A CASE STUDY ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ENGLIAH PROFICIENCY IN TAIWANESE EFL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

• Main Authors: Hui-Mei Amy Chen, 陳慧美
• Other Authors: Shu-Hui Eileen Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35479313962922722009

碩士 === 國立台北師範學院 === 兒童英語教育研究所 === 92 === ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the difference of foreign language anxiety levels between higher proficiency and lower proficiency learners in Taiwanese EFL elementary schools, and to explore the correlation between foreign language anxiety and English proficiency. Subjects were chosen from sixth graders in an elementary school in Taipei City. The English proficiency test was first administered to select a group of more proficient students and a group of less proficient students, each with 50 students respectively. The two groups were then asked to fill out the English anxiety scale modified from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). In addition, 10 students from each group were interviewed. Data obtained from the interview were used as cross-reference for comparison with data form the questionnaire. The results indicated that higher proficiency learners experienced lower level of foreign language anxiety than lower proficiency learners. The result of T-test showed that the distinction of foreign language anxiety between higher proficiency and lower proficiency learners was absolutely significant. In addition, higher proficiency learners experienced, as reported in the questionnaire, lower level of communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation than lower proficiency learners. Pearson correlation test further suggested that there was significantly negative correlation between foreign language anxiety and English proficiency, including listening ability, speaking ability, and reading ability respectively. Although students’ foreign language anxiety was overall negative correlated with English proficiency, it was positively correlated with English proficiency in some high-proficiency children. This suggested that there was individual difference, and foreign language anxiety may also have facilitating effects on foreign language learning, despite debilitating effects. There were implications we can draw from this study. Firstly, educators and parents should take the impact of foreign language anxiety into account on English learning by Taiwanese EFL elementary school children. Secondly, teachers should increase more comprehensible input, introduce stress-free activities, and tolerate with learners’ mistakes or errors to reduce students’ foreign language anxiety & to promote their English learning.