European Journal of English Language Teaching
ISSN: 2501-7136 (on-line)
ISSN-L: 2501-7136 (print)
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
10.5281/zenodo.53153
Volume 1│Issue 1│2015
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS
TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Ch. S. Sailajai
Lecturer in English Language Teaching,
Sri Padmavathi Mahila Hindu College of Education,
Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Abstract:
Education is the powerful tool which helps to modify the behaviour of the child
according to the needs and expectancy of the society. Student s attitude is an integral
part of learning and that it should, therefore become an essential component of second
language learning pedagogy. Attitudes toward learning are believed to influence
behaviours such as selecting and reading books, speaking in a foreign language etc.
Especially in Education, if the students have positive attitude towards any subject, they
can achieve many things in that specific area. There is an interaction between language
learning and the environmental components in which the students were grown up.
Both negative and positive attitudes have a strong impact on the success of language
learning. There are many factors that might cause the students low proficiency in
English. One might be attributed to petroleum engineering students motivation
towards the English language. This is because learners motivation has been widely
accepted as a key factor which influences the rate and success of second/foreign
language learning and
motivation of the students is one of the most important factors
influencing their success or failure in learning the language". “nother factor is learners
attitudes. This is because an ESL/EFL learner's motivation in language learning is
affected by his/her attitudes towards learning the language.
Keywords: learning anxiety, engineering students, environmental components,
students motivation
.
i
Correspondence: sailaja.kaza60@gmail.com
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved
Published by Open Access Publishing Group ©2015.
1
Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
1.
Anxiety during Second Language Learning
Anxiety in language is defined as the feelings of tension and apprehension during
reading, speaking, learning, listening and writing English language. According to
researchers, there is trait anxiety, state anxiety, situation-specific anxiety, and
facilitating and test anxiety. Trait anxiety is a permanent predisposition to be anxious
whereas state anxiety is related to some particular event or act. Situation-specific
anxiety which refers to anxiety experience is a well-defined situation.
Speaking is an important skill to communicate with each other both in first and
second language. Students of second language learner feel nervousness while speaking
in classroom. Students are afraid of talking with each other in English because they are
of the view that their peers would make joke of them. This reluctant becomes a severe
problem for students in English language learning.
Students mostly deal with pronunciation, apprehension, grammar, fluency and
vocabulary problems. Rural students have problem in both learning and speaking
English.
Foreign language anxiety consists of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings and behaviors
related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning
process . Foreign language learning process is a unique process, because learners are
required to communicate using a language which they have not mastered perfectly.
Three components of foreign language anxiety have been identified:
a. communication apprehension,
b. fear of negative evaluation, and
c. test anxiety.
Students who exhibit communication apprehension do not feel comfortable
communicating in the target language in front of others, due to their limited knowledge
of the language, especially in relation to speaking and listening skills. Students who
experience fear of negative evaluation do not consider language errors as a natural part
of the learning process, but as a threat to their image, and a source for negative
evaluations either from the teacher or their peers.
As a result, they are silent and withdrawn most of the time, and do not
participate in language activities. Students who experience test anxiety consider the
foreign language process, and especially oral production, as a test situation, rather than
an opportunity for communication and skills improvement.
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
2.
Need for the Study
While foreign language speaking anxiety is a common phenomenon in the teaching of
English as a foreign language, it seems that teachers do not always identify anxious
students, and attribute their unwillingness to engage in speaking tasks to factors such
as lack of motivation, or poor attitude . An additional problem concerns the fact that
although there is an abundance of theoretical articles on general language anxiety, there
seems to be a relative paucity of empirical studies focusing specifically on the sources of
foreign language speaking anxiety and providing practical recommendations and
strategies to address it. Consequently, it was our intention to contribute to the literature
on language anxiety by using a classroom-based case study in order to: a) examine the
characteristics of anxious students and the sources of foreign language speaking
anxiety, b) implement interventions to overcome it, and c) evaluate the effectiveness of
these measures for reducing foreign language speaking anxiety in the English
classroom.
Studies that examined anxiety and language learning may serve as a guide for
language teachers in terms of helping them to increase their understanding of language
learning from the perspective learners. Studies of this nature can also provide insights
into how educators can develop appropriate interventions to decrease language anxiety
among second/foreign language learners. In addition, by understanding the causes and
effects of language anxiety and their relationship to language achievement strategies
and interventions to boost the self-confidence of learners and lower their anxiety can
prove beneficial to all stakeholders.
3.
Review of Related Literature
Mohammad Javad Riasati in his study Language Learning Anxiety from EFL Learners’
Perspective demonstrated the causes of language learning anxiety from the learners
perspectives as well as the effects of anxiety. Implications of the study include what
learners and teachers can do in order to reduce the debilitating effects of anxiety. This
qualitative study is an attempt to investigate language learners perspectives on
language learning anxiety. Specifically, it seeks to figure out what factors make learners
more anxious in the language learning environment. The data were gathered through
semi-structured interviews with three individuals who have been learning English for
several years.
