Communication Apprehension in EFL classrooms in Lower Secondary Schools : A case study of English teachers’ awareness of speech anxiety in their own classroom and what they do to alleviate students’ anxiety

Abstract

This thesis studies educators’ awareness offoreign language anxiety (FLA), specifically communication apprehension,in Norwegian lower secondary schools. Communication is a key skillnecessary to masteringforeign languages, yet it is also the most anxiety inducing skill forforeign language learners(Horwitz et al., 1986).Despite the many challenges in learning a newlanguage, steps can be taken to ensure that students learn effectively. However, educators must first be aware of FLA and its effects on their students. Previous research shows that speech anxiety is the biggest impediment to the learning process (Arnold & Brown, 1999). FLA can cause apprehension, worry and dread,all ofwhich can lead to internal feelings of shame and embarrassment. As a result, learners exhibit avoidance behavior,which often includespartial or complete withdrawal from communication in class (Horwitz et al., 1986).The first objective of this study was to find out if English lower secondary teachers are aware of FLA. The second aim was to discover if they take any steps to alleviate students’ anxiety and what strategies they employ when teaching English as a foreign language. In order to examine the situation in lower secondaryschools, a mixed researchmethodconsisting of a survey and six semi-structured interviews were employed.The findings suggest that teachers are aware of the term FLA, but not all are aware ofapprehensive students in their ownclassroom. Despite this, the majority of teachers employed pedagogical strategies to facilitate for students with speech anxiety. The results showed that reducing the number of students per class, letting students talk in pairsor small groups,and using digital devices for evaluations, homework and class activities were steps used by teachers to alleviateapprehension.