Özgehan UŞTUK, Leyla HARPUTLU, Selami AYDIN, Serhat GÜZEL, Şeyda SAVRAN ÇELİK

A Descriptive Study on Foreign Language Anxiety among Children

Yapılan araştırmalar, kaygının yabancı dil öğrenme süreci üzerinde hem faydalı hem de zararlı etkilerinin olduğunu göstermekle beraber, İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen çocuklar arasında kaygı düzeyleri üzerine yeterli ölçüde veri de bulunmamaktadır. Bu nedene dayalı olarak, mevcut çalışma, okul ortamında İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen çocuklar arasındaki olası kaygıyı inceleme amacı taşımaktadır. Çalışmanın örneklem grubu, ilk ve ortaokul düzeyine öğrenim gören ve yaşları 7 - 12 arasında değişen 494 çocuktan oluşmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak bir arka plan anketi ve Çocuklarda Yabancı Dil Kaygı Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Toplanan veri için yüzdelik frekans, aritmetik ortalama ve standart sapma hesaplanmıştır. Sonuçlar, sınavların ve dilbilgisi tabanlı dil öğretme ve öğrenme etkinliklerinin ılımlı düzeyde kaygı nedeni olduğunu göstermektedir. Ek olarak, konuşma etkinliklerine hazırlıksız olarak katılma, hata yapma korkusu, içeriği bilinmeyen konular ve başarısızlık korkusunun çocuklarda yüksek düzeyde kaygı doğurmaktadır. Çalışmanın sonunda, çocuklar arasındaki yabancı dil kaygısının önemli bir sorun olduğu dikkate alınarak, bir takım öneriler sıralanmıştır

Çocuklarda Yabancı Dil Kaygısı üzerine Betimsel Bir Araştırma

While research demonstrates that foreign language anxiety (FLA) has both facilitating and debilitating effects on achievement in the foreign language learning process, there are no data on the mentioned issue in the Turkish context regarding children who learn English as a foreign language (EFL). Therefore, this study aims to investigate the levels of FLA among Turkish children who learn EFL at school settings. The sample group in the study consisted of 494 Turkish EFL learners enrolled at primary and secondary schools. The data collection instruments consisted of a background questionnaire and the Children’s Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (CFLAS). The frequencies, mean scores and standard deviations were calculated. The results indicated that examinations and grammar-based language activities are the reasons of a moderate level of anxiety. Unpreparedness before speaking, fear of making mistakes, unfamiliar topics, negative evaluation by other students and fear of failing are other sources of a high level of FLA among children. Given that FLA constitutes a considerable problem in the Turkish EFL context regarding children, several practical recommendations are given

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