Atef Al-Tamimi and Munir Shuib, (2009) in their study “Motivation and Attitudes
towards Learning English: A Study of Petroleum Engineering Undergraduates at Hadhramout
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
3
Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
University of Sciences and Technology showed the students positive orientation toward
the English language. Interestingly enough, the results indicated that a high number of
the students showed their interest in the culture of the English speaking. The study
sample consisted of 81 petroleum engineering students at Hadhramout University of
Sciences and Technology (HUST). A questionnaire and interviews were used for data
collection. Personal reasons were also regarded as important motives by the students.
However, regarding the integrative reasons, the results provided evidence that learning
English as a part of the culture of its people had the least impact in students English
language motivation. On the other hand, data for the students attitudes revealed that
most of students had positive attitudes towards the social value and educational status
of English.
Iakovos Tsiplakides,
9 in his study
Helping Students Overcome Foreign
Language Speaking Anxiety in the English Classroom: Theoretical Issues and Practical
Recommendations says that despite the fact that foreign language speaking anxiety is a
common phenomenon in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Greece,
teachers do not always identify anxious students, and often attribute their
unwillingness to participate in speaking tasks to factors such as lack of motivation, or
low performance. This article aims to contribute to the literature on language anxiety
and to provide teachers with strategies for reducing foreign language speaking anxiety
stemming from students fear of negative evaluation from their peers and perception of
low ability. Using qualitative research, it presents a classroom-based case study which
aims at examining the characteristics of anxious students with a view to implementing
classroom interventions to reduce foreign language speaking anxiety. The effectiveness
of these interventions is also presented and evaluated, and the pedagogical implications
of the findings are discussed.
Gajalakshmi, (
in her study, High school students’ attitude towards English
language learning revealed that there is a significant difference based on the gender,
locality of the school, type of school, type of management. A standardized
questionnaire was administered in the form of normative survey to 600 IX standard
students (selected randomly from various high and higher secondary schools in
Puducherry region) to collect their attitude towards learning English language. The
collected data was statistically analyzed by SPSS ver-16. Hence, it was concluded that
more classroom activities in the study of English enhance pupils attitude to learn
English.
Sadia Noreen, Mumtaz Ahmed and Asma Esmail,
in their study Role of
Students’ Motivation, Attitude and Anxiety in Learning English at Intermediate Level in
Pakistan: A Gender Based Study showed that the females have higher level of motivation
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
and attitude towards English language, while males have higher level of anxiety as
compared to the females. The research is based on a close ended survey questionnaire
on 5-point Likert scale, which describes about the ratio of students attitude, motivation
and classroom anxiety during English language learning process of grade 12 class
students in a well-known college of Faisalabad, Pakistan. This research presents the
affirmative views of equal number of 112 students both male (56) and female (56).
Terri Lee Nagahashi in his study Techniques for reducing language anxiety: Results
of a successful intervention study stated that structured cooperative learning activities
may be effective in reducing language anxiety by providing non-threatening,
supportive environment in which to develop language skills. The purpose of this short
term intervention study was to examine the effectiveness of cooperative learning
techniques for reducing foreign language anxiety among freshman students enrolled in
Akita University. A total of 38 students participated in this intervention study, all of
whom are a subset of a larger cross-sectional baseline study that was conducted to
assess levels and primary sources of language anxiety. Two survey instruments are
used: The standardized foreign language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS) (Harwitz,
Harwitz and Cope, 1986) and a post intervention questionnaire.
4.
Statement of the problem
A study of anxiety towards English language of engineering students
5.
Objectives of the Study
1. To know the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering.
2. To know the extent of language anxiety among male and female students of
engineering.
3. To know the extent of language anxiety among Telugu medium and English
medium students of engineering.
6.
Research Question
1. What is the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering?
2. Does the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering differ
basing on their gender?
3. Does the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering differ
basing on their medium of instruction at the Intermediate level?
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
7.
Sampling Technique
Convenience sampling technique was used to select the sample and size of the sample
was 100. The sample consisted of engineering students.
8.
Used Tools
The language anxiety scale was prepared and developed by Hemamalini H.C.,
University of Mysore. The questionnaire consisted of 18 statements. The students have
to answer them as yes/no. Yes carries
mark and No carries 0 marks. The score
ranged from 1 to 18.
9.
Methodology
As survey method is one of the best methods to collect primary data from
a large group, the author have chosen survey method for this purpose.
10.
