Student Anxiety In Second Language

Although there has not been any research on cultural implications and learning process of Bengali medium students in tertiary level spoken classroom, research around the world dealing with student anxiety in ESL classrooms agree that culture and teaching difference play the most crucial role in ESL learning. Literacy is grounded in specific cultural values (Li, 2003), which is true in every ESL context including Bangladesh.

2.1 Anxiety:

Anxiety is that state of the individual when he/she feels, "uneasiness, frustration, self-doubt, apprehension, or worry" similar to any other specific anxiety (Scovel, 1978, p. 134). However, anxiety as experienced by the individual when learning a foreign language, is as Piniel (2006) says a new area of

(1986), no other area of study will create self-confidence and self-motivation so close to learning with socio-cultural aspects. This idea appears anxiety in the area of second language learning style form other academic areas. Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986) also acknowledged that those who feel they are knowledgeable of their first language can feel anxious when they are tend to speak in the second language. In addition to, learners who learn a second language usually have faith on their self-perception and will create some distinguishes in their second language learning setting.

Regarding their own perception and identity, Guiora (1983) mentioned that second language learning can be extremely throbbing for some students who have own sense of self and worldview. According to Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness strategy, hypothesis refers to a person’s craving to be unhindered (negative face) and to be accumulate in certain respects (positive face). Some of the acts are naturally face-threatening. When a learner face this kind of act, he/she feel the risk of self-confidence and the portion of competency also falls for communicating with others. The thought of existence in second language is probably in every society and plays a part in constraining communication for large numbers of people, those who controlled by the second language is imperfect, just like Bengali medium

Its use is widely spread in all spheres of life. English is used in the administration of the country as well as in higher education. It is regarded as a prerequisite for acquiring jobs and social status. On the other hand, in 2005, Imam explained the Bangladeshi unique history of language movement and how it brought independence for the nation. He linked this crucial issue to Bengali people’s sentiments and emotions (p.471). Imam said, “One problem is that in the minds of most people, national identity and learning English are positioned as antagonistic, not complementary” (p. 471). Imam briefly elaborated that the national language Bengalis spoken by 98% people and therefore since the declaration of independence in 1971, Bengali was confirmed as the medium of instruction in government schools (p. 474). He also added, “Bangladesh, being a new country and having its origin in the glorious 1952 language movement, is comparatively new in this English language promotion race and as a nation it has also been shaped by language and the politics of language, to an unusual degree” (p.472).

Chowdhury and Shaila’s (2011) study on the Bangladeshi SSS and HSC students have found that the students do not practice speaking skill in their classrooms. Chowdhury