It is widely known that in EFL learning situations, many students “exhibit fear of foreign language speaking” (Yaikhong & Usaha, 2012, p. 23). In Asian countries, EFL learners suffer even more in language classroom anxiety because of insufficient language environment. According to Scovel (1978), anxiety in language learning is “a state of apprehension, a vague fear” (p. 134). Such anxiety may exist in many aspects of language learning process. Language classroom anxiety is one of the most common concerns. Many researches showed that students’ classroom anxiety will greatly affect their language learning effect (Young, 1986; Horwitz & Young, 1991; Phillips, 1992; & Aida, 1994). For example, Wariyachitra (2003) stated that classroom anxiety will reduce students’ motivation in communication, and if students avoid interaction in English, they will not succeed in learning the target language. Arnold and Brown (1999) believed that anxiety might be the most important reason that causes obstruction of language learning. Another researcher Boonkit (2010) did a research in Thai, and the result revealed that the undergraduate students are not confident enough to communicate in English, even in language classrooms. These findings tell us many EFL students are lack of communication opportunities, which are very crucial to their language learning, because they dare not use the language. In the learning process, this classroom anxiety is the key element that causes students’ lack of confidence and poor language performance.
In China, situations are quite the same. Reading, writing, even listening are always much easier for Chinese EFL learners, and Speaking is always the most suffering course. People don’t have chance to speak English in their ...
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...age skills and cognitive abilities. Harris, etc. believed that students with speaking anxiety will “often avoid anxiety-producing social or performance situations”, because they don’t know how to change their negative response in such situations, if they cannot avoid such situations, the will suffer a lot (2002, p. 543). The problem is what will happen after they repeated suffering and practice? Can they improve themselves with proper training and sufficient practice chances? Few researchers have done investigation in this field. In this study, I will try to answer the following question based on previous researches and a survey: a) Can EPS tasks lead to EFL students’ language classroom anxiety reduction? b) Can EPS tasks lead to EFL students’ language public presentation improvement? c) Is there any relation between students’ anxiety level and language performance?
“Let Them Talk!” written by Wayne E. Wright is an article that focuses on the idea of promoting English Language Learners (ELL) oral-language skills in the classroom instruction time to improve their literacy and academic achievement. Too often are an ELL’s speaking and listening skills overlooked and not given enough attention to, even though it is one of the most important parts of communication. Wright encourages teachers working with ELL students to allow time for the student to adjust, not to pressure them into their language development, respect their various stages, bring them into whole class and small group discussions, correct simple language errors in speaking that impeded comprehension, and have them interact and communicate in the classroom for meaningful purposes.
After viewing the panel discussion about how our local school districts have implemented English Language Learning in their school, I am very intrigued. From what I gathered the field of ELL is a growing industry in education, especially in Colorado Springs. We have ELL’s students coming from all over the world. Here in Colorado Springs alone, school districts have to accommodate for over fifty different languages spoken by ELL’s. I can only imagine the challenge that comes with such a diverse group of non- English speakers in our community schools.
Davis, S., Shisca, D., & Howell, P. (2007). Anxiety in speakers who persist and recover from stuttering. Journal of Communication Disorders, 40, 398-417.
Flynn, K. & Hill, J. (2005). English language learners: A growing population. Mid-Research For Education And Learning, 1-11.
With the rise of immigration, English Language Learners (ELL) population is growing fast. By 2025, 25% of the k-12 students will be ELLs. Therefore, a big challenge would be to help such ELLs improve their English language proficiency while there are English-speaking students (non-ELL) in the classes too.
Every year, the number of immigrants in the U.S. has grown “significantly.” Chen predicts that by the year of 2020, public schools will have at least 50 percent of students that are non-English speakers (¶5). This shows that it is important that public schools have a successful ESL program. The purpose of ESL programs is “to enhance” ESL students learning, to help students’ “emotional well-being”, and to accelerate students’ ability to learn the new language. According to Chen, some district schools have failed to support ESL students’ learning. For example, Chen stated that “...[some] school districts [have been] accused of not meeting t...
3 Cleary, M. N. (2012). Anxiety and the newly returned adult student. Teaching English in the
When observing and studying ELLs, there are many advantages and disadvantages in a classroom and school for these students. In the classroom, ELL students have many individual opportunities to develop their literacy, especially in small reading groups. English learners also, are pulled aside by an ESL teacher during class hours to focus on reading and writing skills of English. According to Netten, Droop, and Verhoeven (2010), reading is “an activity which benefits from practice” (414). Many of these students struggle to become literate at a young age, but the more practice they receive the better they will become when focusing on developing literacy. Also, ELL students have an advantage when learning two languages because this makes them bilingual. The goal of bilingual education is to develop
During my demonstration speech, I was affected by my speech anxiety. Some of the viewable symptoms were the shaking of my hands and also the stuttering of speech. I was able to control myself and relax after I started getting into my information. I did use some of the suggested relaxation techniques to relieve my anxiety. Before I got up to speak I thought confident of myself to help give me courage and confidence.