Data Analysis
S.No
1
Statement
I am worried of not making any progress in
English
2
I feel, I can t learn English grammar
3
I am worried that my pronunciation is not
good
4
I fear I am not able to remember the
particular word in English while speaking
5
I have fear of not speaking English fluently
6
I feel need to translate every word of English
to my language to understand clearly
7
I fear I can t understand my teacher s
explanation
8
I am anxious about my English marks
9
When a question is posed to me in English
class, I will be upset
10
I feel I am not learning English quickly as
others do
11
I feel nervous when I have to speak in
English with my classmates
12
When my English teacher asks me to write
Overall
Male
Female
T.M
E.M
%
%
%
%
%
43
47
42
57
38
56
60
51
64
52
48
46
51
39
51
53
56
49
57
51
55
55
56
57
54
58
60
56
54
59
54
53
56
69
50
56
66
44
61
54
47
35
62
32
52
51
53
51
64
46
52
51
53
50
52
50
51
49
41
44
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
something on blackboard I feel nervous that I
may not write properly
13
I feel nervous to go to school when I think of
English class
14
I am always worried that I may not know
correct spelling while writing English words
15
I feel nervous while reading English lesson
in the classroom
16
I always have the fear of making mistakes in
English classroom
17
I am worried that my handwriting is not
good
18
My hands shiver while writing English test.
52
73
53
50
54
61
37
47
61
61
54
51
58
39
59
67
71
62
61
69
50
46
56
39
54
55
64
44
41
51
10.
Discussion
10.1
I am worried of not making any progress in English
For the first statement, the overall percentage is 43. On the whole 43% of the sample of
engineering students has anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variable
wise description, 47% of the males and 42% of the female sample expressed their
anxiety. In comparison males exhibited higher level of anxiety than their counterparts.
Fifty-seven percent of the Telugu medium students have more anxiety towards English
when compared with their counterparts with 38%.
10.2
I feel, I can’t learn English grammar
The overall percentage for the second statement is 56. On the whole 56% of the sample
of engineering students has anxiety towards English language. The variable, males
%
and 51% females showed anxiety towards English language. In comparison, males
expressed higher level of anxiety than their counterparts. Sixty four percent of Telugu
medium students have more anxiety towards English when compared with their
counterparts with 52%.
10.3
I am worried that my pronunciation is not good
On the whole 48% of the sample engineering students exhibited anxiety towards
English language. For the variable wise description, the males expressed 46% of anxiety
towards English and females showed 51% of anxiety. For this statement, females
expressed higher level of anxiety than their counterparts. Telugu medium students
showed 39% of anxiety towards English and English medium students showed 51% of
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
anxiety. Hence, it is inferred from the above result that for this statement English
medium students expressed more anxiety towards English than their counterparts.
10.4
I fear I am not able to remember the particular word in English while
speaking
Fifty three percent of the whole sample of engineering students showed anxiety
towards English language. Males showed 56% and females showed 49% of anxiety
towards English. Here males showed higher level of anxiety towards English than
female engineering students. Telugu medium students expressed
% and English
medium students showed 51% of anxiety towards English language. From the above
result Telugu medium students exhibit higher level of anxiety towards English with
their counterparts.
10.5
I have fear of not speaking English fluently
On the whole
% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English
language for this statement. Fifty five percent of the males and 56% of female students
expressed anxiety towards English. Almost the same percent of anxiety towards English
was exhibited by both male and female engineering students. Fifty seven percent of
Telugu medium students and 54% of English medium students showed anxiety
towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a slight higher level
anxiety than their counterparts.
10.6
I feel need to translate every word of English to my language to understand
clearly
The overall percentage of sample engineering students expressed 58% of anxiety
towards English language. Coming to the variable description, males expressed 60% of
anxiety and female engineering students exhibited 56% of anxiety towards English
language. For this statement, males have shown more anxiety towards English than
female students. Telugu medium students expressed 54% of anxiety and English
medium students showed 59% of anxiety towards English language. From the above
result, it is inferred that English medium students expressed a slightly higher level of
anxiety with their counterparts.
10.7
I fear I can’t understand my teacher’s explanation.
The whole sample of engineering students showed 54% of anxiety towards English
language. Coming to the variables, males showed 53% and females expressed 56% of
anxiety towards English language. Here, male students have shown low percentage of
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
anxiety towards English than female students of engineering. Telugu medium students
expressed 69% and English medium students exhibited 50% of anxiety towards English
language. In comparison, Telugu medium students express more anxiety towards
English than their counterparts.
10.8
I am anxious about my English marks
Fifty six percent of the whole sample of engineering students showed anxiety towards
English language. Males showed 66% and females showed 44% of anxiety towards
English. Here males showed higher level of anxiety towards English than female
engineering students. Telugu medium students expressed
% and English medium
students showed 54% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result
Telugu medium students exhibit higher level of anxiety towards English with their
counterparts.
