"Fear of Negative Evaluation as a Variety of Anxiety in Foreign Language Learning"

Abstract

"This research work explores sources of Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) from the perspective of first year university students of EFL enrolled in the LMD1 system during the academic year 2006/2007 at Abderrahmane Mira University- Béjaia. The sources we considered in our three hypotheses are classroom interaction, language proficiency, error correction and evaluation. A mixed methodology was used all along the research work. That is, a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methodology accompanied with a descriptive, analytic style and a thematic analysis of data were used for data analysis. Four research techniques were used in data collection. A piloting phase about the theme’s ‘researchability’ and feasibility was introduced first in a three month participant observation period of eight groups during their research methodology sessions. Data analysis showed that FNE was an existent and a significant phenomenon that seemed to be directed by a number of factors among which interaction, evaluation, error correction and language proficiency (speaking and vocabulary in particular) take part of. After this phase, we could develop a questionnaire; we tested it and handed it to 157 participants. Results revealed that apart from classroom interaction which was positive, all the other sources were considerably contributing factors in creating anxiety and FNE. To complete these findings, we used the Before/After Design. We asked our participants to report their feelings before experiencing exams and after. Results indicated that FNE is experienced before exams and not after exams. Finally, we reinforced our questionnaire with a sixteen questions interview format. Here, a thematic analysis was employed. Findings indicated that interaction with peers seemed less significant compared to the teacher’s one because participants affirmed that the learner-instructor interaction leads to fear. These findings reinforced the idea that fear is caused by the teacher’s way of error correction; a phenomenon that proved to be one of the main factors behind FNE. Further, learners revealed that they experience FNE because of their low language proficiency. Here, speaking and vocabulary appeared to be the most significant weaknesses in English. Finally, evaluation seems also another major aspect where self-evaluation, peer evaluation and teacher evaluation are all exposed as a possible source of FNE. According to the findings, our three hypotheses have been confirmed. Only classroom interaction showed less significance compared to the other sources and emphasis was put on the teacher rather than on peer interaction. 1 Licence"