As the study was only conducted in a class of one school, more research is needed to support the findings and to find out more about anxiety in English classrooms.
- Future research should make use of interview and other research tools to gain more reliable data together with the use of more advanced statistical analysis tools to aid in processing data.
- Future research should further study the current issue on a larger sample scale to guarantee more reliable and generalizeable results.
- Further investigation into the possibility of the application of a CLE to teach writing skill would be highly recommended.
References
1. Bailey, K. M. (1983). Competitiveness and anxiety in adult second language acquisition. In H.W. Seliger & M.H. Long (Eds.), Classroom Oriented Research in Second Language Acquisition32, 67-102. Rowley: Mass Newbury House.
2. Bruner, J.(1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP.
3. Chastain, K. (1975). Affective and ability factors in second language acquisition. Language Teaching, 25(1), 153-161.
4. Eharman, M. (1996).Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties. London: Sage Publications.
5. Lesse, S. (1970). Anxiety: Its Components, Development, and Treatment. New York: Grune and Stratton
6. Liu, M. (2006). Anxiety in EFL Classrooms: Causes and consequences. TESL Reporter, 39, 13-32.
7. Harkins, S.G., & R. E. Petty. (1982) The effects of task difficulty and task uniqueness on social loafing. Journal of personality and social psychology, 43, 1214-1229.
8. Hoang Van Van et al. (2006). English 11. Education Publishing House, Hanoi 9. Horner, L. & Redmond, M.L. (2002). Fear Factor: Foreign Language Anxiety in the Secondary Spanish Program. USA: Wake Forest University.
10. Horwitz, E. M. (1986). Preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of a foreign
language anxiety scale. TESOL Quarterly, 20, 559-564.
11. Horwitz, E. M & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. Modern Language Journal, 70, 125-132.
12. Johnson, D. W., and R. T. Johnson. (1989). Cooperation and competition: Theory and research. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Co.
13. Johnson D. & F. Johnson. (1991). Learning Together and Alone, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
14. Kitano, K. (2001). Anxiety in the college Japanese language classroom. The Modern Language Journal, 85, 549-566.
15. Krashen, S. and T. Terrell. (1983). The Natural Approach: Language Acquisition in the Classroom. Oxford: Pergamon.
16. MacIntyre, P. D. & R. C. Gardner. (1994). The subtle effects of language anxiety on cognitive processing in the second language. Language Learning, 44, 283-305.
17. Nascente R. (2001) Student Anxiety. English Teaching Professional, 19, 18-23.
18. Roger T. and D.W. Johnson. (1988). Cooperative Learning: Two heads learn better than one. Transforming Education (IC#18)
19. Roger T. and D. W. Johnson (1994) An overview of cooperative learning. J. Thousand, A.
Villa and A. Nevin (Eds), Creativity and Collaborative Learning; Brookes Press, Baltimore, 1994.
20. Roschelle, J., and S. Teasley. (1995). The construction of shared knowledge in collaborative problem solving. In Computer supported collaborative learning, ed. C. E. O. O‟
Malley, 69-97. Heidelberg.
21. Scovel, T. (1978). The effect of affect on foreign language learning: a review of the anxiety research. Language Learning, 28, 128-142.
22. Silberman, M. (1966) Active learning. Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon.
23. Smith, K. A. (1995). Cooperative learning: Effective teamwork for engineering classroom.
Paper presented at the annual ASEE Frontiers in Education. Conference, Atlanta.
24. Spielberger, C. (1983). The Relationship between Anxiety and Oral Performance in a Foreign Language. Texas, Austin.
25. Stevick, E. W. (1980). A Way and Ways. Rowley, Mass: Newbury House.
26. Stevick, E. W. (1996) Memory, Meaning and Method. (2nd ed.). Boston: Heinle.
27. Swain, M. & Burnaby, B. (1976).Personality characteristics and second language learning in young children. Working Papers in Bilingualism, 11, 115-128.
28. Tuan, P.A. (2003). Reducing stress and anxiety in the language classroom. Teacher‟s Edition TESOL, A publication of the EL Institute, 13, 10-15
29. Young, D. J. (1991). Creating a low-anxiety classroom environment: What does language anxiety research suggest? Modern Language Journal, 75, 426-439.