10.9
When a question is posed to me in English class, I will be upset
On the whole
% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English
language for this statement. Thirty five percent of the males and 62% of female students
expressed anxiety towards English. Female engineering students expressed higher level
of anxiety towards English language than male students. Thirty two percent of Telugu
medium students and 52% of English medium students showed anxiety towards
English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with
their counterparts.
10.10 I feel I am not learning English quickly as others do
The overall percentage of sample engineering students expressed 51% of anxiety
towards English language. Coming to the variable description, males expressed 53% of
anxiety and female engineering students exhibited 51% of anxiety towards English
language. For this statement, males have shown more anxiety towards English than
female students. Telugu medium students expressed 64% of anxiety and English
medium students showed 46% of anxiety towards English language. From the above
result, it is inferred that English medium students expressed a lower level of anxiety
with their counterparts.
10.11 I feel nervous when I have to speak in English with my classmates
On the whole
% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English
language for this statement. Fifty one percent of the males and 53% of female students
expressed anxiety towards English. Almost the same percent of anxiety towards English
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
was exhibited by both male and female engineering students. Fifty percent of Telugu
medium students and 52% of English medium students showed anxiety towards
English language. Here, Telugu medium students and English medium students have
almost the same percent of anxiety towards English language.
10.12 When my English teacher asks me to write something on blackboard? I feel
nervous that I may not write properly
On the whole
% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English
language for this statement. Fifty one percent of the males and 49% of female students
expressed anxiety towards English. Male engineering students expressed higher level of
anxiety towards English language than female students. Forty one percent of Telugu
medium students and 44% of English medium students showed anxiety towards
English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with
their counterparts.
10.13 I feel nervous to go to school when I think of English class
Fifty two percent of the whole sample of engineering students showed anxiety towards
English language. Males showed 73% and females showed 53% of anxiety towards
English. Here males showed higher level of anxiety towards English than female
engineering students. Telugu medium students expressed
% and English medium
students showed 54% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result
Telugu medium students exhibit lower level of anxiety towards English with their
counterparts.
10.14 I am always worried that I may not know correct spelling while writing
English words
The whole sample of engineering students showed 61% of anxiety towards English
language. Coming to the variables, males showed 37% and females expressed 47% of
anxiety towards English language. Here, male students have shown low percentage of
anxiety towards English than female students of engineering. Telugu medium students
expressed 61% and English medium students exhibited 61% of anxiety towards English
language. From the above result, it is inferred that both the Telugu medium and English
medium engineering students expressed equal level of anxiety towards English
language for this statement.
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
10.15 I feel nervous while reading English lesson in the classroom.
For this statement, the overall percentage is 54. On the whole 54%of the sample of
engineering students has anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variable
wise description, 51% of the males and 58% of the female sample expressed their
anxiety. In comparison males exhibited lower level of anxiety than their counterparts.
Thirty nine percent of the Telugu medium students have less anxiety towards English
when compared with their counterparts with 59%.
10.16 I always have the fear of making mistakes in English classroom
On the whole
% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English
language for this statement. Seventy one percent of the males and 62% of female
students expressed anxiety towards English. Male engineering students expressed
higher level of anxiety towards English language than female students. Sixty one
percent of Telugu medium students and 69% of English medium students showed
anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level
of anxiety with their counterparts.
10.17 I am worried that my handwriting is not good
The whole sample of engineering students showed 50% of anxiety towards English
language. Coming to the variables, males showed 46% and females expressed 56% of
anxiety towards English language. Here, male students have shown low percentage of
anxiety towards English than female students of engineering. Telugu medium students
expressed 39% and English medium students exhibited 54% of anxiety towards English
language. From the above result, it is inferred that the Telugu medium engineering
students expressed very low level of anxiety towards English language with their
counterparts who exhibit very high level of anxiety.
10.18 My hands shiver while writing English test
On the whole 55% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English
language for this statement. Sixty four percent of the males and 44% of female students
expressed anxiety towards English. Male engineering students expressed higher level of
anxiety towards English language than female students. Forty one percent of Telugu
medium students and 51% of English medium students showed anxiety towards
English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with
their counterparts.
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
11.
Recommendations
1. Teachers can make a valuable contribution in developing a friendly relationship
with their students, in order to develop a positive attitude towards learning
English language,
2. Positive psychological classroom atmosphere needed for learning language, and
the errors are considered as a natural part of the process of learning English
language.
3. Teachers should motivate the students to learn better English, by highlighting its
importance as they need English for getting employment purpose in future.
4. Educators and parents should always encourage learners to read materials
written in English like newspapers and magazines.
5. Educators who qualify to teach English must have received a relevant training
and qualification in English. If the above condition is taken care of learners
would receive proper knowledge which would help them to develop confidence
and they will be competent in the world.
12.
