The effects of asynchronous CMC on speaking proficiency and anxiety: Podcasts

This study was designed to investigate: a) the effect of podcasts in EFL students' oral performance, b) the effect of podcasts in EFL students' speaking anxiety, c) the relationship between speaking anxiety and oral performance, and d) EFL students' perceptions of using podcasts. The study was conducted in a high school in Istanbul, Turkey. The students in two 9th grade classes in the subject school were given the anxiety questionnaire, which was adapted from Young (1990), consisting of 24 items related to general foreign language class anxiety and in-class activities. A total of 30 students with the highest anxiety levels were chosen among these students. The oral performances of these students were evaluated through the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the students were also interviewed about their speaking anxiety and their oral performances. About their oral performances, they were asked to evaluate their oral performances and express what they thought affected their oral performance. About their speaking anxiety, they were asked if speaking in class was anxiety provoking. They were also asked to express what in and out-of class activities and conditions make speaking anxiety provoking or make them feel relaxed when speaking English. For 11 weeks, the control group followed the course book and did the speaking activities in it while the experimental group created podcasts in addition to those activities. During this procedure, the students in the experimental group were interviewed three times in order to investigate their perceptions of podcasts in terms of the effect of podcasts on speaking proficiency, stress and anxiety; difficulties, challenges and limitations they faced; the benefits podcasts provided and the topics of the podcasts. At the end of 11 weeks, the participants were given the anxiety post-test, the post-interview and the oral performance post-test. In addition to the interview questions asked at the beginning of the study, at the end of study, the students were asked to compare their oral performances at the beginning and end of the term, and state what they thought affected the difference. The results of the study showed that students who used podcasts had higher oral performance (t(28)= 2,4 p=,025) and lower speaking anxiety levels (t(28)=7,01 p=,00) than the students who didn't use podcast; and there was a negative relationship between the participants' oral performances and speaking anxiety (r= ,46 p< ,05). The analysis of the interviews showed that for 12 students in the experimental group, the factor which affected the difference in their oral performance was podcasting. The most frequently stated other factors were using English in class, doing homework and reading storybooks. For the students in the control group, the most frequently stated factors were vocabulary, the activities done and the teacher. The analysis of the interviews on podcasts revealed that the students believed that podcasts helped them feel not or less anxious, and more confident when speaking English; decreased the stress and fright of making mistakes; improved their oral performances and pronunciation; expanded their vocabulary and provided them practice and revision.