5. Anxiety Introduction During the last 3 decades, researchers extensively studied the role of emotional variables in a Second/Foreign Language Learning/ Teaching
8. Definition 1. “Anxiety is a stage of apprehension a vague fear that is only indirectly associated with its object……… it is generated through the arousal of the limbic system, the primitive, subcortal “chassis” of the cerebrum, which plays an important, indirect role in many kinds of human enterprises, including communication”. Scovel (1978:134)
9. 2.“language anxiety is the feeling of tension and apprehension specifically associated with second language contexts, including speaking, listening and learning.” Macintyre & Gardner (1994:284)
11. Why such high rates of anxiety? • Difficulties with emotion regulation • Changes in routine • Changes in expectations • Apprehension in social situations • Fear of future change • Poor understanding of occurrences in Surroundings-Change
12. What is Stress? • The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” • Fight and flight response
13. Negative Consequences of Anxiety • Anxious, jumpy and irritable • Reduces ability to work effectively • Intense focus on threat reduces ability to make judgments by drawing information from many sources • More accident prone • Long term health risks both psychological and physical • Few situations in day to day life where this is useful • Needs to be kept under control
16. Anxiety in Asperger Syndrome • Children, adolescents and adults with AS experience high levels of anxiety • Studies have found that children with AS experience levels of anxiety more similar to children with diagnosed anxiety disorders than to non-anxious children (Kim et al., 2000; Sofronoff & Russell ,2005)
19. Types of Anxiety 1. Trait Anxiety “a more permanent predisposition to be anxious. It is related to learner’s Personality.” (Scovel, p. 137). 2. State Anxiety “apprehension that is experienced at a particular moment in time as a response to a definite situation” (Spielberger 1983) 3. Situation Specific Anxiety “the anxiety which is aroused by a specific type of situation or event such as Public Speaking, Examination or class participation.”
23. Study of Situational Anxiety in SLA by Horwitz and young (1991: Collection of Papers on anxiety in classroom setting.) Types of Research Type B Research Type D Research Series of Events together Diaries of students
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34. “ Title Claims that ESL students" experience a kind of anxiety that is related to test anxiety , fear of negative evaluation , and communication apprehension ” (Title 1997) “a similar study was done on ESL Language anxiety in Mexican Girl by Eleni Pappamihiel”(Pappamihiel 2001)
35. Many of the Studies showed that learner with low anxiety learns better. “the student who feels at ease in the classroom and likes the teacher may seek out more intakes by volunteering----- and may be more accepting of the teacher as a source of input.” (Krashen 1981:23)
37. Model of the role of anxiety in language learning based on MacIntyre & Gardner (1989a) Continued poor performance Poor performance and continued bad learning experiences result in increased anxiety Later Learner expect to be nervous and performs poorly Situation anxiety develops if learner develops negative expectations based on bad learning experiences. Post-Beginner None Very Little- Restricted to stage anxiety Beginner Effect on Learning Type of Anxiety Stage
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39. Interaction among Anxiety and other individual differences Interaction between level of anxiety and IQ level. “ Higher states of anxiety facilitate learning at upper levels of intelligence, whereas they are associated with poorer performance at lower IQ levels” (Scovel, p. 136).
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41. Individual Differences in SLA: Methods / Affect One dominant methodology for SLA studies of the affective domain; Elkhafaifi is no exception: Correlation research
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45. Individual Differences in SLA: Self-Report Data In correlation studies of SLA affect, informants provide information about themselves (about their anxiety, tolerance for ambiguity, motivation, and so on) by completing the instrument (a questionnaire). The results are called “self-report data.” What are the pros and cons of self-report data? Advantages : they provide a fast and easy way of categorizing informants’ affective characteristics. We could categorize informants ethnographically (through observation), but this would require a considerable investment in time and resources. Self-report data represent a trade-off for researchers in time-energy-accuracy.
46. Individual Differences in SLA: Self-Report Data Disadvantages : Hawthorne effect: Informants may provide data they think the researcher wants to receive. Self-flattery syndrome: They may provide data that present themselves favorably, but which may be inaccurate.
47. Individual Differences in SLA: Correlation Self-report data are then correlated with some measure of SLA success (test scores, typically), so that researchers can draw conclusions about the relationship between affect (extroversion, self-esteem, anxiety, and so on) and success in SLA. Remember what correlation is not: Causation Correlation simply shows a relationship between two things, not that one causes the other. With that in mind, what is wrong with this statement? “The majority of studies support the view that anxiety contributes to poor performance, not the reverse” (Elkhafaifi, p. 208).
48. Alpha & Omega Anxiety is one of the main Blocking Factor in the Process of Effective Language Learning.
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50. Now, Mr. Hamza Niaz Would share “ Role of Parents in Anxiety”
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52. “ If a stressed mother slams the door and throws down her keys, she is teaching her child one way to relieve her stress……if she goes out for a jog, meditates or practices yoga, she is teaching other ways.” (Stolberg, 2002)
54. The Parents should not quarrel in front of children. Because it is a big cause of anxiety in children and may also enhance anxiety already present in children.
55. It has been observed that performance of the children in the class is deeply affected by the disturbed home environment.
56. I would like to invite Mr. Saqib Aftab to continue.
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58. Teacher’s Role in Class-Room Anxiety 1. State of equilibrium in Class. 2. Positive Thinking towards Students 3. Encouragement 4. Overlook Student’s mistakes 5. Stress free environment.
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60. I would like to invite Mr. Muhammad Asif Khan to Continue.