Appendices
Appendix 1 OBSERVATION SHEET
Materials: ………..
No. of students present: ………..
Date (s): ………...
ITEMS NOTES
Activities
Input to develop linguistic and intercultural knowledge
Teacher‟s attitude Classroom distribution Students‟ participation Interaction between students
Interaction between teacher and students Peers‟ reaction to their friends‟ performance Students‟ psychological manifestation
Comments:………
……….……….………
…….………
……….……….………
OBSERVATION SHEET Materials: Unit 11- Sources of energy, English 11
No. of students present: 32 Date (s): 18/2/2010
ITEMS NOTES
Activities: +Pre-teach vocabulary concerning different sources of energy
+ Individual work: identifying information + Pair work: Giving opinion
+ Group work: Discussion
≥ 10 words to be taught
Input to develop linguistic and intercultural knowledge
Mainly linguistic knowledge
Teacher‟s attitude A bit strict at the end of the lesson
Classroom distribution Class work (about 55%), individual work (15%), group /pair work (30 %).
Students‟ participation About 8 students speak a little, some remain silent
Interaction between students Mostly working individually even when asked to work in groups, sharing ideas reservedly
Interaction between teacher and students Controller & and mistake corrector Peers‟ reaction to their friends‟ performance Some showed no care, and some laughed Students‟ psychological manifestation Shy, nervous and puzzled even with able
students (nearly a half ) Comments:
Most students could hardly make themselves understood. They got very nervous and had difficulty in expressing even simple ideas.
Appendix 2 Staff consultations
This is done for my study on Student anxiety in speaking. Thank you so much for your great help and shared experience!
Teacher’s shared experience Duration of teaching: _______ years 1. Common signs of student anxiety in speaking:
………
………
………
………
2. Normally, about how many percent of the students experience notable levels
of anxiety?
...
3. Major causes of student anxiety in speaking:
………
………
………
………
4.Ways you have used to reduce student anxiety:
………
………
.………
Appendix 3:
English version of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale
1. I never feel quite sure of myself when I am speaking in my foreign language class.
2. I don‟t worry about making mistakes in language class.
3. I tremble when I know that I‟m going to be called on in language class.
4. It frightens me when I don‟t understand what the teacher is saying in the FL.
5. It wouldn‟t bother me at all to take more foreign language classes.
6. During language class, I find myself thinking about things that have nothing to do with the course.
7. I keep thinking that the other students are better at languages than I am.
8. I am usually at ease during tests in my language class.
9. I start to panic when I have to speak without preparation in language class.
10. I worry about the consequences of failing my foreign language class.
11. I don‟t understand why some people get so upset over foreign language classes.
12. In language class, I can get so nervous when I forget things I know.
13. It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my language class.
14. It would not be nervous speaking in the foreign language with native speakers.
15. I get upset when I don‟t understand what the teacher is correcting.
16. Even if I am well prepared for language class, I feel anxious about it.
17. I often feel like not going to my language class.
18. I feel confident when I speak in foreign language class.
19. I am afraid that my language teacher is ready to correct every mistake I make.
20. I can feel my heart pounding when I‟m going to be called on in language class.
21. The more I study for a language test, the more confused I get.
22. I don‟t feel pressure to prepare very well for language class.
23. I always feel that the other students speak the language better than I do.
24. I feel very self-conscious about speaking the foreign language in front of other students.
25. Language class move so quickly I worry about getting left behind.
26. I feel more tense and nervous in my language class than in my other classes.
27. I get nervous and confused when I am speaking in my language class.
28. When I‟m on my way to language class, I feel very sure and relaxed.
29. I get nervous when I don‟t understand every word the language teacher says.
30. I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules you have to learn to speak a FL language.
31. I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me when I speak the foreign language.
32. I would probably feel comfortable around native speakers of the foreign language.
33. I get nervous when the language teacher asks questions which I haven‟t prepared in advance.
Appendix 4: Pre-intervention survey questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed for my research into student anxiety in speaking. Your assistance in completing the questionnaire is highly appreciated. All the information provided is solely for the study purpose, and you can be confident that you will not be identified in any discussion of the data.