Conclusion
The present study was an attempt to obtain a picture of language learners experience of
language learning anxiety and to identify factors that cause such anxiety. It is hoped
that the findings of the study can shed light into the complex issue of anxiety in
learning, make educators aware of the existence of the anxiety in learners, and hence
take steps to identify and obliterate the sources of anxiety. It goes without saying that
only in a relaxed, stress-free environment, can learners show their full capabilities and
learn the material effectively and successfully.
References
1. Atef Al-Tamimi and Munir Shuib, (2009), “Motivation And Attitudes Towards
Learning English: A Study Of Petroleum Engineering Undergraduates At Hadhramout
University Of Sciences and Technology
GEM“ Online Journal of Language
Studies, Volume 9(2) 2009
2. Gajalakshmi,
,
High school students’ attitude towards English language
learning International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 3,
Issue 9, September 2013 1 ISSN 2250-3153
European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
12
Ch. S. Sailaja –
A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
3. Garret, H. E. (1973). Statistics in Psychology and Education. New Delhi: Paragon
International Publishers
4. Hemamalini H.C. (2007), Reducing Language Anxiety to Improve the Process of
Learning English, Edutracks, December 2007, Vol. 7 No. 4.
5. Iakovos Tsiplakides,
9,
Helping Students Overcome Foreign Language
Speaking Anxiety in the English Classroom: Theoretical Issues and Practical
Recommendations International Education Studies, Vol.2, No.4, November 2009
6. Mohammad Javad Riasati (2011), Language Learning Anxiety from EFL Learners’
Perspective Middle–East Journal of Scientific Research 7 (6): 907-914, 2011, IDOSI
Publications
7. Sadia Noreen, Mumtaz “hmed and “sma Esmail,
Role of Students’
Motivation, Attitude and Anxiety in Learning English at Intermediate Level in Pakistan:
A Gender based Study Educational Research International Vol. 4(2) April 2015
8. Terri Lee Nagahashi,
Techniques for reducing language anxiety: Results of a
successful intervention study , Faculty of Education and Human Studies, Akita
University, Japan
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European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015
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European Journal of English Language Teaching
ISSN: 2501-7136 (on-line)
ISSN-L: 2501-7136 (print)
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
10.5281/zenodo.51827
Volume 1│Issue 1│2015
LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS
Anastazy Brozek
Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
Abstract:
The present research investigates the professional progress of English language teachers
related to the language assessment and teaching methodologies and represents a
theoretical planning of the field of curriculum and assessment in English Language
Teaching and its effect in terms of professional and qualified development. Assessment
is an essential section of the educational process, as it controls whether or not the goals
of instruction are being achieved. Assessment influences decisions about ratings,
assignment, improvement, instructional requirements, curriculum, etc… A qualitative
connection between theory and implementation of well-developed practices in
assessment contribute to positive achievements to in-service teachers. The major
achievement of the study is that English teachers' professional progress is eloquent only
if the assimilated information is applied in their environment.
Keywords: professional development, language acquisition, English Language
Teaching assessment
.
1.
Introduction
Today's students must have knowledge not only of the basic reading and arithmetic
skills, but also must develop abilities that will permit them to survive and progress on
an environment that is continually evolving. They must be competent to think critically,
to examine, and to make inferences. Modifications in the skills base and knowledge of
our scholars require new scholarship aims; these new learning aims modification
change the connection between assessment and education.
An essential characteristic of teachers’ professional knowledge and competence
is the capability to evaluate scholars’ realizations adequately. “ccording ratings is one
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved
Published by Open Access Publishing Group ©2015.
36
Anastazy Brozek –
LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS
classical mission in this context. Besides giving evaluations, assessments for school
assignments or following verdicts belong to these responsibilities. Teachers must have a
dynamic role in making judgments about the determination of assessment and the
content that is being assessed. “ppropriate students’ individualities which influence
teachers’ evaluation do not only involve academic achievement but also students’
answers to diverse assignment demands as well as non-academic features such as
learning impulse or school apprehension.
Professional development processes are considered relevant spaces for modern
organizations. In order to be at the forefront, education systems are committed to
analyse the skills and professional performance of teachers. This perspective frames the
consideration that the teachers of English have training needs as they progress in their
career, which requires an updated teacher to know, to know how to be and know how.
Teacher professional development is an on-going process that includes
opportunities and experiences planned systematically in order to promote substantive
improvement of educational processes from problematizing reflection of situations
faced in their daily lives. Placing at the centre the English teacher who faces great
challenges and demands of a society that aspires to improve language skills, the course
learning assessment was planned considering the reality of the MEP from an
andragogic approach.
Planning and implementation of professional development activities should
answer the questions: what to teach?, how to teach ?, when teaching? and why teach /
who? Coherence between these aspects is a prerequisite for participants and facilitators
of lifelong learning activities achieve significant learning factor.