English Language Learners range from Newcomers learning survival English and developing foundational literacy skills to Long-Term English Learners who have had 6 years or more of their education in English yet continue have significant language gaps. These students may speak English with little or no accent and still lack the vocabulary, grammar and grade level literacy to be successful in school. English language learners may remain silent in the classroom as they adjust to a new school, environment, and culture unless he is a native language comrade to interact with. The English language learners are concerned about decoding verbal and non- verbal communication as well as understanding the social culture framework of the school. Most of the time English language learners are observing during instruction, trying to repeat words used by others, memorizing simple phrases and sentences, tired by midday or be frustrated attending long lectures unaccompanied by visual and gestures, relying on first language translation used peer translation or bilingual dictionary, as the students begin to learner they become more involved in the classroom, they can respond non-verbally to commands, statements, and questions in simple form. As their oral comprehension increases, they begin to use simple word and phrases and may use English spontaneously. They can understand short conversation on a simple topic when reading students can understand a narrative text and authentic materials, although they will be below
Learning to learn is a process that evolves over time, and I work with my students to help them identify their individual learning styles and needs. As a teacher, I have identified several key steps to ensuring student success while at the same time, reducing anxiety for English language learners (ELL’s). I have learned that by posting a daily plan on the board can help to reduce anxiety in all students, included in the daily plan is the daily warm up. When students walk into my class they know exactly what to do, as I have established the routine of having students check the daily plan. Improving my teaching requires a deep and honest reflection of methods, classroom strategies, relationships and communication. Having a class routine can reduce stress and anxieties while providing a variety of teaching strategies will help me meet the needs of my diverse group of students. Through reading and research for this class, I have also designated an area on the board that I write upcoming events such as labs and assessments, allowing students to plan
Grammar and the English language is taught schools across the United States. There are many different students in each classroom and as teachers we need to differentiate our instruction. English language learners; also known as ELL; students tend to struggle with grammar but we help them with learning this through implementing a few techniques. There are two types of ELL students; they are students that are not native to where they are living and students that are bilingual. The students that are bilingual are can range from being fluent to in the process of learning another language. These learners are in the process/know the English language but they have difficulty in often make mechanical errors with their grammar and syntax. The goal of the ELL program is a high intensity language program designed to help students to improve their level of English. The English language is complex and learning it is a long process. ELL students should be taught with strategies such as learning through speaking and listening. ELL teachers work with non-native speakers of the English language to help them develop the language skills as well as social skills. The programs they are going through are grammar conversational English, reading, listening comprehension, writing and vocabulary. Researchers have found the ELL students learn best relating subjects that they are interested in. They can be taught through strategies such as Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP). The U.S department of Education, National Center for Education statistics states that, “The percentage of public school students in the United States who were English language learners (ELL) was higher is 2010-11(10 percent) than in 2002-03(9 percent).”(2013). The st...
Thus, the book answers numerous practical questions that teachers have often struggled with; for example, how to increase the chances of academic success for language learners, how to use technology to teach language effectively, or how to teach language and content material concurrently. From the preface, the author makes it very clear that the book is designed to support language teachers in their journey as new teachers and throughout their teaching careers. In total, the book contains eleven chapters, which have been divided into four parts. The first part, "What Do Language Teachers Think About?" includes topics of foreign/ second language acquisition theories and language teaching methodologies. This part introduces the background knowledge readers will need in their journey as language teachers. The second part, "How Do You Teach a Language?" introduces approaches to teaching and learning that improve students’ writing, listening, speaking and reading abilities. Each chapter in this part includes suggestions for how students can be motivated and describes teaching and testing approaches to assess students ' language skills and academic literacy. The third part, "How Do I Know What to Teach?" is instrumental in helping teachers adopt teaching practices to particular teaching settings. The fourth part, "Where Do I Go from Here?" helps teachers gain a clearer perspective of what language teaching is all about; this section also considers teacher 's self-assessment and personal
Ni, Preston C. "5 Tips to Reduce the Fear of Public Speaking." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, LLC, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Jan. 2014. .
It is necessary to recognize the fundamental difference between Foreign Language Acquisition(FLA) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) processes to investigate and provide a framework for Korean English learners as well as Korean teachers. Recognizing these differences allows us to approach Second Language Learners (SLLs) in a very specific and focused way. Briefly, with FLA implicit learning takes place, which happens unconsciously and relatively effortlessly. On the other hand, SLA involves explicit learning and substantial effort on behalf of the average learner. It, therefore, is implicitly different from the native-speaking context. Because of this fundamental difference between the two, it is necessary to examine each scenario carefully in order to establish the exact factors affecting each. There are huge differences between Korean and English because of that factor Korean student often struggle with acquiring English as a second language. The recognition of this is obviously important to teachers and language learners especially for Korean learners. Then, what kinds of teaching methods are effective for Korean learners?