Construction of a theoretical model of foreign language anxiety and development of a measure of the construct: Korean university EFL learners' case.

摘要

Two decades of research into foreign language anxiety have been marked by conflicting results and confusion about what the concept actually refers to and how it should be measured. This study draws upon foreign language anxiety research from several disciplines to create a comprehensive conceptual framework for foreign language performance anxiety and then develops, pilots, and establishes the validity and reliability of an associated classroom measure.; The current study was conducted over three phases using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Data were drawn from 446 Korean university students learning English as a Foreign Language. Quantitative data were factor analyzed to ferret out the underlying dimensionality of the construct and generated a 3-factor model (i.e., production, literacy, and aural and evaluative anxieties) of the FL anxiety. Reliability and validity checks for the measure were conducted as well. Particularly, construct and concurrent validity of the measure was assessed by conducting correlation analyses to determine the relationships between the current measure and other four measures of apprehension and anxiety. Findings showed that the current measuring tool that was developed is a highly reliable and valid measure of the FL anxiety construct. Internal consistency as estimated by alpha coefficient was .94 and test-retest reliability, r = .77. Construct validity of the FLPAS using the correlation with the respective measures administered were .83 (FLPAS), STAI (.70), TAI (.31), and CAPS (.53). Along with the quantitative findings, a qualitative interview approach was adopted to further understanding of Korean EFL adults' anxiety experiences in a university-based classroom milieu as well as to further establish construct validity or augment the trustworthiness of the measure.; Nine students selected to represent a range of anxiety levels participated in lengthy interviews about sources of discomfort with various forms of foreign language performance. Data were used to confirm and expand upon Likert responses on the questionnaire. The measure was found to be valid and reliable and able to extend measurement of foreign language anxiety to several areas of performance (i.e., production, literacy, and aural and evaluative anxieties) not assessable by currently available measures.