The work of teaching involves among other things provide training goals to
organize the pedagogical action. On this regard, Hernandez (1995) states:
"Programming is a process of give unity and structure to the educational work process,
taking into account the students themselves, their environment, media and materials
available, in terms of achieving the goals, general and often, educational administration
fixed for this purpose.
Programming requires goals which serve to determine the degree of progress
and guide the actions of the teaching-learning process. Not less important is the
content, what you want to teach must meet the objectives which reflect the knowledge
to achieve. Coll, C. (1995) suggests three types of content, namely: cognitive,
procedural, attitudinal. Addressing these must establish meaningful relationships
considering the context and previous knowledge of the participants.
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The educational concept and the principles governing the design of professional
development activities largely determine the procedures regarding the pedagogical
mediation. Within this concept the facilitator should be creator of a favourable climate
for learning and an emotional environment that serves as support for the process of
teaching and learning.
The cognitive, emotional, praxis and values are inseparable from this concept.
However, what are the substantive aspects of a pedagogical practice that allows such
consistency? Two Freire's ideas seem basic and substantial as a starting point: overcome
any banking concept of education and pass a pedagogy of response (in which the
teacher says what seems interesting) to a pedagogy of the question (the teaching and
learning are answers to questions and interests that "connect" with students). This
allows us to enter into a substantive aspect of any educational practice: attending the
prominence and self - realization of students. (Ander Egg, 2001 p. 117)
Continuing education promotes transfer of learning to the workplace. Ander Egg
(2001) makes us reflect on the importance of considering who directed training activity
is. These activities should be geared to improving the teaching work by reference to
their experience and prior knowledge. In this regard, Casanova (2012) refers to the
conclusions of the Kinsey Report MC 2007 when its conclusions states
... the quality of an education system will never be above the quality of its teachers. In
short, quality is a dynamic concept in essence that will remain alive and always updated
to continue to innovate in education in view of the social events that occur and scientific
findings (psychological, educational, neuroscientists, etc.) and that should count as
training base and the prestige of its teachers. (p. 09)
The statements in the McKinsey report reaffirms the importance of training programs
with a planned orientation to strengthen the development of teachers so that the
thematic content of the curriculum and professional experience are linked.
2.
Context of the Evaluation
At the beginning of the century, the society demanded a range of skills in various fields
of professional life. The economic development of countries, globalization and job
creation has been and will be a priority of the states of the world. To achieve an efficient
performance work, better competitiveness, sustainable productivity growth, all human
activity must be inherent in an on-going process of evaluation.
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Today the world is more mechanized, more and more homogenized and exposed
almost entirely to the use of technology; this is a determining factor in the economic
growth of a country. The industries of the future are developed from research,
evaluation, innovation and creation.
To compete in a globalized world, people not only need to acquire a profession
but is also necessary to be bilingual, trilingual or multilingual. Speaking a second
language is as important as having a profession and this is much more relevant when
the person makes the language a profession which needs to be competent not only in
the domain of language as such but also in becoming a teacher Of the same.
(Saorin 2003) states that "…the language of research and scholarly publications is
English…" this is corroborated by the statistics that determine that 70% of scientists
publish their information in this language, 85% of the world 's mail is written in this
language and 90% of the information in electronic media it is in this language. For such
reason the importance of learning of a language that connects everyone in any context
became vital.
Learning a language is an on-going process that requires practice and application
of it in real life situations. So learning a foreign language in an unfavourable context is a
difficult task, since learners do not face a real world in which they can communicate
and apply their language skills acquired.
Today, despite the value that is given to the evaluation process, we can realize
that the evaluation of results is very important, because students must always meet
standards set for access to school, to college and even it aims to certify a profession
through a test in which a professional demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and
attitudes that it has acquired during his student life.
This assessment approach determines the user to transfer knowledge to skills, ie
know-how, which involves mobilizing them to various communication situations and
putting into practice this knowledge. That is, it is considered that a person is a
competent reader or speaker when you can use the language in the most varied
discourse genres, either oral or written situations.
From this perspective the assessment of language skills in learning a foreign
language should include a criterion of achievement, should allow the student a gradual
training evaluative techniques so that contributes to the development skills of
comprehension and oral expression, reading comprehension and written expression.
All this alludes that the assessment should be taken as a concomitant practice the
teaching-learning process.
The demonstration of a competency evidences the implementation of various
skills but should not manifest itself only in action but it is necessary to include a level of
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efficiency and effectiveness. Efficacy results of the proposed objectives and efficiency
optimization level of cost, time, resources and quality in meeting the objectives.
3.
