CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Encyclopedia of Psychology (2000), defined that “anxiety” as an emotion characterize by strong

feelings of tension, worries, and some physical changes including occasional increased blood pressure. In
other words, it may be conceived as a phobia (feeling of fear), dismay or restlessness. However, neither
the sufferer nor the people around may notice any apparent reasons for anxiety leading to emotional
and physical changes. Language anxiety is one of the manifestations of general anxiety. Lantieri and
Patti (1996) put forward that there is a relationship between distress, anxiety and the ability of our
memory to work. Learners of English often express a feeling of stress, nervousness or anxiety while
learning to speak the language and claim to have a ‘mental block’ against learning English. (Masuod
Hashemi, 2011).

Age. Others found that age has a big part in anxiety. But according to Onwuegbuzie, Bailey, &
Daley, 1997; 1999; Zhang, 2001; Dewale , 2007; LA; Dewale, Petrides & Furha, 2008, age has a negative
relationship with anxiety. In addition with the studies of Onwuegbuzie, Bailey & Daley (1999), suggested
that older learners tend to be more anxious. Older students feel more anxious than younger students
because they are much concerned with their self- esteem that leads to anxiety. (Zhang, 2001)

Sex. In speaking the second language, most of the male students have more confidence in
reciting during class discussion. Yet, the student behavior in uttering the language cannot determine
based on their gender. The first factor that affects the English language anxiety is their mother tongue
and the school background; thus, this was conducted to find the answer on English classroom anxiety
according to their first language, sex, and course.

A lot of research focuses on each student’s characteristics based on age and biological gender.
There are issues about gender in connection of language anxiety; however, several studies explore
between language anxiety and gender (Campbell & Shaw, 1994; Matsuda & Gobel, 2004; Mejias et al.,
1991; Park & French, 2013) yet the results of these studies frequently contradicted to each other. The
findings constantly show that both female and male are having higher anxiety. Onwuegbuzie et al.
(1999) found the relationship between FL anxiety and countable factors, such as history of visiting
foreign countries, academic achievement, and a perceived self-worth. Spielberger ( 1983) stated that his
sample of 224 language learners, “ females are more emotionally stable than males in their reactions to
highly stressful or relaxing circumstances”.

Researchers have documented the differential treatment accorded males and females in the
classrooms that reinforces a sense if inferiority and lack of imitative among female students (Sadker &
Sadker 1988). On his findings on classroom interaction, boys receive more and better instruction. Boys
are more often called upon by the teacher, and boys interact more with the teacher than girls.
Therefore, boys develop more confidence and sense of superiority in class, while girl students tend to
get shy and nervous when being asked. It is observable that boys are more active and loud in the
classroom. Being said that boys are called more to participate and interact, they build stronger bond
with the teachers that make them confident and less anxious.

Family. Of all the institution in the society, family is the most important. Learners spend at least
six to eight hours in school and rest of their time every day spends at home. In addition, parents should
think that it is an opportunity to support their children in their children studies. In other words, follow
up the status of their children’s performance, supervise their children in their homework/project, and
review their children’s corrected seat works, and test papers are just some of the behavioral traits
supposed to have of the parents to support their children’s learning. Therefore, parents have more
opportunity to teach and guide their children than teachers. (Carreon et al. 2009)

What kind of person, the family where an individual comes from, level of education they have
attained, and an index to the behavior that may be expected from them is a reflection from an
individual’s language. Carreon et al. (2009) also stated that the students from low-income families are
the students most likely to be at risk for failing and dropping out of school. A pattern of failure may start
quite early for many lower-income students especially if they have not had the early experiences upon
which school learning often build.

Some studies in United States, social class has something to do with the quality of education.
Those children living in low income neighborhoods tend to receive education which is qualitatively
below that received by children living in high income neighborhoods. In this situation, the children tend
to lock into the social class of their parents and social classes are according to the family income.

Additionally, parental support influences children’s academic performance in varied and

significant ways, reaching beyond merely assisting students with homework to shaping attitudes toward
study and learning that have lifelong implications for their educational…………………