The Relationship Between Foreign Language Anxiety and Foreign Language Speaking Proficiency Among Elementary School Students in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Ming-Chieh Chiang, 江明潔
• Other Authors: Li-Chu Sung
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/94994790749310609896

碩士 === 銘傳大學 === 應用英語學系碩士在職專班 === 100 === This study aims to investigate the relationship between foreign language anxiety and English speaking proficiency among elementary school students in Taiwan. The results from recent research indicates that anxiety was often reported to be an important cause for decreased learning motivation, interference with the learning process, and poor performance (Elkhafaifi, 2005; Pappamihiel, 2002; Sparks & Ganschow, 2007). However, previous studies of foreign language anxiety mainly focused on language learners in senior, junior high school or college levels. Very few explored learners in the elementary level. The learners’ language proficiency is associated with their learning in the early years of their lives. If learners’ language anxiety is not carefully tackled, their language proficiency will be affected. According to Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986), adult language learners have felt prevalently that anxiety have influenced their learning process and anxiety have interfered with their learning. Thus, this study is significant. In this study, 86 elementary school students who lived in New Taipei City were recruited as participants. The instrument used in this study to measure student’s foreign language speaking anxiety is the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and 15 open-ended questions which are conducted by Wu (2005). The results show a negative correlation between participants’ anxiety and their English speaking performance. The highest mean of anxiety factors is speech anxiety and the lowest mean of anxiety factors is fear of making mistakes. The findings indicate a significant correlation between Foreign Language Anxiety and Foreign Language Speaking Proficiency and provide insightful implications for language learners and instructors. The 15 open-ended questions indicate the parent’s involvement and expectations which is also the source of anxiety for the elementary school students. Students also indicate that hope instructors can use team or group activities in the English class.