Evaluation of Learning in English Teaching
Recent research has been interested in how the brain works and how you learn; these
studies have highlighted the need of not only new teaching methods, but also the
urgency to consider new ways of evaluating. The evaluation of learning processes in the
classroom is part of the formal structure of any educational process; the controversy is
how to do to respond to the new assessment approaches which are supported from a
more holistic view of learning as a process.
The evaluation as process involved in learning and motivation of children of
school age to acquire a foreign language is a guiding principle of best evaluation
practices. Rodriguez, et al. (2012), Atina stating that
"…through education evaluation can learn to set criteria (and hence priorities), to reflect
on the positive and negative realities, to assess (and compare) the objects of evaluation
and above all, to make fundamental and justified decisions… " pag.
The way how the assessment to fulfil its purpose of contributing positively on the
progress of students represents an educational challenge is made.
According Linse and Nunan (2005), an English teacher, put careful attention to
what students do in class, and based on that observation modify their planning,
activities and teaching techniques. Similarly, Brown (2004) suggests that teachers
evaluate English language proficiency of their students as part of a continuous process,
each time a student participates in an activity.
Progress is needed on the appropriate assess student progress reflected in the
development of language skills and emotional development involving the child's
interest and the significance of what you learn ways.
It is necessary to harmonize the evaluation culture of schools and the design and
implementation of evaluation instruments. The academic achievement of children in the
acquisition of English should be reflected in a performance - oriented students closely
with the pedagogical approach and the principles of teaching and learning a foreign
language.
The evaluation of learning is a process on-going of information and reflection on
the process of production of learning and required for execution of the implementation
of the following processes:
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a) Collection and selection of information about student learning through the
interaction with them, the application instrument, situations of evaluation, and
so on;
b) Interpretation and evaluation of learning in terms of the degree of development
of the evaluation criteria established in each area and therefore the degree of
development of competition. The assessment should be in qualitative terms.
c) Decision making, which involves the establishment of a plan of action that
allows students to learn, reinforce and stimulate learning to be developed with
the help of teachers, who must plan new strategies of teaching-learning,
according to the conclusions is reached in the evaluation.
4.
Principles and Purposes
The system of learning assessment is to contribute to improving the quality of teaching
and learning, therefore it should be given before, during and after these processes
allowing regulation of interrelationships, detect difficulties that are presenting, find out
the causes and take timely action without waiting to complete the process; therefore it is
of nature training . Similarly, the assessment of learning assumes that its object what are
the criteria and indicators for each curriculum area, which serve as benchmarks to
assess progress and difficulties of students. These criteria constitute the unit for the
collection, recording, analysis and communication of the evaluation process, giving the
nature of judgment:
a) It is part of the planning effective teaching and learning.
b) It focuses on how students learn.
c) It is central to classroom practice.
d) In a key professional skill. So it is important the feedback.
e) Is sensible and constructive since the assessment carries an emotional impact.
Therefore it should be emphasized the progress and achievements of students
rather than their failures, therefore there must be a constructive feedback
focusing on work and not on the person.
f) The evaluation promotes motivation in students and this in view It should serve
to student progress. In this regard it is important not to make comparisons with
those students who have had greater success.
g) Promotes understanding of goals and criteria.
h) Help students to know how to improve. Therefore must use methods that
encourage student autonomy and to allow some choice and opportunities for
self-direction.
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i) Develop capacity self-assessment.
j) Recognizes all educational achievements.
5.
Why and What to Evaluate Student Learning?
There are many groups interested in evaluating the language skills of these students are
teachers, department heads, parents of families , governments and of course the same
students. However, we all believe the four main reasons for evaluating:
a) To compare students to each other
b) To see if students achieve a particular standard
c) To help students learn
d) To check if the program is doing its job
e) To promote, demonstrate and certify
a)
To compare students to each other.
Today if students want to go to a university to study any career, the university
has to select the "best students". This decision has a comparative basis for example if the
university takes 80% of the best candidates but the consistency problem is that this is
determined through an examination and notes of his collegiate life depicted in his
bachelor's degree. However, what really sets are the best students if only a minimum
percentage of 20% of candidates achieved inserted into a university. Although this
system may not be as fair, this is often used by governments and parents to judge the
quality of the educational institution.
b)
To see if students are to reach a particular.
Large organizations such as the state or international examination bodies have certain
standards of proficiency that students should have. These standards do not necessarily
reflect the teaching program the students have followed, ie, different institutions may
have different texts or programs . In the case of a race where language students study
English as a language of instruction they must also undergo the evaluation criteria of
these institutions to end his career to determine the level of proficiency in the language
through a proficiency test.
Educational institutions such as universities and much more, also have certain
standards based on individual criteria and framed in international, which generally is
also a quality criterion. Educational institutions base their evaluation system in their
own teaching program.
