Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety

Author(s): Elaine K. Horwitz, Michael B. Horwitz and Joann Cope

Source: The Modern Language Journal , Summer, 1986, Vol. 70, No. 2 (Summer, 1986),
pp. 125-132
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers
Associations

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/327317

REFERENCES
Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/327317?seq=1&cid=pdf-
reference#references_tab_contents
You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms

National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations and Wiley are collaborating with
JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Modern Language Journal

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety
ELAINE K. HORWITZ, MICHAEL B. HORWITZ, AND JOANN COPE

"IJUST KNOW I HAVE SOME KIND OF DISABILITY: I CAN'Tstudents generally feel strongly that anxiety is
learn a foreign language no matter how hard I try." a major obstacle to be overcome in learning to
"When I'm in my Spanish class I just freeze! I can't think speak another language, and several recent ap-
of a thing when my teacher calls on me. My mind goes blank.proaches
" to foreign language teaching, such as
"Ifeel like my French teacher is some kind of Martian death
community language learning and suggesto-
ray. I never know when he'll point at me!" pedia, are explicitly directed at reducing learner
"It's about time someone studied why some people can't learn
anxiety. However, second language research
languages. "I
has neither adequately defined foreign language
Such statements are all too familiar to anxiety nor described its specific effects on for-
teachers of foreign languages. Many eign people
language learning. This paper attempts to
fill this gap by identifying foreign language
claim to have a mental block against learning
a foreign language, although these same anxiety
peopleas a conceptually distinct variable in
may be good learners in other situations, foreign language learning and interpreting it
strongly motivated, and have a sincere within
likingthe context of existing theoretical and
for speakers of the target language. What,empirical
then, work on specific anxiety reactions.
prevents them from achieving their The symptoms and consequences of foreign
desired
goal? In many cases, they may have an language
anxiety anxiety should thus become readily
identifiable to those concerned with language
reaction which impedes their ability to perform
learning and teaching.
successfully in a foreign language class. Anxiety
is the subjective feeling of tension, apprehen-
sion, nervousness, and worry associated with
EFFECTS OF ANXIETY ON LANGUAGE LEARNING

an arousal of the autonomic nervous system.2 Second Language Studies. For many
Just as anxiety prevents some people from per-
scholars have considered the anxiety-pr
forming successfully in science or mathematics,
potential of learning a foreign lang
many people find foreign language learning,
Curran and Stevick discuss in detail the defen-
especially in classroom situations, particularly
sive position imposed on the learner by most
stressful.
language teaching methods; Guiora argues that
When anxiety is limited to the language
language learning itself is "a profoundly un-
learning situation, it falls into the category ofpsychological proposition" because it
settling
specific anxiety reactions. Psychologists directly
use thethreatens an individual's self-concept
term specific anxiety reaction to differentiate
and worldview.4 More recently researchers
people who are generally anxious in a variety
have attempted to quantify the effects of anxiety
of situations from those who are anxious only
on foreign language learning, but these efforts
in specific situations. Researchers have identi-
have met with mixed results. While the perti-
fied several specific anxieties associated
nentwith
studies have differed in the measures em-
school tasks such as test-taking and with aca-
ployed, they can generally be characterized by
demic subjects such as mathematics or science.3
their comparison of students' self-reports of
Second language researchers and theorists
anxiety with their language proficiency ratings,
have long been aware that anxiety is often asso- through a discrete skills task or a
obtained
ciated with language learning. Teachers and
global measure such as final course grade. In
his 1978 review of research, Scovel argues that
scholars have been unable to establish a clear-
The Modern Language Journal, 70, ii (1986) cut relationship between anxiety and overall
0026-7902/86/0002/125 $1.50/0
?1986 The Modern Language Journal
foreign language achievement; he attributes the
discrepant findings at least in part to the in-