Put a tick (√) to the column that is the most appropriate to you I. Your evaluation on your English proficiency and speaking skill
Items Very good Good Fair Bad Very bad
1. English proficiency 2. Speaking skill
II. Your opinion on learning speaking
Strongly disagree
Disagree Not sure
Agree Strongly agree 1. I often feel at a loss for words and the
way to make sense of my ideas.
(Limited vocabulary and grammar) 2. In English class, I can get so nervous that I forget to say things I know.
(Personality)
3. I don‟t like speaking English in class because my pronunciation is not good enough. (bad pronunciation)
4. I am worried about making oral mistakes in the English class. (Fear of making mistakes)
5. I always feel that the other students speak English better than I do.
(inferiority complex)
6. I feel anxious about speaking English in class because I rarely practice speaking. (Lack of practice)
7. I feel more tense and nervous in my language class than in my other classes.
(Lack of familiarity with the environment)
8. I often feel that the speaking tasks are too difficult for me. (Difficulty of the task)
9. It frightens me when I don‟t understand what the speaking teacher is saying in English. (Incomprehensible input)
10. I start to panic when I am asked to speak without preparation in English speaking class. (Lack of preparation) 11. I tremble when I know that I am going to be called on in English speaking lessons. (Fear of being called/
the focus of attention)
12. I do not feel comfortable to speak English if I know that what I am saying will be criticized. (Fear of being negatively evaluated)
13. I am afraid that my English teacher is ready to correct every oral mistake I make. (Fear of being corrected
abruptly)
14. I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me when I speak English.
(Fear of being laughed at)
Bảng câu hỏi
về sự cảm nhận trong giờ học kỹ năng nói tiếng Anh.
Tích (√) vào ô trống phù hợp nhất với lựa chọn của bạn:
I. Đánh giá về trình độ và khả năng nói tiếng Anh của bạn
Mục Rất tốt Tốt Đạt yêu cầu Yếu Rất yếu
1. Trình độ tiếng Anh 2. Khả năng nói tiếng Anh
II. ý kiến của bạn về việc học kỹ năng nói
Hoàn toàn không đồng ý
Không
đồng ý
Không chắc chắn
Đồng ý Hoàn toàn
đồng ý 1. Tôi thường cảm thấy rất bớ từ và
lúng túng để diễn tả ý kiến của mình .
2. Trong lớp học tiếng Anh, tôi có thể quá run đến nỗi mà quên và không thể nói đựơc cả những điều tôi biết.
3. Tôi không muốn nói tiếng Anh trong lớp vì phát âm của tôi không tèt.
4. Tôi lo lắng sẽ mắc lỗi khi nói.
5. Tôi thường cảm thấy rằng những bạn học khác nói tiếng Anh tốt hơn tôi.
6. Tôi cảm thấy lo lắng khi nói vì
thiếu sự rèn luyện.
7. Tôi cảm thấy căng thẳng và mất bình tĩnh trong giờ học tiếng Anh hơn so với các giờ học khác.
8. Tôi thường cảm thấy rằng các câu hỏi và yêu cầu trong giờ nói là quá khó đối với tôi.
9. Tôi rất sợ khi mình không hiểu giáo viên đang nói gì bằng tiếng Anh.
10. Tôi mất bình tĩnh khi mình phải nói hoặc khi giáo viên hỏi tôi những phần mà tôi không được chuẩn bị trưíc.
11. Người tôi run lên khi tôi biết rằng tôi sắp bị gọi lên trong giờ học nãi.
12. Tôi không cảm thấy thoải mái diễn đạt khi biết rằng tôi có thể bị phê bình khi mắc lỗi.
13. Tôi sợ rằng giáo viên tiếng Anh của tôi sẽ lập tức sửa mọi lỗi khi nói mà tôi mắc.
14. Tôi sợ rằng các bạn khác trong lớp sẽ cười tôi khi tôi nói.
Xin chân thành cảm ơn sự giúp đỡ của các bạn!
