Language Anxiety In Language Learning

Many researchers have studied on what language anxiety is. Language anxiety is generally defined as a negative emotional reaction and a subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, worry and fear experienced and associated with second language learning (MacIntyre and Gardner, 1994, p.284; MacIntyre, 1999, p.27; Scovel, 1978, p.138; Spielberger, 1983, p.1). Scovel (1978, p.138) interpreted the role of anxiety in language learning as an emotional state of a vague fear that is only indirectly associated with an object. Spielberger (1983, p.1) highlighted anxiety was in relation to an arousal of the autonomic nervous system. Horwitz et al. (1986, p.128) described language anxiety as a unique complex of beliefs, feelings, and behaviours

At the earliest stage of language learning, a learner will encounter many difficulties in learning, comprehension, grammar and other areas (MacIntyre, 1999). Learners might feel frustrated with grasping the syntax of the new language. They might have problems with their limited vocabularies and how to use them in context. Not being able to comprehend native speakers or other peers with higher proficiencies might also cause confusion for foreign/second language learners. Students fear of being ridiculed for giving wrong answers by their classmates in the classroom is also another reason for language anxiety. Many learners feel stressed and anxious in such situation. Gardner and MacIntyre (1993) pointed out that anxiety may lead to a reduction in motivation (as cited in Cheng, H. Y., 1997, p.114). Such negative relation was also found between anxiety and attitude (Cheng, H. Y., 1997, p.114). Besides, anxiety influences students’ strategy used to compensate their weakness” (as cited in Cheng, M. H. Y., 1997, p.114). Kleinmann (1977) reported that “avoidance behaviours were produced when the learner was in the state of anxiety” (as cited in Cheng, Y. S., 1998, p.300). Students with high levels of debilitating anxiety differ from the less anxious students in that they tend to avoid attempting different types of grammatical constructions (Kleinmann, 1977, p.93). In her study of the role of anxiety on oral performance, Steinberg (1982) discovered that anxiety affected the quality of input of language learners” (as cited in Cheng, N. S., 1998, p.300). Madsen and his colleagues (1991) confirmed Young’s finding that “the amount of anxiety varied according to student’s ability level and found that students’ anxiety levels did not seem to be indirectly related to the perceived difficulty of the exam” (as cited in Cheng, N. S., 1998, p.300). In test anxiety,