Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) Focus on learners' gender and on target languages

Details

Supervisors

Meunier, Fanny

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en langues et lettres modernes, orientation générale, à finalité didactique

Abstract

In the current era of globalization, being able to speak multiple foreign languages holds a paramount importance. However, the prevalence of anxiety among learners of foreign languages is widespread, and its negative impact can significantly hamper language acquisition. This study aims to measure the levels of FLCA experienced by secondary students who are taught English and Spanish in French-speaking Belgian schools. Furthermore, it explores the extent to which gender and the choice of a specific foreign language contribute to these outcomes. A total of 80 teenagers responded to a French version of Horwitz et al.’s (1986) FLCA scale. The findings reveal that participants in the survey exhibit a significant degree of anxiety concerning foreign language learning, with female learners displaying notably higher levels of anxiety compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, the study established that English generates more anxiety than Spanish among students. Ultimately, this research introduces strategies aimed at mitigating foreign language anxiety in the classroom, as seen from both perspectives of teachers and learners.