Appendix 5 Sample lesson plans Unit 13 – Hobby
Lesson 2: Speaking Time: 45 minutes
1. Aims and Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to + Talk about a preferred hobby
+ Improve speaking skills through Asking and answering about a hobby + Complete the tasks in the book
2. Lexical Items: Words concerning hobbies
3. Grammar: Verbs + Gerund (like, hate etc.), Questions in Present simple (review) 4. Teaching aids: Textbooks, handouts
5. Anticipated problems: Lack vocabulary, confusions in expressing ideas.
6. Procedures
Teacher’s activities Students’ activities
Warm up ( 5 min )
Prepare a list of words for Guessing game (To familiarize students with the vocabulary related to the topic “Hobby”)
Rule of the game: The whole class has to guess the activities prepared by the teacher through the miming of two students.
Introduce the theme: Hobby.
Speaking ( 35 min )
Give clear instructions for the speaking.
Task 1 – Talk about a preferred hobby
Get Ss to work in groups: “Find someone who”+
Give Ss handouts.
Observe their friends‟ gestures to work out the words: Swimming, Fishing, Singing, Mountain-climbing, Playing computer games, Reading books, Watching TV
Work in groups cooperatively:
interview their group members for the needed information to fill in the chart.
Two students report their results.
Task 2 – Practice reading the dialogue
Explain some words: stall, tag, classify into Put Ss in pairs to read the dialogue (p. 149).
Ask Ss the main contents of the dialogue: the hobby, how to collect the books, how to organize the books, future plan.
Task 3- Make a dialogue about collecting stamps, using the cues given in the textbook.
Get Ss to work in pairs to do the role play.
Control pair work, stand by and offer helps if students are in need of.
Call some pairs to present in front of the class.
Give feedback with encouragement.
Homework (5 min)
Write about one of your hobbies in about 100 words.
Activities Name Like Not like
Reason
Swimming Fishing
Stamp-collecting Mountain-
climbing
Playing e-games Reading books Chatting
Work in pairs for the reading
Pay attention to the questions in the dialogue
Answer teacher‟s questions (whole class)
Work in pairs: Practice the dialogue by role.
Roleplay in front of the class.
(Answer:
A. What is your hobby?
B. Well, I like collecting stamps
A. Could you tell me how you collect your stamps?
B. I buy them or ask friends, relatives, postmen for them. I sometimes make pen friend with people overseas or exchange stamps with others.
A. How do you organize your collection?
B. I classify them into different categories...)
Unit 14. Recreation Lesson 2: Speaking Time: 45 minutes
1. Aims and Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to + Express agreements and disagreements concerning entertainment activities.
+ Improve speaking skills through expressing agreements and disagreements 2. Lexical Items: Words to talk about recreation, leisure activities.
3. Grammar: Giving suggestions, have to+ V 4. Teaching aids: pictures in the textbook, handouts
5. Anticipated problems: Lack vocabulary to talk about the topic, difficulties in expressing agreements and disagreements
6. Procedures
Teacher’s activities Students’ activities Warm-up ( 5 min )
A game: Word search (vocabulary related to the topic “Camping”)
Get Ss to work in groups of 3.
Give Ss the handouts.
Introduce the theme: Recreation Speaking ( 35 min )
Give clear instructions for the speaking
Task 1 – Write A beside an expression of agreement and D beside an expression of disagreement.
Put Ss in pairs to read the expression and decide A or D statements.
Check with the whole class.
Elicit some more expressions to show
Work in groups: Find all the words related to “camping” in the puzzle.
The group with the correct and quickest answer is the winner
(Answer: sleeping bag, compass, , backpack, tent, flashlight, whistle, camera)
Work in pairs
(Answer: 1-A, 2-D, 3-A, 4-A, 5-D, 6-A, 7-A)
Find some more expressions to show agreement and disagreement
agreement and disagreement from Ss.
Write them on the board.
+ Expressing agreement - You’re absolutely right.
- I think so -That’s right.
+ Expressing disagreement - You may be right, but … - That might be true, but …
- Well, I don’t think so. As for me…
Task 2 – Practicing the dialogue
Put Ss in pairs to read
Call on some pairs to practice the dialogue in front of the class.
Task 3 – Explain the task, introduce the table content. Put Ss in groups to discuss the pros and cons of a camping holiday.
Supervise group-work and offer help.
Ask some representatives to report the discussion to the whole class.
Homework (5 min)
Prepare a three-minute talk on the benefits of going on a camping holiday.
Read the dialogue in pairs (p.157)
Practice the dialogue in front of the class
Work in groups for the discussion: Show the agreement or disagreement + reasons to reach the final decision.
