An investigation of young adolescent students' foreign language anxiety levels and their causes

This thesis endeavors to delve into the foreign language anxiety experienced by young adolescent students and explore its underlying causes. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide valuable insights that can aid teachers in comprehending and effectively managing the foreign language anxiety of their young learners, thereby mitigating negative emotional impacts. The study was conducted across both private and public schools in Ankara during the spring semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. A mixed method was used in the research methodology to obtain more in-depth and comprehensive results. Quantitative data collection utilized the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz et al., (1996) and translated into Turkish by Aydın (1991) and involved 414 students from 5th to 8th grades. Simultaneously, qualitative data were acquired through semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 students exhibiting high levels of anxiety according to FLCAS results. After analyzing the results, it was evident that young adolescents exhibited a moderate level of foreign language anxiety, which was influenced by factors such as age, parental expectations, gender, learning experiences, school type, and academic achievement. The effects of these variables on foreign language anxiety were thoroughly discussed and analyzed. Following semi-structured interviews with 12 anxious students, the causes of their anxiety were identified as speaking activities, teacher manners, peer reactions, parental pressure, and fear of receiving low grades in exams. Consequently, all the findings were comprehensively discussed and summarized, and potential suggestions were offered for teachers and future studies. It is important to note that while this study offers valuable insights, its scope is limited to 226 students from a single public school and 188 students from a private school in Ankara. Therefore, caution must be exercised in generalizing the findings beyond this specific context. Future research endeavors may benefit from diversifying data collection tools, including input from teachers to enrich the understanding of foreign language anxiety, and exploring additional perspectives to develop comprehensive strategies for addressing student anxiety in language learning environments.