The impact of "Teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling" (TPRS) method on the anxiety levels of adolescent turkish efl learners

"Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling" (TPRS) is a living and evolving method of foreign language learning created and developed by Blaine Ray in the late 1980s. The method utilizes highly interactive and personalized stories shaped by interesting, bizarre and even absurd details to provide comprehensible input. One of the claims of the method is that it helps the creation of a more relaxing learning environment by minimizing anxiety and stress. Even if there is a growing amount of research on TPRS, its effects on anxiety experienced by language learners have not been adequately researched so far. The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the efficacy of TPRS method on the anxiety levels of adolescent Turkish EFL learners. With the purpose of identifying the effect of TPRS on foreign language anxiety (FLA), the mixed methods research design was used in this research. The quantitative data were collected through Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) created by E. Horwitz, M. Horwitz and Cope (1986) before and after the implementation of TPRS method into the language classes. TPRS method was used in all language lessons during eight weeks. Whether FLCAS mean values differed after an eight-week treatment process was investigated and analyzed through SPSS 23.00 program. Additionally, the qualitative data were obtained from the semi-structured interviews carried out with 10 volunteers chosen among 71 students. The content analysis and color coding techniques were utilized in the analysis of these qualitative data. When all of the findings were analyzed, it was seen that TPRS was a highly effective method in terms of reducing FLA experienced by 71 adolescent Turkish EFL learners. Its significantly positive effect was found out on all sources of FLA too. Therefore, the method can be alternatively used by foreign language teachers having encountered with students who are unenthusiastic, anxious and stressful in foreign language learning. Keywords: Adolescent learners, foreign language anxiety, TPRS method.