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 126 Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope

consistency of anxiety measures

Clinical Experience. used
The subjective feelings,
cludes: "It is psycho-physiological
perhaps symptoms, and be-
premature to
havioral responsesand
[anxiety] to the global of the anxious foreign lan-
comprehe
guage learner are essentially the same as for any
of language acquisition.'"5
specific anxiety.
Studies seeking more They experience apprehen-
specific effects
iety on language sion,
learning
worry, even dread. They
have have difficulty
been
concentrating,
vealing. Kleinmann foundbecome forgetful,
that sweat, and
ESL
with high levelshaveof debilitating
palpitations. They exhibit avoidance be- an
havior types
tempted different such as missingofclass and postponing
gramma
structions than did
homework.less
Clinical anxious ESL
experience with foreign
and Steinberg andlanguage students in university
Horwitz foundclasses and atthat
experiencing an the Learning Skills Center (LSC) at the Uni-
anxiety-producing
attempted less interpretive
versity of Texas also suggests several(more
discrete
problems causedexperiencing
messages than those by anxiety and illustrates
condition.6 These poignantly
studies how these problems
indicatecan interfere tha
with language learning. Principally, counselors
can affect the communication strate
dents employ in find language
that anxiety centers on the class.
two basic task Th
more anxious student
requirements oftends to
foreign language avoid
learning: lis-
tening and speaking. Difficulty
ing difficult or personal messages in speaking in in
language. These class
findings are cited
is probably the most frequently alsocon- c
with research oncern of the anxioustypes
other foreign language students
of spec
seeking help
munication anxiety. at the LSC. Students often report
Reseachers study
that they feel fairly comfortable
ing in a native language have respondingfound to t
dents with highera drill or delivering
levels of prepared speeches in theiranx
writing
foreign language
shorter compositions and class but tend to "freeze" in
qualify thei
a role-play situation.
less than their calmer A female student speaks
counterparts d
A review of the of
literature found
the evenings in her dorm room only
spent rehears-
ing what she designed
strument specifically should have said in classto
the daymea
eign language before. Anxious language
anxiety. learners also com-
Gardner, C
plain of difficulties
Smythe, and Smythe discriminating the sounds
developed five
and structures
measure French class of a target language
anxiety as message.
part
test battery onOne male student claims to hear
attitudes and only a loud
mot
Gardner, Smythe, Clement,
buzz whenever and G
his teacher speaks the foreign
language. Anxious
found small negative students may also have dif-
correlations (ran
ficulty grasping
r = -.13 to r = -.43) between the content of athis
target language
scale
measures of message. Many LSC clients (aural
achievement claim that they com
sion, speaking, have little orgrade,
final no idea of what the
andteacher isa
say-com
three sub-scales of the Canadian Achievement ing in extended target language utterances.
Test in French).9 Foreign language anxiety frequently shows
up in testing situations. Students commonly re-
This brief review suggests two reasons for the
dearth of conclusions concerning anxiety and port to counselors that they "know" a certain
second language achievement. First, the anx-grammar point but "forget" it during a test or
iety measures typically have not been specific an oral exercise when many grammar points
must be remembered and coordinated simul-
to foreign language learning. Only the research
by Gardner utilized a measure relevant to lan-taneously. The problem can also be isolated in
guage anxiety, and it was restricted to French persistent "careless" errors in spelling or syn-
tax. The student realizes, usually some time
classroom anxiety. Second, few achievement
studies have looked at the subtle effects of anx- after the test, that s/he knew the correct answer
iety on foreign language learning. Although re- but put down the wrong one due to nervous-
search has not clearly demonstrated the effect ness. If the student realizes s/he is making pre-
of anxiety on language learning, practitioners ventable errors during the test, anxiety - and
have had ample experience with anxious errors - may escalate.
learners. Overstudying is a related phenomenon. Stu-

