres modernes, orientation germaniques

Abstract

enPrevious studies in the field of language learning have demonstrated that about one out of two foreign language learners experiences “foreign language anxiety” (FLA), a distinct form of anxiety specific to foreign language learning. As it has commonly been assumed that FLA represents serious impediments to successful acquisition of the target language, a growing body of studies has referred to pedagogical strategies for lowering the learner apprehension. Although a wide range of anxiety-reducing learning methods have been suggested, very few have focused on modern classroom settings. In addition, there is some evidence in the literature to suggest that speaking is one of the most anxiety-inducing activities. The present dissertation therefore focuses on technology-enhanced tools that could help learners overcome their speaking anxiety. In order to put forward suggestions that suit the learners’ needs, a survey mainly based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al., 1986) was undertaken among 114 learners of English and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants suffering from FLA. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of those data, anxiety-reducing strategies in line with the modern classroom setting were proposed and described in more details, including Tellagami, Natural Reader, Acapela-Box, Extempore, and the Backbone Project. The present dissertation has demonstrated, for the first time, the negative effects of language anxiety on FLL among fifth- and sixth-grade pupils from French-speaking Belgian schools as well as the need for implementing technology-related tools with a view to diminishing foreign language speaking anxiety.