Speaking anxiety among Turkish EFL learners: The case at a state university

Bu çalışma yabancı dil konuşma kaygısının seviyesini, ana sebeplerini, belirleyici faktörlerini ve öğrencilerinalgılarını araştırmaktadır. Çalışmaya Türkiyedeki bir devlet üniversitesinin İngilizce hazırlık programındaokuyan 383 ön-orta seviyede öğrenci katılmıştır. Öğrencilerin kaygı seviyesini ölçmek için anket yöntemikullanılmış, daha sonra yaşadıkları kaygı ile ilgili daha detaylı veri toplamak için rastgele seçilmiş 19 öğrenciylegörüşme yapılmıştır. Nicel veriler tanımlayıcı istatistiklerle analiz edilmiş, nitel verilerin analizinde ise içerikanalizi kullanılmıştır. Nicel veriler öğrencilerin düşük seviyede konuşma kaygısı yaşadığını gösterse de, nitelveriler konuşma becerisinin öğrencilerin çoğu için kaygı yaratıcı bir faktör olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca,İngilizce telaffuz, ani sorular, hata yapma korkusu ve olumsuz değerlendirmeler konuşma kaygısının temelsebepleri olarak bulunmuştur. Son olarak, bu çalışmanın sonuçları yabancı dil konuşma kaygısın kendine özgüsebepleri, değişkenleri ve sonuçlarıyla ayrı bir olgu olduğunu göstermektedir.

İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen Türk öğrencilerin konuşma kaygısı: Devlet üniversitesinde bir durum çalışması

This study investigated the level, major causes, determining factors of foreign language speaking anxiety andstudents perceptions of it in a Turkish EFL context. Pre-intermediate students (N=383) of an Englishpreparatory program at a state university participated in the study. The data regarding the level of EFL speakinganxiety were collected through a questionnaire, and then, randomly selected participants (N=19) wereinterviewed to get in-depth data on speaking anxiety. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptivestatistics, and the qualitative data were analyzed via content analysis. Although the results of the quantitativedata revealed that students experienced a low level of EFL speaking anxiety, the quantitative data demonstratedthat most of the students perceive speaking skill as an anxiety provoking factor. It was also found thatpronunciation, immediate questions, fears of making mistakes and negative evaluation are the major causes ofEFL speaking anxiety. Finally, the present study puts forward that foreign language speaking anxiety is aseparate phenomenon with its own sources, aspects, variables and effects on learners.

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