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety 127
FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY: CONCEPTUAL
dents who are overly concerned about their per-
FOUNDATIONS
formance may become so anxious when they
Because to
make errors, they may attempt foreign language anxiety con
compensate
by studying even more. performance evaluation within
Their frustration is an aca
understandable when theirand social context, effort
compulsive it is useful to draw pa
does not lead to improvedbetween
grades. it and
Onethree related performance
bright
woman who had lived inties: 1) communication
Mexico spent eightapprehension;
hours a day preparing for anxiety; and 3) fear
a beginning of negative evaluatio
Spanish
class --and still did poorly. to its emphasis
The reverseon interpersonal
be- interact
havior is also possible. Anxious the construct of communication
students may apprehe
avoid studying and in some is quite cases
relevantskip
to the class
conceptualization o
entirely in an effort to alleviate eign language
their anxiety. 3 Communicati
anxiety.
Certain beliefs about language prehension is a type also
learning of shyness characte
contribute to the student's tension and frustra- by fear of or anxiety about communicatin
tion in the classroom. We note that a number people. Difficulty in speaking in dya
of students believe nothing should be saidgroups
in (oral communication anxiety) or i
the foreign language until it can be said cor-
lic ("stage fright"), or in listening to or le
rectly and that it is not okay to guess an un-
a spoken message (receiver anxiety) are all
known foreign language word.10 Beliefs such festations of communication apprehen
as these must produce anxiety since students Communication apprehension or some si
are expected to communicate in the second reaction obviously plays a large role in f
language anxiety. People who typically
tongue before fluency is attained and even ex-
cellent language students make mistakes or for- trouble speaking in groups are likely to e
get words and need to guess more than occa- ence even greater difficulty speaking in
sionally. eign language class where they have litt
In light of current theory and research in sec- trol of the communicative situation and their
ond language acquisition, the problem of anx- performance is constantly monitored. More-
iety and the accompanying erroneous beliefs over, in addition to all the usual concerns about
about language learning discussed here repre- oral communication, the foreign language class
sent serious impediments to the development requires the student to communicate via a
of second language fluency as well as to per- medium in which only limited facility is pos-
formance. Savignon stresses the vital role of sessed. The special communication apprehen-
spontaneous conversational interactions in the sion permeating foreign language learning de-
development of communicative competence, rives from the personal knowledge that one will
while Krashen argues that the extraction of almost certainly have difficulty understanding
meaning from second language messages (sec- others and making oneself understood. Possibly
ond language acquisition in his terminology) because of this knowledge, many otherwise
is the primary process in the development of talkative people are silent in a foreign language
a second language."1 Anxiety contributes to an class. And yet, the converse also seems to be
affective filter, according to Krashen, which true. Ordinarily self-conscious and inhibited
makes the individual unreceptive to language speakers may find that communicating in a for-
input; thus, the learner fails to "take in" the eign language makes them feel as if someone
available target language messages and lan- else is speaking and they therefore feel less
guage acquisition does not progress.12 The anxious. 14This phenomenon may be similar
anxious student is also inhibited when attempt- to stutterers who are sometimes able to enun-
ing to utilize any second language fluency he ciate normally when singing or acting.
or she has managed to acquire. The resulting Since performance evaluation is an ongoing
poor test performance and inability to perform feature of most foreign language classes, test-
in class can contribute to a teacher's inaccurate anxiety is also relevant to a discussion of for-
assessment that the student lacks either some eign language anxiety. Test-anxiety refers to a
necessary aptitude for learning a language or type of performance anxiety stemming from a
sufficient motivation to do the necessary work fear of failure.15 Test-anxious students often put
for a good performance. unrealistic demands on themselves and feel that

