SavedAdd your journal

Journals / The Literacy Trek / 2019 / Cilt: 5 - Sayı: 2

How Anxious are Turkish EFL Learners? Tolerance of Ambiguity and Self-perceived Communication Competence as Predictors

Mehmet ASMALI
Pages
25–46
Publication Date
2019-12-14
DOI
—
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

In the light of the findings, some practical suggestions were put forward both for language teachers and further research.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Foreign language anxiety has already been reported to deteriorate learners' language learning performance.
📊
Key Findings & Data:It is closely related to how learners perceive their communication performance in the target language and how tolerant they are when they face ambiguities in foreign language learning.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:In the light of the findings, some practical suggestions were put forward both for language teachers and further research.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Ambiguity tolerance · perceived-communication competence · foreign language classroom anxiety

Abstract

Foreign language anxiety has already been reported to deteriorate learners' language learning performance. It is closely related to how learners perceive their communication performance in the target language and how tolerant they are when they face ambiguities in foreign language learning. Therefore, the current study investigated learners' foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), second language tolerance of ambiguity (SLTA), and self-perceived communication competence (SPCC). The study also aimed to examine the potential predictive power of SPCC and SLTA on Turkish EFL learners' FLCA. Mixed-methodology design was used combining the data gathered from four semi-structured interviews and three different questionnaires. 156 freshmen studying at a Turkish state university enrolled in different departments participated in this study. Descriptive statistics showed that students had a moderate level of FLCA, but low SLTA and SPCC. Multiple regression analyses significantly identified SLTA and SPCC as predicting FLCA. Both independent variables were negatively related to FLCA explaining 26% of the total variance. In the light of the findings, some practical suggestions were put forward both for language teachers and further research.

🔖

Cite This Article

ASMALI, M. (2019). How Anxious are Turkish EFL Learners? Tolerance of Ambiguity and Self-perceived Communication Competence as Predictors. The Literacy Trek, Cilt: 5 - Sayı: 2, 25–46. https://ajindex.com/articles/806932

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (13)

  1. Al-Saraj, T. M. (2014). Revisiting the foreign language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS): The anxiety of female English language learners in Saudi Arabia. L2 Journal, 6, 49-76.
  2. Amiri, M., & Ghonsooly, B. (2015). The relationship between English learning anxiety and the students' achievement on examinations. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 6 (4), 855-865.
  3. Arnold, J., & Brown, H. D. (1999). A map of the terrain. In J. Arnold (Eds.), Affect in language learning (pp. 1−24). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  4. Asmalı, M., Bilki, U., & Duban, C. A. (2015). A comparison of the Turkish and Romanian students’ willingness to communicate and its affecting factors in English. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 11, 59-74.
  5. Awan, R. N., Azher, M., Anwar, M. N., & Naz, A. (2010). An investigation of foreign language classroom anxiety and its relationship with students’ achievement. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 7, 11-33.
  6. Aydın, S., Harputlu, L., Savran Çelik, Ş, Uştuk, Ö., & Güzel, S. (2018). A descriptive study on foreign language anxiety among children. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 33(1), 229-241.
  7. Bailey, K. M. (1983). Competitiveness and anxiety in adult second language learning: Looking at and through the diary studies. In Seliger, H. W., & Long, M. H. (Eds.), Classroom oriented research in second language acquisition (pp. 67-103).
  8. Rowley, MA: Newbury House. Başöz, T. (2015). Exploring the relationship between tolerance of ambiguity of EFL learners and their vocabulary knowledge. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 11, 53-66.
  9. Blau, A. (1955). A unitary hypothesis of emotion: Anxiety, emotions of displeasure, and affective disorders. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 24, 75–103.
  10. Bochner, S. (1965). Defining intolerance of ambiguity. Psychological Record, 15, 393-400.
  11. Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education. Brown, D. (1994). Principles of language learning and teaching. Englewood Cliff: Prentice Hall Regent. Budner, S. (1962). Intolerance of ambiguity as a personality variable. Journal of Personality, 30, 29-50.
  12. Chapelle, C. A. & Roberts, C. (1986). Ambiguity tolerance and field independence as predicators of proficiency in English as a second language. Language learning, 36, 27-45.
  13. Chastain, K. (1988). Developing second language skills: Theory practice. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Javonich. Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, q