An in-depth inquiry into the language and teaching anxieties experienced by preservice foreign language teachers.

摘要

The purpose of this case study was to describe the teaching and foreign language anxieties for six preservice, non-native foreign language teachers enrolled at higher education institutions in North Carolina. In order to more fully understand anxiety in preservice foreign language teachers, this study described: (a) the effects of L2 acquisition/learning contexts on foreign language anxiety; and (b) the effects of foreign language anxiety on preservice teachers' perceived proficiency and use of the target language in the classroom.; Data were collected via questionnaire, open-ended and focused interviews, and direct observations in the classroom. These data were organized into a database by themes, analyzed on a case-by-case basis, and analyzed across cases using a pattern-matching technique. Cross-case analyses of teaching and foreign anxieties indicated that certain aspects about teaching and using the target language were anxiety-provoking for the participants in this study. For some of the participants, these concerns contributed to high levels of anxiety, and for other participants, these concerns did not cause them to feel overly anxious. The aspects about teaching in general which primarily concerned the participants were administrative issues, preparing lessons, and negative attitudes that students, parents, and other teachers held about the study of foreign languages. Three of the six participants attributed their teaching anxiety to a lack of classroom experience, and one participant attributed her anxiety to a lack of guidance and support. In addition to being anxious about teaching in general, the participants also were nervous about using the target language in certain situations. The participants were apprehensive about speaking the target language with other language teachers, with native speakers, in front of peers, and in public settings. A majority of the study participants attributed their foreign language anxiety to the minimal opportunities they had to speak the language before being placed in their student teaching classrooms.; Findings from the cross-case analysis indicated that the following L2 acquisition/learning contexts were associated with lower levels of foreign language anxiety: (a) frequent contact with native speakers in the community; (b) emphasis on speaking skills in the formal classroom setting; and (c) an uninterrupted study of the target language. The data also suggested that lower levels of foreign language anxiety were associated with higher levels of perceived proficiency. Finally, the research indicated that the preservice foreign language teachers used the target language more than English in their classrooms when they were: (a) opening class; (b) giving directions; (c) asking questions; (d) answering questions; (e) teaching vocabulary; (f) managing minor classroom behavior problems; and (g) praising their students.