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 128 Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope

anything less than in the L2

ais perfect
likely to challenge an test
individual's per
is a failure. Students who are test-anxious in self-concept as a competent communicator and
foreign language class probably experience con-lead to reticence, self-consciousness, fear, or
even panic.
siderable difficulty since tests and quizzes are
frequent and even the brightest and most pre-Authentic communication also becomes
pared students often make errors. Oral tests problematic in the second language because of
have the potential of provoking both test- and the immature command of the second language
oral communication anxiety simultaneously relative
in to the first. Thus, adult language
susceptible students. learners' self-perceptions of genuineness in pre-
Fear of negative evaluation, defined as "ap-senting themselves to others may be threatened
prehension about others' evaluations, avoid- by the limited range of meaning and affect tha
ance of evaluative situations, and the expecta- can be deliberately communicated. In sum, the
tion that others would evaluate oneself nega- language learner's self-esteem is vulnerable to
the awareness that the range of communicative
tively," is a third anxiety related to foreign lan-
guage learning.16 Although similar to test anx-choices and authenticity is restricted. The
iety, fear of negative evaluation is broader importance
in of the disparity between the "true
scope because it is not limited to test-taking self as known to the language learner and the
situations; rather, it may occur in any social,more limited self as can be presented at any
evaluative situation such as interviewing for given
a moment in the foreign language would
job or speaking in foreign language class. seem to distinguish foreign language anxiety
Unique among academic subject matters, for- from other academic anxieties such as those
eign languages require continual evaluation associated
by with mathematics or science. Prob-
ably no other field of study implicates self-
the only fluent speaker in the class, the teacher.
Students may also be acutely sensitive to the concept and self-expression to the degree that
language study does.
evaluations - real or imagined - of their peers.
Although communication apprehension, test
anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation pro- IDENTIFYING FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY
vide useful conceptual building blocks for a de-
scription of foreign language anxiety, we pro- Since anxiety can have profound effect
many aspects of foreign language learnin
pose that foreign language anxiety is not simply
the combination of these fears transferred to is important to be able to identify those stu
foreign language learning. Rather, we conceive who are particularly anxious in foreign
foreign language anxiety as a distinct complex guage class. During the summer of 1983,
of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and be- dents in beginning language classes at the
haviors related to classroom language learning versity of Texas were invited to participa
arising from the uniqueness of the language a "Support Group for Foreign Language L
learning process. ing." Of the 225 students informed of the
Adults typically perceive themselves as rea- port groups, seventy-eight, over one-t
sonably intelligent, socially-adept individuals, were concerned enough about their foreign
sensitive to different socio-cultural mores. guage class to indicate that they would li
These assumptions are rarely challenged when join such a group. Due to time and space l
communicating in a native language as it is tations, participation had to be limited to
usually not difficult to understand others or to groups of fifteen students each. Group m
make oneself understood. However, the situa-ings consisted of student discussion of con
tion when learning a foreign language standsand difficulties in language learning, did
in marked contrast. Because individual com- presentations on effective language lear
munication attempts will be evaluated accord- strategies, and anxiety management exer
ing to uncertain or even unknown linguistic The difficulties these students related were
and socio-cultural standards, second language compelling. They spoke of "freezing" in class,
communication entails risk taking and is neces-standing outside the door trying to summon up
sarily problematic. Because complex and non- enough courage to enter, and going blank prior
spontaneous mental operations are required into tests. They also reported many of the psycho-
order to communicate at all, any performancephysiological symptoms commonly associated

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety 129
TABLE I
with anxiety (tenseness, trembling, perspiring,
FLCAS Items with Percentages of Students Selecting
palpitations, and sleep disturbances).
Each Alternative
The experiences related in the support
groups contributed to the development
SA* A N D SD of the
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale
1. I never feel quite sure of
(FLCAS).'7 The scale has demonstrated in my foreign language cla
internal reliability, achieving an alpha coeffi- 11** 51 17 20 1

cient of .93 with all items producing significant 2. I don't worry about making
corrected item-total scale correlations. Test- 11 23 1 53 12

retest reliability over eight weeks yielded 3.