Report the discussion results to the class with the reasons why the group members agree or disagree.
Appendix 6 Post intervention survey questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed for my research into student anxiety in speaking. Your assistance in completing the questionnaire is highly appreciated. All the information provided is solely for the study purpose, and you can be confident that you will not be identified in any discussion of the data.
Put a tick (√) to the space next to the option which is most appropriate to you
1. What do you think about the teacher’s behavior and attitude toward students in the classroom?
a) Very serious ____ b) Serious____ c) Friendly and encouraging ____
2. What do you think about the linguistic input the teacher provides you before and while the class practice speaking?
a) Very limited and difficult to apply ____
b) Just enough for some basic expressions____
c) Enough for students to express their ideas____
3. What do you think about most of the questions, tasks, and topics set by the teachers?
a) Difficult and unfamiliar ____ b) Normal ____ c) Appropriate____
4. How do you feel when you are called to answer the teacher’s questions?
a) Afraid and confused ____ b) Normal ____ c) Motivated ____
5. What do you think of the way the teacher gives prompts and encourages you when you get stuck in expressing ideas?
a) Unnecessary ____
b) Useful enough ____
c) Useful and necessary to build up students‟ confidence ____
6. What do you think about the general comments the teacher makes to your answers as well as the way he/she corrects the mistakes?
a) Inappropriate and not encouraging enough ____
b) Acceptable ____
c) Appropriate and encouraging ____
7. What do you think about students’ working in groups cooperatively?
a) Ineffective and time-consuming ____
b) Only beneficial for the less able group members ____
c) Beneficial for the whole group ____
8. How do you feel when working in group?
a) Tense and nervous ____
b) More assured and confident ____
c) Very confident and comfortable ____
9. How do you feel when speaking English in front of the class?
a) Nervous & embarrassed __ b) Manageable ___ c) Confident enough __
10. What do you think of your friends’ making mistakes sometimes when they speak English?
a) They deserve criticism ____ b) I have no idea _____ c) It is tolerable ____
Bảng câu hỏi
về sự cảm nhận trong giờ học kỹ năng nói tiếng Anh.
Tích (√) vào ô trống phù hợp nhất với lựa chọn của bạn:
1. Bạn nghĩ như thế nào về cử chỉ và thái độ của gv đối với học sinh trong lớp?
a) Quỏ khắt khe ____ b) Hơi khắt khe ____ c) Thân thiện và khích lệ____
2. Bạn đánh giá như thế nào về nền tảng ngụn ngữ mà giáo viên (gv) cung cấp trước và trong khi hoc sinh thực hành nói tiếng Anh?
a) Rất sơ sài và khó vận dụng____
b) Chỉ đủ cho những diễn đạt cơ bản ____
c) Đủ cho học sinh biểu đạt ý định của mình ____
3. Bạn nghĩ như thế nào về các bài tập, nhiệm vụ, chủ đề gv giao cho lớp?
a) Khó và không gần gũi____ b) Bình thường ____ c) Phù hợp____
4. Bạn cảm thấy như thế nào khi được mời trả lời câu hỏi của gv?
a) Sợ và lúng túng ____ b) Bình thường ____ c) Rất có động lực____
5. Bạn nghĩ như thế nào về cách gv đa gợi ý và động viên học sinh khi học sinh đó đang bị bế tắc khi diễn đạt?
a) Không cần thiết ____
b) Khá hữu ích ____
c) Hữu ích và cần thiết để học sinh có thêm tự tin ____
6. Bạn đánh giá như thế nào về cách nhận xét và sửa lỗi cho học sinh của gv ? a) Không phù hợp và thực sự khích lệ ____
b) ChÊp nhËn được ____
c) Phù hợp và khích lệ ____
7. Bạn đánh giá như thế nào về hình thức học tập trên tinh thần cộng tác theo nhóm?
a) Kém hiệu quả và lãng phí thời gian____
b) Chỉ hữu ích cho những bạn còn yếu____
c) Hữu ích và cần thiết cho mọi thành viên của nhóm____
8. Bạn cảm thấy như thế nào khi làm việc theo nhóm?
a) Căng thẳng và lo lắng ____