Generally they analyse what students cover in a classroom, and then assess
whether students have learned often through a performance test. Another reason to
evaluate is the initial location. You can analyse the skills of students to see if they are
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part of the system. For example, if the institution has restrictions regarding classroom
space, or certain language own criteria such as: proficiency in grammar, pronunciation,
fluency, etc., which can also be location criteria.
c)
To help the student learning when the teacher applies a performance test to see if
students need more help or reinforcement, for example, most students achieved a good
result to write an advertisement but had many errors in grammar used, then you need
to re-plan and strengthen the teaching in that particular area.
d)
To check if the program is doing its job, ie if many errors are evidence in a
particular grammar, the teacher may decide to completely change the program to help
students focus on a different context of teaching and learning. Or large - scale higher
organism can decide to change the curriculum of a career.
e)
To promote, accreditation and certification, students within the social
dimensions involving, among other things, the legitimacy of skills professionals from
the rest of society.
6.
What to Evaluate
The answer to Assess What? should be organized around the object of evaluation in
the case of learning a foreign language should assess knowledge and skills in that
language and usually include listening, speaking, reading and writing together with the
components of language as are grammar and lexicon.
The objectives, defined as the knowledge, skills and attitudes pursued in a
program, in a cycle or a class. These objectives are expressed in terms of capacity or
general or specific skills, which can be specified in a given time.
This concept of objectives presents the difficulty that the capabilities are not
directly measurable and that its development is more or less constant continuum
evidence generally short or long term. (...)
To appreciate the development of capabilities must resort to standards that are
susceptible to some kind of finding, albeit indirectly: these are the content, tasks and
performance of the student in the performance of the latter"
If you are evaluating the grammatical error message the first response does not
limit the communication of the idea, so the answer is correct and if we are evaluating
the second half is also correct. For these reasons the teaching of a language must not
forget that there are two different corrections to the message and the medium.
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It is also necessary to clarify the language skills we evaluated, ie if we evaluate the
components of language (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) or if we evaluate how
the student connects these components when used in language that is the four skills
(speaking, listening, reading and writing) communicatively.
We must also assess skills in speech as: use the language that is socially
appropriate can be formal or informal; strategic skills are as taking turns in
conversation, get information from a text or listen to the main idea; language learning
skills such as ability to use the dictionary, the ability to deduce the meaning of words in
context, meta-language learning as the teacher ask: what is the past of the verb find?
etc.; learn skills in general and the contribution to and within the group, the ability to
distinguish what you know and do not know yet, to follow directions; and social skills
behaviour such as sit in the chair without interrupting the class or develop their test
yourself without trying to copy: and the criteria to qualify, evaluations give results in
numbers are easy to qualify, simply type rating in numbers or percentage converted
into different scales a note on a score of 10 or AE.
Specifically, the teaching of any foreign language under the communicative
approach leaves no doubt that should assess knowledge, skills, communicative
performance in the use of foreign language, so the level of competition communicative
acquired, feelings, values and attitudes.
However, the fact that the language skills they acquire students as part of their
stands interaction with the system of the language study and the level of development
of language skills are necessary to evaluate them through own communication of
students in the foreign language as an expression of the level of development of
communication skills acquired. It is precisely in the communicative practice that the
teacher and the student can watch repeatedly and evaluate communicative student
performance in the foreign language.
Attitudinal knowledge perhaps could be difficult finding in other subjects but in
the foreign language can be evaluated through student performance in communication,
where you can appreciate its capacity for collaboration, their attitudes to the group,
their preferences, own interests in the tasks of learning the language, but also can
inquire directly about their ways of thinking and acting in each communicative
situation which makes this knowledge becomes observable.
7.
Conclusion
Today, you can make use of many assessment tools, taking advantage of information
technologies and communications so as to allow demonstrate the gradual and
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incremental progress in developing skills of listening and speaking a foreign language.
Instruments should be implemented taking advantage of advances in information and
communications technology such as: email, the chat, open forums, the web-folios,
graphic organizers, web-quests, the blogs; and instruments that promote the
registration of progressive advances of the sub-skills of students as reflective journal,
surveys, interviews, scales reliability, evaluative scales or rubrics, bands, among others.
The development of communication skills in learning a foreign language is so
complicated that involves the integration of oral or written comprehension and verbal
and written expression simultaneously and coupled to situations which involve the
development of other skills such as socio-linguistic, strategic, pragmatic and require the
application of specific techniques that allow the progressive evaluation of micro-skills
that will gradually becoming competitive standards domain and demonstrate greater
skill in the practical demonstration of language in real communicative situations. design
techniques are then suggested as panels, forums, dialogues, troubleshooting, graphic
organizers, portfolios, projects, among others, participating students and evaluate the
process and the teacher diversify the techniques and assessment tools so that is not only
examining the only instrument to assess or grammar aspect evaluated the learning of
English.
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