an I
when I know t tremble
in language class.
r = .83 (p <.001). A construct validation study 5 16 31 29 19
is currently underway to establish foreign lan-
4. It frightens me when I
guage anxiety as a phenomenon related to but teacher is saying in the f
distinguishable from other specific anxieties. 18 8 27 29 20 16
Pilot testing with the FLCAS affords an
5. It wouldn't bother me at
guage classes.
opportunity to examine the scope and severity
15 47 12 16 11
of foreign language anxiety. To date, the re-
sults demonstrate that students with debilitat- 6. During language class, I fi
things that have nothing to
ing anxiety in the foreign language classroom 7 19 31 32 12
setting can be identified and that they share 7.
a I keep thinking that the
number of characteristics in common. The re- languages than I am.
sponses of seventy-five university students 13 25 20 28 13

(thirty-nine males and thirty-six females rang-8. I am usually at ease during

5 35 19 20 21
ing in age from eighteen to twenty-seven) from
9. I start to panic when I ha
four intact introductory Spanish classes are re-
tion in language class.
ported here. The FLCAS was administered to 12 37 19 28 4
the students during their scheduled language 10. I worry about the conse
class the third week of the semester. language class.
The items presented are reflective of com- 25 17 12 29 16

11.
munication apprehension, test-anxiety, and I don't understand why so
foreign language classes.
fear of negative evaluation in the foreign lan-
5 17 36 37 4
guage classroom. Responses to all FLCAS
12. In language class, I can
items are reported in Table I. All percentages I know.
refer to the number of students who agreed or 9 48 11 25 7

strongly agreed (or disagreed and strongly dis- 13. It embarrasses me to vo

class.
agreed) with statements indicative of foreign
0 9 19 57 15
language anxiety. (Percentages are rounded to
14. I would not be nervou
the nearest whole number.)
with native speakers.
Students who test high on anxiety report that 5 12 17 51 15
they are afraid to speak in the foreign language. 15. I get upset when I don
They endorse FLCAS items indicative of is correcting.
speech anxiety such as "I start to panic when 1 31 28 37 3

I have to speak without preparation in language 16. Even if I am well pre

anxious about it.
class" (49 %); "I get nervous and confused when
5 37 17 24 16
I am speaking in my language class" (33 %); "I
17. I often feel like not goi
feel very self-conscious about speaking the for- 19 28 19 23 12
eign language in front of other students" (28%). 18. I feel confident when I spe
They also reject statements like "I feel confident 1 28 24 43 4

when I speak in foreign language class" (47%). 19. I am afraid that my lan
Anxious students feel a deep self-consciousness every mistake I make.
0 15 31 40 15
when asked to risk revealing themselves by
20. I can feel my heart p
speaking the foreign language in the presence called on in language cla
of other people. 5 27 19 37 12

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 130 Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope

TABLE I prehending the target language message they

(continued)
must understand every word that is spoken.
SA* A N D SD
Anxious students also fear being less com-
petent
21. The more I study for than other students
a language or being
test, negatively
the more c
fused I get. evaluated by them. They report: "I keep think-
4 12 8 48 28
ing that other students are better at languages
22. I don't feel pressure to prepare very well for
class.
than I am" (38%); "I always feel that the other
3 12 19 44 23 students speak the foreign language better than
23. I always feel"language
that
students theI do"
class moves
speak (31%);
so quickly,
other
the for
language better than II worry
about getting left behind" (59%); "it
do.
12 19 25 31 13 embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my
languageabout
24. I feel very self-conscious class" (9%); "I am afraid that
speaking the thefore
language in front of other students.
other students will laugh at me when I speak
3 25 19 47 7
the foreign language" (10%). Thus, they may
25. Language class moves so quickly I worry abou
left behind. skip class, overstudy, or seek refuge in the last
16 43 11 28 3
row in an effort to avoid the humiliation or em-

