1. How to Create a Low-Anxiety Classroom
Environment
By Katherine Puderbaugh

2. 
Current challenges in second and foreign language
teaching include providing students with a low anxiety
environment




“Regardless of method, we know that learners need to adopt
attitudes and strategies that pay off in terms of low anxiety,
high motivation, and ultimately in the ability to convey
information and communicate ideas and feelings” (Young)
Language anxiety research has significantly advanced in
the past few years due to improvements in measurement
and theory
Some research suggested that a relationship between
language learning and anxiety in the classroom did exist,
while others did not
However, many research studies did not include variables
such as language setting, anxiety definitions, anxiety
measures, age of subjects, language skill, and research
design

3.  From
all of the studies conducted on
language learning anxiety, 6 sources of
language anxiety have been established
 1) Personal and interpersonal anxieties
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Learner beliefs about language learning
Instructor beliefs about language teaching
Instructor-learner interactions
Classroom procedures
Language testing

4. 

Most common source of language anxiety – generally
caused by low self-esteem and competitiveness
Bailey


Krashen


Study suggested that competitiveness leads to anxiety
when students compare themselves to other or to their
idealized self image
Study suggested that people with low self-esteem worry
about what their peers think and go through a
psychological phenomena known as “group membership”
– causes anxiety in a lot of people
Price

Subjects of study believed that their language skills were
weaker than others and that they were not as good.
Study suggested that those who start out with a selfperceived low ability level are likely to have anxiety

5.  Terrell

Research suggests that anxiety exists due to a
similar “group membership” phenomenon –
anxiety exists due to the desire to belong and
identify with a group
 Rardin

Research suggests a deeper psychological cause
of language anxiety in which a learner is afraid
that they will lose their own self-identity

6.  Major
contributor to language anxiety
 “When beliefs and reality clash, anxiety
results” (Young)
 Horwitz

Learners in study expressed concern over the
correctness of their utterances, stressed over
accents, and believed that two years was enough
time to become fluent in a language. These
beliefs are unrealistic, but lead to anxiety.

7.  Brandl

Research showed that many instructors believe
that intimidation is necessary to enhance a
student’s performance and objected to a friendly
student-teacher relationship.
 Teachers
that believe their role is only to
correct students and lecture, and do not
believe in students working together because
they may lose control, are most likely
contributing to anxiety.
 “The social context that the instructor sets
up in the classroom can have tremendous
ramifications for the learners” (Young)

8.  Horwitz
et al., Koch and Terrell, Price, and
Young


Anxiety often stems from instructors harsh
manner of correcting students
Students often report anxiety from responding
incorrectly, standing in front of classmates, and
sounding dumb. Overall, they express major
concerns over how mistakes are treated in the
classroom environment.
 The
manner in which errors are corrected
has a huge effect on language anxiety

9.  Anxieties
associated with classroom
procedures usually stem from having to
speak the learning language in front of an
entire classroom
 Koch and Terrell

Research found that more than one half of
students within a classroom thought that giving
an oral presentation while standing in front of
the class was the most anxiety-producing activity
 Young

Study found that more than 68% of subjects felt
more comfortable when they did not have to get
up in front of the class to speak

10.  Madsen

et al.
Research found that students experience anxiety
over certain test formats. Students also
experience anxiety when the test does not
reflect the things they studied for hours on or
does not reflect the same format the class was
taught in.
 Daly

Research found that the more unfamiliar and
ambiguous the test tasks and formats, the more
the learner anxiety produced

11.  MacIntyre

and Gardner
Research suggests that students do not begin
their language learning experience with anxiety –
rather they develop anxieties through language
learning experience
 “Student
language anxiety might be an
indication that we are doing something
fundamentally unnatural in our
methodology” (Young)

12. 
Suggest students use supplemental instruction or a support
group
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Promote self-talk
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Tutors or language clubs – a smaller atmosphere where they
can overcome anxieties associated with language learning.
Students are more likely to not be afraid of saying the wrong
answer in front of a smaller group than a larger group.
Instructors should place a lot of emphasis on students
rehearsing the language they are learning. Rehearsing in
privacy with just an instructor allows for students to make
corrections with the teacher and become less anxious for oral
presentations in front of the class.
Only test what you teach

Tests should be fair and reflect in-class instruction and format.
Students experience less anxiety when they know exactly what
to expect on tests, and from the teacher as well.

13. 
Instructors as facilitators
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
Intimidation is not the key to a students language
learning successful performance. Teachers should be
seen as facilitators, not drill sergeants that only correct
errors. Instead, teachers should facilitate activities and
productive communication between students.
Positive corrections to errors/Teaching approach
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
“Instructors who had a good sense of humor and were
friendly, relaxed and patient, who made students feel
comfortable, and who encourages students to speak out
were cited as helpful in reducing foreign language class
anxiety” (Young).
Students feel more at ease when they feel that their
instructors manner of correction was not harsh.
Teachers should also practice being more clear on what
they would like the students to do – thus leading to less
confusion and anxiety.

14. 
More group classroom procedures


Instructors should implement more pair work and games.
Instructors should also not seat students alphabetically, but
rather allow them to sit in an informal group setting. Calling
on students at random should be avoided as well.
Ommaggio


The Natural Approach
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
Research suggests that anxiety is alleviated when students work in
small groups, work in pairs, or receive personalized language
instruction.
Personalize instructions by using pictures to present
vocabulary. It also emphasizes listening comprehension and an
initial period where students don’t have to speak in the foreign
language being learned.
Low-anxiety oral presentation

Students can practice reading an script orally after practicing
it with a small group, or presenting with a small group – idea
that they are all in it together alleviates anxiety.

16.  Young,
Dolly Jesusita. "Creating a LowAnxiety Classroom Environment: What Does
Language Anxiety Research Suggest?" The
Modern Language Journal 75.4 (1991): 426439.