1. The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
University of Algiers
Faculty of Letters and Languages
Department of English
Dissertation Submitted
In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of
MAGISTER in LINGUISTICS
Supervised by: Submitted by:
Doctor Kamel KHALDI Ms Chahrazed MESSADH
Academic Year: 2005-2006
The Impact of Anxiety on Speaking in English
as a Foreign Language: The Case of First Year and
Third Year Algerian University Students.

2. v
Examination Board
Chair : Doctor Safia CHERCHALLI, University of Algiers.
Supervisor: Doctor Kamel KHALDI, University of Algiers.
Examiner: Professor Faiza BENSEMMANE, University of Algiers.

3. v
Declaration
I declare hereby that the substance of this dissertation is entirely the
result of my investigation and that due reference or acknowledgement is
made, whenever necessary to the work of other researchers.
Date Signature
10 February 2006

4. v
The objective through this research work is to document anxiety in the Algerian
context in order to increase an understanding of anxiety in foreign language speaking
from the learners’ perspective. A further aim in this study is to determine if anxiety
levels decrease as exposure to the target language increases. As anxiety represents a
hierarchy of different variables ranging from personal to procedural, an investigation
into those interacting factors thought to augment negative affect in foreign language
speaking was necessary in the present study.
A total of eighty First year and Third year university students in the English
Department at the University of Algiers participated in this study. A modified version
of the FLCAS developed by Horwitz et.al (1986) was used for data elicitation as a
primary instrument to measure students’ anxiety in the oral classroom. The scale is
based on an analysis of potential sources of anxiety in a language classroom
integrating related anxieties as posited by Horwitz et.al (1986). Besides, the focus
groups were used as qualitative component in this study. Our inclusion of the focus
groups helped to focus on the participants’ beliefs, experiences, and feelings related to
anxiety in foreign language speaking.
The research results showed that anxiety was experienced by First and
Third years university students and had debilitating effects on students’ foreign
language speaking. The results further pointed to the existence of anxiety in beginning
and advanced classes. Thus, increased exposure to the target language had little
influence on students’ anxieties. A closer look at other interacting variables was
warranted. Consequently, several sources and anxiety-provoking factors are discussed
in this study to deepen our understanding of anxiety in foreign language speaking.

5. v
On the basis of the findings of the study, this research work ends with some
pedagogical recommendations to reduce anxiety in foreign language speaking and to
improve oral expression instruction. The implications for classroom practice include
ways of dealing with foreign language speaking anxiety and suggestions to make
speaking the foreign language less stressful for anxious students.
At this point it should be pointed out that the underlying goal of this study is to
contribute to the bulk of research carried out on language anxiety and its impact on
foreign language speaking. From this standpoint, this study may shed some light on
this particular area of foreign language learning.