26. I feel more tense andbarrassment

nervous of being
in called
myonlanguage
to speak. clas
in my other classes. Anxious students are afraid to make mistakes
13 25 19 31 12
in the foreign language. They endorse the state-
27. I get nervous and confused
ment "I am when
afraid thatImy
am speaking
language teacher is in m
language class.
5 28 28 31 8
ready to correct every mistake I make" (15%),
while disagreeing with "I don't worry about mak-
28. When I'm on my way to language class, I feel v
and relaxed. ing mistakes in language class" (65 %). These
5 27 40 24 4 students seem to feel constantly tested and to
29. I get nervous whenperceive
I don't every correction
understandas a failure. every w
language teacher says.
Student responses to two FLCAS items - "I
3 24 24 43 7
feel overwhelmed by the number of rules you
30. I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules yo
have to learn to speak a foreign language"
to learn to speak a foreign language.
9 25 32 32 1 (34%) and "I feel more tense and nervous in
31. I am afraid that myother
the language class than in my other
students willclasses"
laugh
when I speak the (38%)--lend
foreign further support to the view that
language.
3 7 20 53 17 foreign language anxiety is a distinct set of be-
32. I would probably feel comfortable
liefs, perceptions, around
and feelings in response to n
speakers of the
language. foreign
foreign language learning in the classroom and
5 23 20 41 11
not merely a composite of other anxieties. The
33. I get nervous when the language teacher asks questions
latter item was found to be the single best dis-
which I haven't prepared in advance.
5 44 17 31 3 criminator of anxiety on the FLCAS as meas-
*SA = strongly agree; A
ured by its correlation with the total score.
= agree; N = neither agree n
agree; D = disagree; SD These results suggest thatdisagree.
= strongly anxious students feel
**Data in this table are uniquely unableto
rounded to deal
thewith nearest
the task of lan-
whole
ber. Percentages may guage
notlearning.
add to 100 due to roun
Our findings suggest that significant foreign
language anxiety is experienced by many stu-
dents in response to at least some aspects of for-
The fact that anxious eign language learning. A majority
students of the state-
fear they
not understand all ments reflective of foreign
language input language anxiety
is also
sistent with communication (nineteen of thirty-three items) were supported
apprehension.
dents endorse statements by a third or more
likeof the "it
studentsfrighten
surveyed,
when I don't understand what the teacher is and seven statements were supported by over
saying in the foreign language" (35%); "I gethalf the students. Although at this point we can
nervous when I don't understand every word only speculate as to how many people experi-
the language teacher says" (27%). They be-ence severe reactions to foreign language learn-
lieve that in order to have any chance of com-ing, these results (considered in light of the

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety 131
techniques
number of students who expressed should
a need forbe based on in
a student language-support philosophy and on
group) imply thatreducing defensiv
anxious students are common in foreign
in students. lan-
The impact of these (or
guage classrooms (at least inrective practices
beginning on foreign languag
classes
on the university level). and ultimate foreign language ac
must, of course, be studied in the c
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
How much current teaching pra
In general, educators have twotribute
optionstowhen
foreign language anxie
dealing with anxious students: much is can
1) they due help
to the intrinsic nature
learning
them learn to cope with the existing are important issues to be
anxiety-
before
provoking situation; or 2) they firmthe
can make conclusions regardi
learning context less stressful. interventions
But before can be reached.
either
option is viable, the teacher must first acknowl-
CONCLUSIONS
edge the existence of foreign language anxiety.
Teachers probably have seen in their Scholars are only beginning to un
students
many or all of the negative effects
the role of of anxiety
anxiety in foreign languag
ing; we
discussed in this article, extremely do not
anxious yet know how pervasiv
stu-
dents are highly motivated to language
avoid engaging anxiety is nor do we compre
in the classroom activities theyprecise
fear most,repercussions
they in the classroom
may appear simply unpreparedknow or indifferent.
that individual reactions can var
Therefore, teachers should always Someconsider
studentsthe may experience an anxi
tion of
possibility that anxiety is responsible for such
the intensity
stu- that they post
quiredattributing
dent behaviors discussed here before foreign language courses until
poor student performance solely possible to lack of
moment or change their majo
ability, inadequate background,foreign
or poor moti- study. Students who
language
vation. Specific techniques which enceteachers
moderate mayanxiety may simply pr
nate in
use to allay students' anxiety include doing homework, avoid spe
relaxation
exercises, advice on effective class, or crouch
language learn- in the last row. Other
ing strategies, behavioral contracting, andexperience anxiety or
seldom, if ever,
journal keeping. 19 But languagein teachers
a foreign language class.
have
neither sufficient time nor adequate expertise
The effects of anxiety can extend be
classroom.
to deal with severe anxiety reactions. Such Just
stu- as math anxiety se
dents, when identified, should critical
probablyjob be re- channeling some w
filter,
some members
ferred for specialized help to outside counselors of other minority gro
from employing
or learning specialists.20 Therapists high-paying, high-demand m
behavior modification techniques, such as sys-
engineering careers, foreign language
tematic desensitization, have successfully
too, may play a role in students' selec
treated a variety of specific anxieties
courses,related
majors,to and ultimately, career
learning, and these techniques should
eign prove
language anxiety may also be a f
equally useful in the case of foreign
studentlanguage
objections to foreign language
anxiety. ments.

