A comparison of foreign language anxiety in two different settings: Online vs classroom

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine and compare the foreign language anxiety (FLA) levels of English preparatory school students in two settings namely online and in person classroom lessons. An explanatory mixed-method research design was adopted to accomplish the aim. Two questionnaires were used in the first part to collect quantitative data, and the sample cohort consisted of 234 students from six Turkish state universities. The quantitative data were examined through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings showed that moderate levels of FLA were present in both online and in person classroom instruction among participants. It was discovered that the FLA levels in two settings differed in a statistically significant way. In consonance with quantitative results, semi-structured interviews with 10 volunteers were done to collect further data. Thematic analysis was used to resolve the qualitative data from the interviews, and as a result, four key themes – interaction, anxiety, problems, and language points – emerged. Students preferred classroom settings for interaction since they could interact in person classroom lessons. Additionally, it was shown that technical issues such as disconnections and speech interruptions caused distress in language learners.