Reducing stress by changing the context

In recent of
years there have been signs of a
foreign language learning is the more
vival impor-
of interest in foreign language study
tant and considerably more difficult task.
as an applied As in conjunction with bus
skill
study,takes
long as foreign language learning for example,
place and for its intrin
in a formal school setting where evaluation
humanistic value is
as an essential part of a tr
inextricably tied to performance, anxiety
tional liberal is
education. With an increa
likely to continue to flourish. number
Teachers
of might
schools establishing or re-estab
create student support systems and closely
ing foreign language requirements, teac
monitor the classroom climate will
to identify spe- an even greater perc
likely encounter
cific sources of student anxiety.
age ofAs students
students vulnerable to foreign lang
appear to be acutely sensitive to targetThe
anxiety. language
rise of foreign language requ
corrections, the selection of error
mentscorrection
is occurring in conjunction with an

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 132 Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope

tive on
creased emphasis teacher who will acknowledge students' sp
spontaneous
the foreign language class.
feelings of isolation Since
and helplessness and offer sp
the target language concrete suggestons forto
seems attaining
be foreign
the lan- m
ening aspect of foreign guage confidence. Butlanguage lear
if we are to improve for-
current emphasis eignonlanguage
theteachingdevelopmen
at all levels of educa-
municative competence tion, we must recognize,
poses cope with, and even-
particul
difficulties for the anxious student. tually overcome, debilitating foreign language
Foreign language anxiety can probably be anxiety as a factor shaping students' experiences
alleviated, at least to an extent, by a suppor- in foreign language learning.

in Foreign Language Teaching (Philadelphia: Center for Cur-

NOTES
riculum Development, 1972); S. D. Krashen, "Formal and
Informal Environments in Language Acquisition and Lan-
guage Learning," TESOL Quarterly, 10 (1976), pp. 157-68.
1These quotations have been collected by counselors at
12S. D. Krashen, "The Input Hypothesis," Current Issues
the Learning Skills Center at the University of Texas,
in Bilingual Education: Georgetown University Round Table on
Austin. Languages and Linguistics, ed. J. E. Alatis (Washington:
Georgetown Univ. Press, 1980), pp. 168-80; H. Dulay,
2C. D. Spielberger, Manualfor the State-Trait Anxiety Inven-
tory (Form Y) (Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists M. Burt & S. Krashen, Language Two (New York: Oxford
Press, 1983). Univ. Press, 1982).
3S. Tobias, Overcoming Math Anxiety (Boston: Houghton 13J. C. McCroskey, "Oral Communication Apprehen-
Mifflin, 1978); F. C. Richardson & R. L. Woolfolk, sion: A Summary of Recent Theory and Research," Human
"Mathematics Anxiety," Test Anxiety: Theory, Research and Communication Research, 4 (1977), pp. 78-96.
Application, ed. I. G. Sarason (Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 14The practice in suggestopedia of providing students new
1980), pp. 271-88; J. V. Mallow, Science Anxiety (New York: target language identities may also capitalize on this phe-
Thomond, 1981). nomenon.

4C. A. Curran, Counseling-Learning in Second Languages 15E. M. Gordon & S. B. Sarason, "The R
(Apple River, IL: Apple River, 1976); E. Stevick, Language tween 'Test Anxiety' and 'Other Anxieties'
Teaching.: A Way and Ways (Rowley, MA: Newbury House, sonality, 23 (1955), pp. 317-23; Test Anxiety.
1980); A. Z. Guiora, "The Dialectic of Language Acquisi- andApplication, ed. I. G. Sarason (Hillsdal
tion," An Epistemology for the Language Sciences, ed. A. Z. 1980).
Guiora, Language Learning, 33 (1983), p. 8. 16D. Watson & R. Friend, "Measurement of Social-
5T. Scovel, "The Effect of Affect; A Review of the Anxiety Evaluative Anxiety,"Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychol-
Literature," Language Learning, 28 (1978), p. 132. ogy, 33 (1969), pp. 448-51.
6H. H. Kleinmann, "Avoidance Behavior in Adult 17E. K. Horwitz, "Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety
Second Language Learning," Language Learning, 27 (1977),Scale," unpubl. manuscript, Univ. of Texas, Austin, 1983.
pp. 93-101; F. S. Steinberg & E. K. Horwitz, "The Effect 18See E. K. Horwitz, "Preliminary Evidence of the Reli-
of Induced Anxiety on the Denotative and Interpretive Con-ability and Validity of a Foreign Language Classroom
tent of Second Language Speech," TESOL Quarterly (in
Anxiety Scale" (forthcoming), for correlations between the
press). FLCAS and other specific anxieties and details on the con-
7j. A. Daly & M. D. Miller, "Apprehension of Writing struct validation process.
as a Predictor of Message Intensity," Journal of Psychology, 19See I. R. McCoy, "Means to Overcome the Anxieties
89 (1975), pp. 175-77; J. A. Daly, "The Effects of Writing of Second Language Learners," Foreign Language Annals, 12
Apprehension on Message Encoding,"Journalism Quarterly, (1979), pp. 185-89, for a discussion of dealing with stu-
27 (1977), pp. 566-72. dent anxieties in the foreign language classroom. Tech-
8R. C. Gardner, R. Clement, P. C. Smythe & C. C. niques for teaching relaxation are included in Benson's The
Smythe, Attitudes and Motivation Test Battery, Revised Manual. Relaxation Response (New York: Morrow, 1973) and E.
Research Bulletin 15 (London, Ontario: Dept. of Jacobson, Progressive Relaxation (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago
Psychology, Univ. of Western Ontario, 1979). Press, 1938). Behavioral contracting is an anxiety reduc-
9R. C. Gardner, P. C. Smythe, R. Clement & L. Gliks- tion method for students having difficulty attending to the
man, "Social and Psychological Factors in Second Language learning task. The student agrees to spend a specific amount
Acquisition," Canadian Modern Language Review, 32 (1976), of time on a task, such as going to the language lab, and
pp. 198-213. then reports back to the teacher on her or his success.
'0E. K. Horwitz, "What ESL Students Believe About 20When an anxiety reaction is both specific and severe,
Language Learning," unpubl. paper presented at the psychologists typically use the term "phobia."
TESOL Annual Meeting, Houston, March 1984. 21F. C. Richardson & R. L. Woolfolk (note 3 above).
11S. J. Savignon, Communicative Competence.: An Experiment

This content downloaded from

190.164.218.83 on Mon, 24 Oct 2022 22:24:29 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms